Search - George Frideric Handel, Paul McCreesh, Gabrieli Consort and Players :: Handel - Solomon / A. Scholl, Dam-Jensen, Hagley, Bickley, Gritton, Agnew, Harvey, Gabrieli Consort and Players, Paul McCreesh

Much better than Gardiner's work

CAS | Oregon | 05/26/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For those who are drawn to artists who emphasize expressiveness and variability of interpretation in their work, this recording is definitely worth owning. McCreesh allows the performance of this very moving oratorio to be intimate and thoughtful as well as thrilling. Tastes differ, and I disagree that Scholl's performance is self-indulgent. He sings the recits at the appropriate speech-pace and treats them with as much consideration as the arias, which I find refreshing. Most of Gardiner's recordings lack the elegance and patience present on this disc and most often found in the work of Herreweghe, Leonardht and Robert King.The chorus is very well prepared and sings with a nice balance of liveliness and taste (in particular the enchanting chorus "While nightingales lull them to sleep" is enough to make you forget where you are). All in all this is an excellent example of a conductor bringing communication to the forefront and allowing musicians to be just that. For me that is what baroque music is all about."

Who's Afraid of English Oratorio?

cherubino | Houston, Texas United States | 10/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Unlike the other reviewers here, I'm a newcomer to Handel's oratorios. Operas like Ariodante, Rinaldo, Orlando, and Giulio Cesare made me fall in love with Handel as a composer. And now, his oratorios have made him my favorite composer, after Verdi.



Handel's oratorios can be even more thrilling than his operas. For example, there are practically no choruses in his operas. You are lucky if you get a duet or two. The arias from his oratorios are less ornate than those of his operas, but on the other hand they are not just vacuous, florid displays, either. Also, for those whose native tongue is English, there is there is the joy of hearing how music sung in English can be as beautiful as that sung in other languages.



Anyhow, if you aren't a religious person, don't let the sacred themes faze you. Any lover of finely composed music will be in a state of absolute bliss.



I bought this recording of Solomon because of Andreas Scholl, one of my favorite singers. Another reviewer here lambasts him for being in love with his own voice. So what? I'm in love with his voice, too. Sure, a couple of arias move rather slowly. But his next oratorio for McCreesh, Saul, proves that he can be more dramatically engaged, if he wants.



Speaking of Saul, I suppose that I like that oratorio more than Solomon, only because it is a continuous narrative, instead of a series of vignettes, like Solomon. Still, Solomon is still a glorious work of music. I find myself listening to the second disc the most. The opening "Happy Solomon" chorus thrills me every time. McCreesh's powerhouse chorus is sheer perfection, and the orchestration is dazzling. Again, another reviewer criticized McCreesh for conducting each chorus as if it were an anthem. Well, I for one love anthemic choruses! Some people just don't like thrilling music, I guess.



The scene with the two harlots is also compelling. The first harlot's plea of, "My cause is just, be thou my friend" contrasts strongly with the second harlot's cry of, "False is all her melting tale." The two harlot's music blends, with Solomon singing, "Justice holds the lifted scale." This is a very inspired use of counterpoint, by Handel. As an aside, Scholl is dramatically focused when he says, "Divide the child." That line gets me each time I hear it. The second harlot is deliciouly wicked when she sings, "Thy sentence, o king, is prudent and wise."



In my opinion, no Handel collection is complete without Paul McCreesh / Andreas Scholl's recordings of Solomon and Saul."