Search - Sandrine Piau :: Between Heaven & Earth

Handel - Between Heaven and Earth, by Sandrine Piau

Zadok_the_Priest | Province of Québec | 10/26/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Queen has arrived from Sheba and she is Sandrine Piau.



The album is called "Between Heaven and Earth" and is an all-oratorio recital. There are only 3 instrumental tracks, but they rock - the Queen of Sheba never arrived with such zest, and the other 2 are perfectly timed and placed to let you recover from the emotions stirred by the arias.



(Another oratorio recital, by Karina Gauvin, has great singing but soporific playing)



From the first trumpet call of "Disseratevi, o porte d'Averno", you sit up and take notice. Piau's voice is not the strongest, but she knows how to play this aria. Expressively, she beats the competition and makes me wish Accademia Bizantina would record (yet another) 'La Resurrezione'. Or any other oratorio, for that matter.



Every song's tempo is perfectly judged, the singing exalted or pathetic as required, and the playing is top notch. I dare you not to be moved to tears by the 'Alexander Balus' excerpts starting with "O take me from this hateful light" to "Convey me to some peaceful shore".



Though I prefer King's very slow tempo for "As steals the morn", this version's singing is the best I've heard. That song is one of the most beautiful ever written (by anyone), and it shows.



You might want to check out her album Opera seria Sandrine Piau - Handel Opera Seria or the cheaper re-issue Haendel, Opera Seria with Christophe Rousset, a Must for Baroque Opera lovers



If you don't have this disc, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR ?

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Oratorio arias, for a change

Craig M. Zeichner | Brooklyn, NY | 01/07/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Fans of Baroque vocal music are no doubt familiar with the French soprano Sandrine Piau. Piau has been a go-to singer on a number of outstanding recordings on the Naïve label, really standing out in their Vivaldi opera series. Between Heaven and Hell is Piau's third CD dedicated to music by G. F. Handel and it's an outstanding recording. Piau is well-suited to this music. She has a light tone that will remind many of Emma Kirkby, but is blessed with a vocal athleticism that serves Handel's more energetic passages quite well.



Arias from Handel's are typically fodder for recital records so it's a pleasant surprise that this recording focuses on arias from Handel's oratorios. Music from Handel's early Italian oratorios: la Resurrezione and il Trionfo del tempo e del disinganno receive thrilling performances. Piau is a bit pressed by the energetic coloratura of Resurrezione's "Disserratevi, o porte d'Aveno," but her brightly ringing top notes make up for it. She also acquits herself nicely in the English arias, despite the fact that her pronunciation is anything but idiomatic. "With darkness deep is my woe" from Theodora is beautifully sung and the tender "Sweet bird" from l'Allegro, il penseroso, ed il moderato, where solo flute joins her in delicious imitation of birdsong, is charming.



High marks must be awarded to the superb instrumental support of the Accademia Bizantina under the direction of Stefan Montanari. While the ensemble does have some opportunities to shine in purely instrumental works, most notably the "Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" from Solomon, it's the consistently excellent accompaniment they provide for Piau that wins the day.

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