Search - George Frederick Handel, Rolf Reuter, Berlin Comic Opera Orchestra :: Georg Friedrich Händel: L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato

Sacrilege!

Giordano Bruno | Wherever I am, I am. | 07/13/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a BIG anachronistic, modern-operatic performance of Handel's "Purcellian" pastoral ode, played unabashedly on modern instruments and sung with brazen disregard for 'historically informed' vocal technique. What's more, the immortal stanzas of John Milton's English poem are translated into GERMAN.



I don't quite see why any anglophone Handel fan would rush to buy this recording, but the surprise for me is how much I admire the musical craft of it. It's very well sung, in a wrong-headed way, and though the tempi are rather slow and grandiose, the orchestra and chorus are superbly disciplined and polished. There are lots of honorable people out there in the world, who have never come to terms with 'original' instruments and authentic Baroque vocal styles; if you are one of those, this performance will thrill you to the core."