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Product Details:
Audio CD Release Date:
September 08, 1998
Studio:
Harmonia Mundi Fr.
Number Of Discs:
2
Format:
Import
Average Customer Rating:
based on 8 reviews
Description:
From the onset of the historical performances movement some years back, listeners have been subjected to a great many historically correct yet musically limp, passive and rudderless performances. So conductor Andrew Manze deserves real credit for the marvelous job he does here with the Academy of Ancient Music in the twelve Concerti Grossi, Opus 6, of George Frideric Handel. With great warmth as well as vigor he lets these felicitous, robust works come to life. What we hear is more color, more meat and more life than we are likely to get from a typical early music ensemble. Manze is a great musician. --Gwendolyn Freed
Track Listing:
Disc: 1
1.
Overture. Larghetto e staccato
2.
Allegro
3.
Presto
4.
Largo
5.
Allegro
6.
Menuet. Un poco larghetto
7.
A tempo giusto
8.
Allegro e forte
9.
Adagio
10.
Allegro
11.
Allegro
12.
Andante Larghetto
13.
Allegro
14.
Largo
15.
Allegro, Ma Non Troppo
16.
Larghetto
17.
Andante
18.
Allegro
19.
Polonaise. Andante
20.
Allegro ma non troppo
21.
(untitled)
22.
Overture... Allegro/Lentement
23.
Air. Lentement
24.
Allegro
25.
Allegro
26.
Allegro moderato
27.
Allegro moderato
Disc: 2
1.
Largo
2.
Allegro
3.
Largo e piano
4.
Andante
5.
Hornpipe
6.
Largo e affettuoso
7.
A tempo giusto
8.
Mussette. Larghetto
9.
Allegro
10.
Allegro
11.
Gavotte...
12.
Larghetto affettuoso
13.
Allegro
14.
Largo e piano
15.
Largo e piano
16.
Allegro
17.
Largo
18.
Allegro
19.
Larghetto
20.
Allegro
21.
Menuet
22.
Gigue. Allegro
23.
Allemande...
24.
Grave
25.
Andante allegro
26.
Adagio
27.
Siciliana. Andante
28.
Allegro
Customer Reviews:
Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
Well Worth Having in Your CollectionSep 29, 2007 Like Corelli's Op 6 concerti, every lover of Baroque music must also have
have at least one recording of Handel's Op 6 in his collection. This version, played by the Academy of Ancient music, along with another performed by The English Consort are my two favorites.
This is a very energetic performance. Andrew Manze has uniformly chosen
brisk tempi through these concerti. Things are never too rushed, though. Clarity of expression and melodic lines always come out clearly, but I sometimes wonder why some movements are taken so quickly. Perhaps it might be to cut down track lengths? I hope that is not the case. At any rate, it's a small matter considering the energy and ornamentation the soloists put into parts, even striking double and triple stops at the end of exciting solo passages. The contrast between soloist and ensemble is nicely brought out in this recording. That all makes for an exciting listening experience, and sets this recording apart from others that might be considered as more formal and polished performances.
I chose the digital download option for this purchase and was very pleasantly surprised at how smoothly the process went. After the downloader was installed, the tracks came down extremely quickly. So fast, in fact, I paused the download to look in the folder and see if the tracks were really there! The entire two CD set was done in under two minutes.The results in 225 VRB sound really great.
My only concern about the digital download is that while track number information is put into the files so that the Windows Media Player sorts out the correct track order, the filenames themselves will not cause the files to organize correctly in folders, hence, also not on my MP3 player, which does not use the track number data in the file. I either have to create playlists, or rename the files with 01...,02..., headers. Maybe
I need another Mp3 player!
Digital or CD, This recording is well worth the purchase price. Just listen to the samples. You will know what you are getting.
11 of 20 found the following review helpful:
Are there better? Not even close.Dec 19, 2005 I have devoured many recordings of the Op.6 as well as the Op.3 Concerti Grossi for the last 30 odd years. Marriner, Leppard, Hogwood, etc. (I don't count the Germans, apparently Handel eludes them). I thought I knew these works completely, like I know my wife's body. After hearing Andrew Manze's recreation of them it is as if the previous recordings had held back some divine secret that Manze finally reveals to the world. Treasures of unimaginable wealth are sprayed out like gemstone machine guns. Movements that I had previously thought, in my ignorance, to be somewhat longish, I now crave with an addicts lust. This recording, finally, hammers the coffin shut on all the other composers, the dabblers of the concerto grosso form. Yes, even the exalted noodler himself, Bach, is blown into the weeds. Handel's humanity, drama, sex, epiphanous grandeur and just plain a**-kicking compositional chops gush forth from Manze's 13 strings and two continuo players with an "INCOMPARABLE" dash, musicianship, élan, oh hell, they are as tight as a frog's bu** cheeks. And I mean that in a good way.
5 of 14 found the following review helpful:
FANTASTIC HANDEL!!Jun 27, 2003 THIS CD IS JUST GREAT, BECAUSE THE MUSIC FLOWS LIKE A RIVER TO THE SEA, IN OTHER WORDS YOU BETCHA HEAR IT, DAMN GREAT!! THE FIRST CD IS A "MUST" AND THE VIOLINS SOUND SO SMOOTH.... I CAN'T EXPLAIN THE FEELINGS YOU SHOULD TRY IT, AND OF COURSE BUY ONE 'CAUSE THIS CD IS 4EVER.
13 of 21 found the following review helpful:
A good recording of this work but there are betterNov 08, 2001 The playing is admirable and beautiful(especially the outstanding stylish playing from Manze and his soloist), and the use of period instruments is wonderful. But this recording is slightly bland in some movements(certain movements could be taken faster)if you want a recording with more passion I would opt for either the version from the Orpheus CO on DG or the one's from Iona Brown on Hanssler or Philips(I have listening to these recordings thousands of times and I warmly recommend them with 5 stars)
25 of 27 found the following review helpful:
A recording of the century...really!Apr 09, 2001 Manze has outdone himself, as have the Academy of Ancient Music.
There is life, there is magic, there is some beautiful playing, there is everything you could possibly want in a recording of this wonderful score. Even if you forego period instruments, you should really try these guys out! Forget Orpheus's attempt, and please ignore the bizarre recommendation for I Musici de Montreal on Chandos (great sound and cold playing). This recording really puts all those to shame.
To top it all off, not only do you have wonderful music-making, but you also get intelligent and delightful notes that are humorous too.
A first-class production. Maybe the classical music recording industry isn't dead quite yet!
based on 8 reviews
