GEORG FRIEDRICH HAENDEL Duetti da Camera
GCD 921516
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Roberta Invernizzi, sopranoMarina De Liso, mezzo-soprano
La RisonanzaCaterina Dell’Agnello, violoncello Craig Marchitelli, archlute & theorbo Fabio Bonizzoni, harpsichord & musical direction
Production details
Total playing time: 64:43 Recorded in Milan (Auditorium Gruppo 24 Ore) on 3-6 November 2013 Engineered and produced by Christoph Frommen Executive producer: Carlos Céster Booklet essay: Carlo VitaliEnglish – Français – Deutsch
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Commercial release sheet (PDF)
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GEORG FRIEDRICH HAENDEL (1685-1759) Duetti da Camera
01 Sono liete, fortunate (HWV 194) 02 Troppo cruda, troppo fiera (HWV 198) 03 Beato in ver chi può (HWV 181) 04 Tanti strali al sen mi scocchi (HWV 197) 05 Langue, geme, sospira (HWV 188) 06 Conservate, raddoppiate (HWV 185) 07 Se tu non lasci amore (HWV 193) 08 A mirarvi io son intento (HWV 178) 09 No, di voi non vuo’ fidarmi (HWV 190) 10 Fronda leggiera e mobile (HWV 186)
About this CD
George Frideric Handel’s Duetti da camera from La Risonanza represent a welcome extension of the ensemble’s award-winning series of Handel solo cantatas on Glossa, and come with the luxurious vocal pairing of Roberta Invernizzi and Marina De Liso.
These chamber duets – scored for soprano and alto – were written across a period spanning four decades: first, after Handel’s move to Hanover in 1710, following his remarkable Italian compositional apprenticeship which yielded quantities of cantatas, motets and instrumental chamber works; next in the 1720s, when he was writing Italian operas and music for the Court in London; and lastly when he was composing English oratorios in the 1740s. Such vocal duos had become part of an established tradition, especially in Italy, during the late 17th century.
Soprano Roberta Invernizzi who has, in the last few years, been supplying Italian grace and charm to many Glossa recordings (including the recent La bella più bella) is ideally matched by Marina De Liso, whose rich mezzo tones have made her another firm audience favourite across the Baroque and Classical repertories. Fabio Bonizzoni, with his sure sense of Handel’s expressiveness and melodic facility, provides luxurious continuo support on the harpsichord across these ten chamber duets – originally written for cultured aristocrats but later composed for professional singers, as Carlo Vitali explains in his perceptive booklet essay – with the assistance of cellist Caterina Dell’Agnello and theorbo player Craig Marchitelli.
The diversity offered by the music of Georg Friedrich Handel has never been absent from the recorded catalogues. Yet it has only been in recent times that the full glorious depth of his chamber vocal works with Italian texts has been explored; and to do it justice it needs to be performed by artists who have both the interpretative and technical resources. These are expectations which are surely being matched when musicians of the quality of Fabio Bonizzoni and La Risonanza are involved, and no more so when singers in Roberta Invernizzi and Marina De Liso are deploying their vocal talents. The latest exploration into the Italian influences in the music of Handel comes with his chamber duets, on this new recording the ten works scored for soprano and alto voices, and written at various points in Handel’s journeying around Europe in the first half of the 18th century. The chamber duets are small-scale works but are never lacking in the animation or melodic inspiration which one associates with the best of Handel’s music. Having recorded these ten works Fabio Bonizzoni shows himself, as indicated in this new interview, to be interested in not stopping there. In total, Handel wrote over 20 chamber vocal works of this size and scope, so watch out for more to come! [read more...]