Music / kor

L'allegro, il penseroso ed il moderato


Reviews (12)


The observer

d. 24. May 2015

By

By

Nicholas Kenyon

d. 24. May 2015

"Handel's ravishing score, here realised to perfection by Paul McCreesh and his Gabrieli forces, evokes these scenes with colourful precision ... A glorious recording: I cannot recommend it too highly".


MusicWeb international

2023 July

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By

Göran Forsling (f. 1942)

2023 July

""L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato" is perhaps Handel's most mysterious work ... It is difficult to categorise: a hybrid composition, somewhere between oratorio, ode and serenata, with a philosophical and moral purpose, it is devoid of dramatic action and its protagonists are two allegorical figures, L'Allegro and Il Penseroso ... Concerning Handel's vocal works there are always hidden gems that are just waiting to be explored, and L'allegro is certainly a goldmine ... William Christie and his choral and orchestral forces execute all these subtleties to perfection ... I have not made direct comparisons with other existing recordings - there are at least a good half-dozen with McCreesh and Gardiner as top contenders - but Christie can firmly stand by their side".


Fono Forum

2015 August

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Bjørn Woll

2015 August

"Auch in Händels L'Allegro, il Penseroso ... bleibt er [McCreesh] seine Linie treu und versucht fundmental Neues zur Rezeptionsgeschichte dieses nicht besonders beliebten Oratoriums beizutragen ... Wunderbar transparent machen das Gabrieli Consort & Players in jeder Stimme deiser an musikalischen Details überreichen Partitur hörbar ... In dieses fügen sich die formidablen Solisten nahtlos ein".


BBC music magazine

2015 August

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By

George Hall (musikanmelder)

2015 August

"The choral elements are scrupulously handled by the Gabrieli Consort, and the soloists are choice. Gillian Webster is the light, bright soprano, Laurence Kilsby the delightful treble tenor Jeremy Ovenden brings his words to life, while Peter Harvey provides a solid baritone and Ashley Riches a confident bass".


Diapason

2015 octobre

By

By

Ivan A. Alexandre

2015 octobre


BBC music magazine

2023 August

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By

Berta Joncus

2023 August

"Having performed Handel's 'L'Allegro' since the mid-2000s, William Christie has finally recorded it, giving us a nimble and intimate rendition that pits jauntiness against pastoral serenity ... To carry an audience, its performers must execute Handel's gorgeous score with dazzling style. Christie and his artists do so, providing Paul McCreesh's benchmark 2015 recording with a formidable rival. A delicate crispness buoys every phrase of Christie's interpretation ... The chorus and band are splendid ... All audibly the result of his long engagement with and deep knowledge of this work".


Fono Forum

2023 Oktober

By

By

Susanne Benda

2023 Oktober


BBC music magazine

2014 March

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Anna Picard

2014 March

"Musically ... there is a deepening of beauty, culminating in the soprano and tenor duet 'As steals the morn upon the night' ... This is an affectionate, stylish performance".


The gramophone

2015 June

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Richard Wigmore

2015 June

"Vurdering: Editor's choice" - "Jeremy Ovenden sings with rounded, mellifluous tone and audible delight in Milton's imagery ... Handel lovers can hardly fail to enjoy the mingled finesse and hedonistic delight of this new recording, its attractions enhanced by a stimulating essay".


The gramophone

2023 October

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David Vickers

2023 October

"Rachel Redmond's dulcet shaping of lines and eloquent communication of poetry ensure that Penseroso's set pieces are beguiling. The dialogue with Serge Saitta's imaginative flute in 'Sweet Bird' has graceful agility ... and the soprano's partnership with David Simpson's obbligato cello has vibrant agility ... Christie serves som marvellous confections".


The gramophone

2013 October

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By

David Vickers

2013 October

"Vurdering: Critic's choice" - "Neumann's choir is exemplary at phrasing, textures and diction ... The soloists are excellent vocally and stylistically, and deliver Milton's poetry with sympathetic sweetness ... Neumann achieves the most consistently convincing all-round interpretation of Handel's delectable ode yet recorded".


International record review

2013 November

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John T. Hughes

2013 November

"Handel's colourful orchestrations draw a lightness from Collegium Cartusianum ... This set derserves serious consideration".