Search - George Frederick Handel, Martin Pearlman, Boston Baroque :: Handel: Concerti Grossi, Op. 6, Part 2

Worth the Wait

Paul Van de Water | Virginia, USA | 07/13/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Founded by Martin Pearlman in 1973, Boston Baroque is the first permanent Baroque orchestra in the U.S. It is also the resident ensemble for Boston University's Historical Performance Program. Boston Baroque's first Telarc recording, issued in 1992, included the first six concertos of Handel's Opus 6 Handel: Concerti Grossi, Op. 6, Nos. 1-6. Fifteen years later Telarc has finally recorded and released the remaining half dozen.



Boston Baroque's recording of the Concerti Grossi Nos. 1-6 was excellent, and Nos. 7-12 are better still. The strings are even more polished (Pearlman doesn't double the string parts with woodwinds, as some other conductors do), and the recorded sound (thanks to DSD) is even more lifelike. Boston Baroque's playing has none of the mannerisms that sometimes mar historically informed performances; it combines the energy and enthusiasm of a period band with the weight and richness of a modern ensemble.



The Grand Concertos (as they were called in English) could be described as Handel's greatest hits. As was his practice, Handel borrowed freely from other of his works (and from other composers). Sometimes the concertos provided additional entertainment between sections of Handel's oratorios. They deservedly remain among Handel's most popular works. Except for Messiah, there is no better place to make Handel's acquaintance than the concerti of Opus 6, and there are no better recordings than these."