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Handel: Jephtha (In English)
George Frideric Handel, Juergen Budday, Maulbronn Monastery Edition
Handel: Jephtha (In English)
Genre: Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (18) - Disc #1
  •  Track Listings (22) - Disc #2

This recording is part of a cycle of old testament oratorios by G. F. Handel and is one of the many concerts performed at Maulbronn monastery over the past years. The Maulbronn monastery, founded by Cistercian monks in the...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: George Frideric Handel, Juergen Budday, Maulbronn Monastery Edition, Malbronn Chamber Choir, Emma Kirkby, Charles Humphries, Maulbronn Baroque Orchestra, Maulbronn Chamber Choir
Title: Handel: Jephtha (In English)
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: K&K Verlagsanstalt
Original Release Date: 1/1/1999
Re-Release Date: 10/5/1999
Genre: Classical
Style: Opera & Classical Vocal
Number of Discs: 2
SwapaCD Credits: 2
UPC: 669910296721

Synopsis

Album Description
This recording is part of a cycle of old testament oratorios by G. F. Handel and is one of the many concerts performed at Maulbronn monastery over the past years. The Maulbronn monastery, founded by Cistercian monks in the year 1147, is the only completely preserved mediaeval complex north of the Alps and since 1994 as the 13th German site on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The series of recordings combines authentically performed baroque oratorios with the optimal acoustics and atmosphere of this unique monastic church. This ideal location demands the transparency of playing and the interpretive unveiling of the rhetoric intimations of the composition, which is especially aided by the historically authentic performance. The music is exclusively performed on reconstructed historical instruments, which are tuned to the pitch customary in the composers lifetime (a = c. 415 Hz). Soloists: Emma Kirkby (soprano), Melinda Paulsen (mezzo-soprano), Charles Humphries (alto), Julian Podger (tenor), Stephen Varcoe (bass) Ensembles: Baroqueorchestra of the Maulbronn Concerts (on period instruments), Maulbronn Chamber Choir Conductor: Jürgen Budday
 

CD Reviews

I could not be happier with these superb recording...
Thomas McCallum | Minneapolis, Minnesota USA | 04/10/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have been listening to Jephtha quite extensively, and I must say that this recording is truly impressive. First, the cast of soloists is an absolutely superb assembly of historically-informed performers. It would be hard to find singers any better than Emma Kirkby and Steven Varcoe. I found all of the performances by the soloists nearly impeccable. Second, I suspected that the recording themselve might be filled with ambient and background noises since these were the result of live performances. I have been extremely pleased with the technical aspects of the recording: it is "clean" and clear with very little extraneous sounds. The engineering of this recording is highly commendable! Finally, the orchestral playing by the Barockorchester der Klosterkonzerte and the participation of the Maulbronner Kammerchor are nearly flawless. The string playing is especially strong, and the choruses - filled with drama and emotion - are executed at the highest possible level. Even the pronunciation and intonation of the English is perfect. In sum, I could not be happier with this superb recording. Already possessing several recorded versions of this masterful oratorio, I felt that it would be difficult to match the strength and quality of, for example, the performance under John Elliot Gardiner. This new addition by K & K Verlagsanstalt to the recorded Handel repertoire is a magnificent model, exemplary of how to bring this monumental work to life for the modern audience. The crisp, clear recording, the excellent engineering, the incredible acoustics, the superb performance make this of the best Handel compact disc I have purchased in a long time. This is a performance to be treasured and is of the highest caliber of historically-informed practice."
DIVINE!! SUBLIME!
Douglas E. Braga | SÃO PAULO, SÃO PAULO Brazil | 02/25/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

"GOD! WHEN I HAD THIS PIECE OF HANDEL PERFORMED BY GARDINER, LYNNE DAWSON AND MICHAEL CHANCE - ALL OF THEM,ARTISTS WHO I LOVE - I'VE NEVER THOUGHT THAT ANOTHER PERFORMING BY OTHER ARTISTS WOULD BECOME IT A MASTERPIECE PERFORMED SO LIGHTLY AND DIVINALLY. I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT WITH THE FIRST RECORDING IT WAS A LITTLE EXAUSTING FOR ME TO REACH OUT THE END OF THE WORK. BUY IT!!! YOU WON'T BE DISAPOINTED AND YOU'LL AGREE WITH ME."