Michael J. Colbruno | Oakland, CA USA | 06/12/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"We are in a Golden Age of Handel singing with Andreas Scholl, Daniel Taylor, Vivica Genaux, Ewa Podles and others making baroque music popular again. If you don't own any Lorraine Hunt Lieberson singing Handel (especially with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra) buy some today. But buy it alongside this disc. "As Steals the Morn" stole my heart. This is without a doubt the best tenor disc of Handel arias ever. WIth the women and the countertenors great versions of almost everything that Handel wrote abound. Padmore is in a class by himself among tenors singing this music. The singing is beautiful and heartfelt. This would join my Callas Tosca and Scotto Butterfly on a desert island."
A voice teacher and early music fan
George Peabody | Planet Earth | 06/23/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"
PADMORE HAS ARRIVED!!!!!Gramophone writes: "Mark Padmore uses his extraordinary diction and whispering chamber-like intimacy to remind us that the most exalted tenor arias from the operas and oratorios can achieve true potency even out of context..." To which I heartily agree. This is truly a wondrous portrayal of the many and varied moods of Handels' works. The tenor roles on this disc stretch between Handel's first and last oratorios, and most of them share a philosophy that implies that the dire consequences of personal pride, emotional selfishness, political ambition and sexual lust are amended by virtue and reason.
Padmore has always excelled with his velvet-toned tenderness, such as is displayed on this disc in "Where'er You Walk" from Semele and Jephtha's seraphic "Waft Her Angels". However, in this album he shows that he has acquired a stength and Italian vibrancy in his tone quality as he sings Jeptha's victory aria: "His Mighty Arm" and Bajazet's magnificent death aria :"Figlia mia-Tu spietato" from Tamerlano. I have never heard this death aria sung as well by anyone!!!!And, of course , the lovely melody, so beautifully performed by Padmore and Lucy Crowe is the 'crown' on this album: 'As Steals the Morn'.
Mark Padmore can be listed with the best of the present day tenors. And Andrew Manze with his sensively implemented accompaniment; just perfect!!!I would be remiss if I did not mention the very attractive packaging of the disc as well as the accompanying information; very superior."
Without peer....!
dalmatian | 06/13/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I fully agree with the listener above, this is some of the most beautiful and expressive Handel singing in a very long time. I sat in rapture between my two B&W's. Mark Padmore has just raised the bar and Andrew Manze and the English Concert support with playing of stunning virtousity....warm enveloping engineering and you most certainly have a disc to treasure. Please don't hesitate if you love Handel!!"
Highly Recommendable
Abel | Hong Kong | 08/19/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Mark Padmore is one of the foremost lyrical tenors today, and a protagonist of early music. This Haendel album represents his latest achievement in this genre, and really should not be missed by early music lovers.
I first heard Mr Padmore in his recording for Rene Jacabos' "La Clemenza di Tito". A honey-hued and light voice, with a limpid upper register and sufficient heft in the middle, he articulates in an agile manner, though admittedly is less impressive in Italian repertoire than in English, or German, having heard his Wigmore Hall Recital on Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin, accompanied by Julius Drake on January 31st, 2005.
The English Oratorios are sung and articulated in great form on this all-Haendel album. Lucy Crowe who joined in a couple of tracks here sung an immaculate duet with Mark Padmore in "As Steals the Morn". In the rest of the English tracks, Alceste's excerpt brings out Padmore's lyricism to the best advantage, while the Semele track is an interpretation in a slower tempo with very ample use of legato. There is clear evidence of high musical sensitivity and intelligence, while the voice itself, though not without limitations, is being employed to very good end. The three other oratorios also bespeak full vocal eloquence with stunning musicality.
The Italian tracks of Tamerlano and Rodelinda are more dramatic, but here, if only slightly, see the limitation of the singer both vocal wise and diction wise. In one or two places the voice is a bit hard, and more vibrato should be called for. In certain places the musical nuance is not fully preserved in the diction, particularly in the recitatives. The accompaniment resorts to extremes of dynamics in these tracks in order to bring out the drama, rather than resorting back to the inner musical lines. The dramatic requirements for a full `coming down' of the voice to the lower register does appear a bit effortful in places.
Despite the slight imperfections, this is nonetheless a highly enjoyable album."
Track Listings (18) - Disc #1
