I think sometimes that Handel gets shortshrift compared to his contemporary Bach. Make no mistake, I'm a big Bach fanboy (much prefer Bach over Beethoven any day--the Goldberg are my desert island music). But Handel's vocal music is very, very good (Messiah would be my #2 desert island music LOL) and he was par excellance a theatrical composer. He understood how much music moves us an how to write that music. This aria would serve as a case in point -- it's so simply written to have such an effect on us. The best use of musical resources in his hands. Thanks for sharing it with us.
A favourite of mine, to sing and to listen. Cecilia's version best summed up by the comment I saw under the youtube "this is what you'd hear when entering heaven." Well, heaven on earth on a glorious spring sunday afternoon.
Almost wept at this week's offering. So lovely and soul-stirring. Thank you for starting off each week with beauty.
I think sometimes that Handel gets shortshrift compared to his contemporary Bach. Make no mistake, I'm a big Bach fanboy (much prefer Bach over Beethoven any day--the Goldberg are my desert island music). But Handel's vocal music is very, very good (Messiah would be my #2 desert island music LOL) and he was par excellance a theatrical composer. He understood how much music moves us an how to write that music. This aria would serve as a case in point -- it's so simply written to have such an effect on us. The best use of musical resources in his hands. Thanks for sharing it with us.
A favourite of mine, to sing and to listen. Cecilia's version best summed up by the comment I saw under the youtube "this is what you'd hear when entering heaven." Well, heaven on earth on a glorious spring sunday afternoon.
Beautifully sung and then beautifully played - a lovely treat