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The award-winning Early Opera Company under the
direction of founder Christian Curnyn celebrates the
300th anniversary of the premiere of one of
Handel's most sublime creations: Acis and Galatea.
This unique interpretation is performed as Handel
himself specified in the manuscript: supported by
fourteen period instruments, the outstanding cast
of singers takes on the solo parts as well as the
magnificent choruses. This is Handel writing at his
highest levels of intimacy and intensity; the music
superbly supports the libretto's evocative portrayal
of the story, simultaneously restrained, economical,
and deeply moving.
It is exquisite music, and has been the Early Opera
Company's most frequently requested and played
performance over the last few years. With the
addition of Baroque experts Lucy Crowe and
Benjamin Hulett, previously featured on the awardwinning
Chandos recording of Serse, this album in
surround sound is not only an extraordinary
achievement for the company but a must-have for
all early music lovers.
COMPACT DISC 1
Handel - Acis and Galatea
1. 1 Sinfonia. Presto 3:02
2. 2 Chorus: 'Oh, the pleasure of the plains!' 5:07
3. 3 Recitative, accompanied. Galatea: 'Ye verdant plains and woody mountains' 0:41
4. 4 Air. Galatea: 'Hush, ye pretty warbling choir!'. Andante 5:57
5. 5 [Air.] Acis: 'Where shall I seek the charming fair?'. Larghetto 2:50
6. 6 Recitative. Damon: 'Stay, shepherd, stay!' 0:21
7. 7 Air. Damon: 'Shepherd, what art thou pursuing?'. Andante 4:05
8. 8 Recitative. Acis: 'Lo, here my love, turn, Galatea, hither turn thy eye!' 0:21
9. 9 Air. Acis: 'Love in her eyes sits playing'. Larghetto 6:15
10. 10 Recitative. Galatea: 'Oh, didst thou know the pains of absent love' 0:13
11. 11 Air. Galatea: 'As when the dove'. Andante 5:53
12. 12 Duet. Acis and Galatea: 'Happy we!'. Presto 2:48
Total time: 37:38
COMPACT DISC 2
1. 14 Chorus: 'Wretched lovers! Fate has past'. A tempo ordinario 3:55
2. 15 Recitative, accompany'd. Polyphemus: 'I rage - I melt - I burn!'. 1:11
Furioso - Adag[io] Furi[oso] - Adagaio e piano
3. 16 [Air.] Polyphemus: 'O ruddier than the cherry'. Allegro 2:51
4. 17 Recitative. Polyphemus: 'Whither, fairest, art thou running' with Galatea 1:01
5. 18 Air. Polyphemus: 'Cease to beauty to be suing'. Allegro e staccato 4:55
6. 19 Air. Coridon: 'Would you gain the tender creature'. Allegro 5:10
7. 20 Recitative. Acis: 'His hideous love provokes my rage' 0:19
8. 21 Air. Acis: 'Love sounds th' alarm'. Allegro 4:15
9. 22 Air. Damon: 'Consider, fond shepherd'. Larghetto 6:53
10. 23 Recitative. Galatea: 'Cease, oh cease, thou gentle youth' 0:26
11. 24 [Trio.] Acis and Galatea: 'The flocks shall leave the mountains'. 2:13
Andante e staccato with Polyphemus
12. 25 Recitative, accompany'd. Acis: 'Help, Galatea! Help, ye parent gods!' 1:17
13. 26 Chorus: 'Mourn, all ye muses! Weep, all ye swains!'. 3:01
Adagio ma non troppo
14. 27 Solo and Chorus. Galatea: 'Must I my Acis still bemoan'. 4:25
Adagio with Chorus
15. 28 Recitative. Galatea: 'Tis done! Thus I exert my pow'r Divine' 0:25
16. 29 Air. Galatea: 'Heart, the sea of soft delight'. Larghetto 3:42
17. 30 Chorus: 'Galatea, dry thy tears' 3:04 |
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