George Frideric HANDEL (1685-1750)
As Steals the Morn … - Arias
and Scenes for Tenor
Track listing below review
Mark Padmore (tenor)
Guest appearances from Lucy Crowe (soprano) and Robin Blaze (counter-tenor)
The English Concert/Andrew Manze
rec. October 2006, St Jude’s on the Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb,
London
HARMONIA MUNDI HMX2907422 [77:11]
Harmonia Mundi have re-released, at budget price, Mark
Padmore’s excellent Handel recital, and we should be grateful
to them for doing so. This disc was recorded when Padmore’s voice
was lighter than it currently is, and probably a touch more subtle,
too; certainly more supple. Hearing him in this repertoire is a delight,
reminding you of what a great Handelian he is, and of how well this
music suits him. He demonstrates a lovely feel for the music in all
its moods while beiug brilliantly sensitive to the text and word meaning,
too.
The opening aria from Alceste has a gorgeous lilt to it, and
Where’er you walk is especially beguiling, showing a
perfect blend of orchestra and singer with perfect empathy for what
they are performing. Next, Urne voi demonstrates strident vocal
acting, as does Bajazet’s death scene from Tamerlano.
This is very well done — if somewhat over-acted towards the end
— though there isn't much to be gained by including the
recitative that precedes it.
Scenes from Samson chart the character’s development
very well, from the dark uncertainty of Total Eclipse through the sense
of betrayal so acute to Your charms to ruin lead the way. The
journey culminates in the recovery of his sense of his divine mission
and surpassing peace in Thus when the sun. A similar charting
takes place in the arias from Jephtha, including a gorgeous
performance of Waft her, angels, which is meltingly beautiful.
Esther’s Tune Your Harps is delightfully restrained,
a beautiful blend of voice, pizzicato and oboe, while Grimoaldo’s
Pastorello from Rodelinda is full of gentle longing
but it's always implicit that this longing — from, after
all, a villain — will remain unfulfilled. The disc ends with a
beautiful, symbiotic performance of the title track with Lucy Crowe
contributing pearly brightness in her role as special guest soprano.
Throughout, Padmore sings with beauty of tone and generosity of feeling.
His ornamentations are always sensitive and never intrusive, and equal
plaudits should go to the transparent playing of The English Concert
and Andrew Manze's similarly sensitive direction. The only disadvantage
with this being a budget issue is
that there are no sung texts included, but the diction is so good that
you will scarcely need them.
Simon Thompson
Track listing
Alceste: Act IV, Enjoy the sweet Elysian grove [5:31]
Semele: Act II, Scene 3, Where'er you walk [5:15]
Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno: Part I, Urne voi [3:28]
Tamerlano: Act I, Scene 1, Forte e lieto [6:09]
Tamerlano: Act III, Scene 10, Oh per me lieto, avventuroso
giorno! [3:53]
Tamerlano: Act III, Scene 10, Figlia mia / Tu, spietato [6:00]
Samson: Act I, Scene 2, Total eclipse [4:38]
Samson: Act II, Scene 2, Did love constrain thee? [0:33]
Samson: Act II, Scene 2, Your charms to ruin led the way [3:19]
Samson: Act III, Scene 1, Let but that spirit / Then shall
I make [0:39]
Samson: Act III, Scene 1, Thus when the sun from's wat'ry
bed [5:28]
Rodelinda: Act III, Scene 6, Fatto inferno [3:23]
Rodelinda: Act III, Scene 6, Pastorello d'un povero
armento [5:12]
Esther: Act I, Scene 2, Tune your harps [4:14]
Jephtha: Act II, Scene 2, Heav'n smiles once more [0:33]
Jephtha: Act II, Scene 2, His mighty arm [5:59]
Jephtha: Act III, Scene 1, Waft her, angels [5:39]
L'Allegro, Il Penseroso, ed il Moderato, Part III: As
steals the morn [6:37]
