Calendar - Handel's Tenors

Handel's Tenors

Ensemble

Les Arts Florissants

Musical Direction and tenor

Cast

Emmanuel RESCHE-CASERTA, premier violon
Patrick OLIVA, violin
Myriam BULLOZ, alto
Alix VERZIER, cello
Joseph CARVER, contrebasse
Diego SALAMANCA, théorbe
Constance TAILLARD, Harpsichord and organ

Program

George Frideric HANDEL - Adagio Op 4 n.3

George Frideric HANDEL - Look down Harmonious Saint

George Frideric HANDEL - Concerto grosso Opus 6 n°7

George Frideric HANDEL - The Resurrection

Quando e parte
Eco il sol
Caro figlio

George Frideric HANDEL - Semele

Where ere you walk

George Frideric HANDEL - Jephtha

His mighty arm
Waft her angels

The composers of the baroque wrote for the specific singers that they knew were to be engaged to sing their music and in this way, the composers, and particularly Handel, tailored their style to the particular attributes of these singers. Handel was very loyal to his soloists, partly perhaps through admiration of their talents, and partly without doubt, because their reputations filled the theatres with enthusiastic, paying customers. It is true that at the time of Handel, the diva sopranos and particularly the extraordinarily castrati would draw the crowds, but the tenors and basses had none the less their followings and Handel wrote some of his most beautiful and reflective music for his tenors.

Paul Agnew