AS STEALS THE MORN

 

HANDEL - Arias & scenes for tenor

 

Enjoy the sweet Elysian grove, Alceste, Act IV

Where'er you walk, Semele, Act II, 3

Urne voi, Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno, Part I

Forte e lieto,Tamerlano, Act I, 1

Oh per me lieto, avventuroso giorno! Tamerlano, Act III, 10

Figlia mia; Tu, spietato; Total eclipse, Samson,Act I, 2

Did love constrain thee? Samson, Act II, 2

Your charms to ruin led the way

Let but that spirit …Samson, Act III, 1

Then shall I make …

Thus when the sun from's wat'ry bed

Fatto inferno …

Rodelinda, Act III, 6

Pastorello d'un povero armento

Tune your harps, Esther, Act I, 2

Heav'n smiles once more …,

Jephtha, Act II, 2

His mighty arm; Waft her, angels, Jephtha, Act III, 1

As steals the morn, L'Allegro, il Penseroso, ed il Moderato

 

Mark Padmore (tenor);

Lucy Crowe (soprano) 5, 18

Robin Blaze (countertenor) 5

Katharina Spreckelsen (oboe obligato) 14

The English Concert / Andrew Manze

 

A dramatic collection of solo arias and scenes for tenor drawn from oratorio and opera, most of them sharing the moral that the dire consequences of pride, ambition or lust are amended by virtue and reason. Some of Handel's most lovely music, brilliantly performed by Mark Padmore and The English Concert, led by Andrew Manze. The rapturous duet As steals the morn with soprano Lucy Crowe is an added bonus.

 

Mark Padmore was first recognised in the early 1990s by William Christie and by Philippe Herreweghe, with whom he sang a great deal of Bach. He has sung with the Berlin, New York and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras, the Royal Concergebouw, the London Symphony, and BBC Symphony Orchestras and is a regular guest with leading period-instrument ensembles. His recording of Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito with René Jacobs received two Grammy nominations (in the Best Opera and Best Classical Album categories).

 

Lucy Crowe, a Wigmore Young Artist, recently made her debut as Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier for Scottish Opera. She is currently singing Poppea for ENO.  Andrew Manze's leadership of The English Concert was launched in 2003 and has brought innovation and new opportunities. They have thus far recorded Mozart Serenades and Violin Concertos, Vivaldi Violin

Concertos, a Biber Easter Mass, and C.P.E. Bach's 4 Symphonies and a Cello Concerto, all for harmonia mundi USA.

 

Gramophone Editor's Choice, April

 

      "This is one of the most alluring recitals of its kind that has come my way for a very long time"

 

BBC Music Magazine, June 2007, *****/*****

 

      "Andrew Manze's luscious, full-bodied conducting of The English Concert provides a wonderful cushion for Padmore's exquisite sound, and the title track, a pastoral duet (with soprano Lucy Crowe) from L'Allegro, Il Penseroso, Ed Il Moderato, is a delight." London Metro 30/3 

 

Harmonia Mundi HMU907422