GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685–1759)

Handel’s Finest Arias for Base Voice

Christopher Purves - bass

Arcangelo / Jonathan Cohen

1 Sibilar gli angui d’Aletto Aria from Rinaldo HWV7a [4'50]

2 I rage, I melt, I burn! Accompagnato [1'21] –

3 O ruddier than the cherry Air [3'13] from Acis and Galatea HWV49a

4 Fra l’ombre e gl’orrori Aria from Aci, Galatea e Polifemo HWV72 [6'59]

5 If I give thee honour due Recitative [0'12] –

6 Mirth, admit me of thy crew Air [2'34] from L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato HWV55

7 Qual’insolita luce Accompagnato [1'09] –

8 Caddi, è ver Aria [4'15] from La Resurrezione HWV47

9 Tears, such as tender fathers shed Air from Deborah HWV51 [2'30]

10 To pow’r immortal my first thanks are due Air from Belshazzar HWV61 [3'55]

11 Impari ognun da Orlando Accompagnato [1'11] –

12 Sorge infausta una procella Aria [4'35] from Orlando HWV31

13 Racks, gibbets, sword and fire Air from Theodora HWV68 [3'56]

14 Volate più dei venti Aria from Muzio Scevola HWV13 [3'24]

15 Vieni, o cara Aria from Agrippina HWV6 [1'45]

16 Nel mondo e nell’abisso Aria from Riccardo Primo, Re d’Inghilterra HWV23 [3'13]

17 Mie piante correte Aria [2'50] –

18 Cara pianta Aria [7'27] from Apollo e Dafne HWV122

19 Revenge, Timotheus cries Air from Alexander’s Feast HWV75 [7'55]

20 Leave me, loathsome light Air from Semele HWV58 [3'40]

‘With his acting chops and weighty bass-baritone, Purves in full cry is a splendid and fearful spectacle’ (The Times)

The magnificent Christopher Purves performs a recital of Handel’s bass arias. This unique collection demonstrates the range and brilliance of Handel’s writing for this voice, featuring a selection from Italian and English operas, English classical drama, Biblical oratorios, literary odes and a masque. Handel’s endlessly imaginative gift for characterization is fully explored here, with Purves commanding an extraordinary emotional and technical range from the buffo blustering of Polyphemus in Acis and Gatalea to the loving musings of Abinoam in ‘Tears, such as tender fathers shed’ from the oratorio Deborah.

Gramophone Award-winning baroque band Arcangelo with their director Jonathan Cohen provide the sparkling accompaniments.

Hyperion Records CDA67842