Handel: Scorned & Betrayed (2005)

Handel's Italian-language cantatas form a little-known subdivision of his work, and this disc from the Albany label does a wonderful job introducing them. These three cantatas for soprano and continuo are early works. They may have been written for a gathering of connoisseur noblemen in Rome around whom Handel felt he could take some chances -- rather than the pastoral themes they favored, sort of the situation comedies of their day, he wrote blazing little tragic scenes that shift between recitative and aria in a way that ... Read More

Handel's Italian-language cantatas form a little-known subdivision of his work, and this disc from the Albany label does a wonderful job introducing them. These three cantatas for soprano and continuo are early works. They may have been written for a gathering of connoisseur noblemen in Rome around whom Handel felt he could take some chances -- rather than the pastoral themes they favored, sort of the situation comedies of their day, he wrote blazing little tragic scenes that shift between recitative and aria in a way that among Handel's contemporaries only Bach could have matched. They give a soprano something to dig into, and for the most part Melissa Fogarty has a dramatic sense that really draws the listener in. The liner notes are admirably clear in laying out what this music was about; the accompanimental players, using period instruments, are superb; and the two trio sonatas that separate the three cantatas are ideal little breaks in the dark mood. The only thing wrong with this recording is... Read Less