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Track(s) taken from CDA67291/2

Harp Concerto in B flat major, Op 4 No 6

composer
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

Frances Kelly (harp), The Brandenburg Consort, Roy Goodman (conductor)
Recording details: June 1996
St Lawrence, Whitchurch, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Andrew Keener & Oliver Rivers
Engineered by Tony Faulkner
Release date: November 1997
Total duration: 13 minutes 3 seconds
 

Reviews

‘Highly recommended, not least for a glorious rendition of the Harp Concerto and the novelty of the briefest contribution of Clare College Choir in an Alleluia finale’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘The abiding impression is one of irrepressible tunefulness and joie de vivre … the instrument's special delight is the sweetness and delicacy of its flute stops … here and elsewhere Nicholson plays with zest and virtuoso flair. The Brandenburg Consort match him in style and élan, while Frances Kelly is a graceful soloist’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘The great coup of this new recording … is to have secured the instrument on which the composer played. Nicholson's playing is unfailingly stylish’ (The Times)

‘Superbly played’ (Organists' Review)

‘Paul Nicholson's performances are musical, polished and wonderfully played and enjoyable to hear’ (Cathedral Music)

‘Incandescent music-making. Mr Nicholson, the fieriest of virtuosos, makes us remember that Handel, who wrote these pieces for himself, was an organist of legendary prowess. The Brandenburg Consort's luminous strings play with particular point and charm, thanks to Mr Goodman’ (The Dallas Morning News)
Op 4 No 6 in B flat major was written as a Harp Concerto. In that guise it was first performed on 19 February 1736 along with the Organ Concerto Op 4 No 1 at the premiere of Alexander’s Feast. Walsh included it in the Op 4 set as an Organ Concerto but it is Handel’s original version with harp that is recorded here.

from notes by Marc Rochester © 1997

L’op.4 no6 en si bémol majeur fut écrit comme un Concerto pour harpe, forme sous laquelle il fut donné pour la première fois le 19 février 1736, en même temps que le Concerto pour orgue op.4 no1, lors de la première d’Alexander’s Feast. Walsh l’inclut dans le corpus de l’op.4 comme concerto pour orgue mais l’œuvre enregistrée ici est la version originale de Hændel, avec harpe.

extrait des notes rédigées par Marc Rochester © 1997
Français: Hypérion

Opus 4 Nr. 6 in B-Dur war als Harfenkonzert komponiert worden. In dieser Besetzung wurde es am 19. Februar 1736 zusätzlich zum Orgelkonzert Opus 4 Nr. 1 bei der Premiere von Alexander’s Feast gespielt. Walsh rechnete es als Orgelkonzert zu den Stücken von Opus 4. In der vorliegenden Aufnahme wurde Händels Originalversion in der Besetzung mit Harfe gespielt.

aus dem Begleittext von Marc Rochester © 1997
Deutsch: Inge Schneider

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