Handel: “Acis and Galatea” / Christian Curnyn and others

I think this was the first of Handel’s vocal pieces that I heard. I think it was performed by Neville Marriner, and I remember that I recorded it on tape from FM radio and listened to it until it was worn out. So the overture and all the arias are stuck in my head and I can’t get them out. Of the many beautiful arias, I especially like “Love in Her Eyes Sits Playing” (tenor). The duet “Happy We!”, and the humorous aria “O Ruddier Than the Cherry” which Polyphemos sings the basso continuo melody accompanied by the sopranino recorder are good too. The relatively large number of choruses is another feature of this piece. It is an enjoyable piece. It is probably the most widely recorded of Handel’s works. By a count, the following CDs have been released. #baroque #handel #opera #片山俊幸

①Christian Curnyn　2018
Soprano Vocals – Lucy Crowe (Galatea)
Tenor Vocals – Allan Clayton (Acis)
Tenor Vocals – Benjamin Hulett (Damon)
Tenor Vocals – Jeremy Budd (Coridon)
Bass Bariton Vocals – Neal Davies (Polyphemus)
Soprano Vocals – Rowan Pierce
Early Opera Company

②David van Asch　1998
Soprano Vocals – Kym Amps
Tenor Vocals – Robin Doveton
Counter Tenor – Angus Davidson
Bass Vocals – David van Asch
Scholars Baroque Ensemble

③Eric Milnes　2003
Baritone Vocals – Nathaniel Watson
Soprano Vocals – Suzie LeBlanc
Tenor Vocals – Marc Molomot, Mark Bleeke
Boréades de Montréal, Les

④Harry Christophers　2018
Bass Vocals – Stuart Young
Ensemble – The Sixteen
Soprano Vocals – Grace Davidson
Tenor Vocals – Jeremy Budd, Mark Dobell, Simon Berridge

⑤John Eliot Gardiner　1978
Soprano Vocals – Norma Burrowes
Tenor Vocals – Paul Elliott
Bass Vocals – Willard White
Tenor Vocals – Anthony Rolfe-Johnson
Tenor Vocals – Martyn Hill
English Baroque Soloists

⑥Neville Marriner　1978
Soprano Vocals – Jill Gomez
Tenor Vocals – Robert Tear
Tenor Vocals – Philip Langridge
Bariton Vocals – Benjamin Luxon
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Orchestra

⑦Paul O’Dette　2013
Tenor Vocals – Aaron Sheehan
Soprano Vocals – Teresa Wakim
Bass Bariton Vocals – Douglas Williams
Tenor Vocals – Jason McStoots
Tenor Vocals – Zachary Wilder
Boston Early Music Festival Chorus
Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra

⑧Robert King　1989
Soprano Vocals – Claron McFadden
Tenor Vocals – John Mark Ainsley
Tenor Vocals – Rogers Covey-Crump
Bass Vocals – Michael George
Counter Tenor – Robert Harre-Jones
King’s Consort