Serendipity saw me pluck an old (2009) Handel recording from my shelves, with Rosemary Joshua (soprano) and Sarah Connolly (mezzo) regaling me with twelve Handel duets (Harry Bicket and The English Concert). 62 minutes of delightful music.
Handel's music always puts me in a good mood. Remarkably, from his very early 20s in Italy until his death in England at the ripe old age (for that time) of 74, there is little difference in the quality of the music. Handel's music is "pure", unaffected by personal moods or circumstances; personal ingredients were to come later, starting with Mozart. And what an incredible gift for melodies!
Having the duets sung by a soprano and mezzo is much to my taste, and worth 20 counter-tenors and castrati. Sometimes one strikes lucky with serendipitous selections although, for me, Georg Frideric Händel never fails. An interesting and much-travelled man who spoke German, English, French and Italian, he was someone I would have loved to have met in his Brook Street house in London. After 250 years, his music lives on giving immense pleasure. All twelve duets taken from his operas and oratorios on this CD are 24 carats.
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