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Handel: Theodora /Gritton · Bickley · Blaze · Agnew · Smith · Davies · Gabrieli Consort & Players · McCreesh [Box set]

George Frideric Handel, Paul McCreesh Audio CD
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
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Handel: Theodora /Gritton · Bickley · Blaze · Agnew · Smith · Davies · Gabrieli Consort & Players · McCreesh + Handel: Solomon /Scholl · Dam-Jensen · Hagley · Bickley · Gritton · Agnew · Harvey · Gabrieli Consort & Players · McCreesh + Handel - Belshazzar
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Product details

  • Performer: Susan Gritton, Susan Bickley, Robin Blaze, Paul Agnew, Angus Smith, et al.
  • Orchestra: Gabrieli Consort, Gabrieli Players
  • Conductor: Paul McCreesh
  • Composer: George Frideric Handel
  • Audio CD (16 Oct 2000)
  • SPARS Code: DDD
  • Number of Discs: 3
  • Format: Box set
  • Label: Archiv Produktion
  • ASIN: B00004U5BJ
  • Other Editions: MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 25,535 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s

Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or view the MP3 Album.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         


Disc 1:

Samples
Song TitleArtist Time Price
Listen  1. Theodora (1750) / Overture - 1a. OuvertureGabrieli Players 3:03£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen  2. Theodora (1750) / Overture - 1b. TrioGabrieli Players 1:48£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen  3. Theodora (1750) / Overture - 1c. CouranteGabrieli Players 1:44£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen  4. Theodora (1750) - alternative Scene 2/Part II / Part 1 - 2. Recitative: "'Tis Dioclesian's natal day" (Valens) - Sc.1Neal Davies0:33£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen  5. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 3. Aria: "Go, my faithful soldier, go" (Valens) - Sc.1Neal Davies 1:50£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen  6. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 4. Chorus of Heathens: "And draw a blessing down" - Sc.1Gabrieli Consort 2:06£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen  7. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 5. Recitative: "Vouchsafe, dread Sir" (Didymus, Valens) - Sc.1Robin Blaze0:55£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen  8. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 6. Aria: "Racks, gibbets, sword and fire" (Valens) - Sc.1Neal Davies 3:20£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen  9. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 7. Chorus of Heathens: "For ever thus stand fix'd" - Sc.1Gabrieli Consort 1:37£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen10. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 8. Recitative: "Most cruel edict" (Didymus) - Sc.2Robin Blaze0:30£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen11. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 9. Aria: "The raptur'd soul" (Didymus) - Sc.2Robin Blaze 8:10£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen12. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 10. Recitative: "I know thy virtues" (Septimius) - Sc.2Paul Agnew0:44£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen13. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 11. Aria: "Descend, kind Pity" (Septimius) - Sc.2Paul Agnew 7:11£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen14. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 12. Recitative: "Though hard, my friends" (Theodora) Sc.3Susan Gritton0:28£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen15. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 13. Aria: "Fond, flatt'ring world, adieu" (Theodora) - Sc.3Susan Gritton 4:18£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen16. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 14. Recitative: "Oh bright example" (Irene) - Sc.3Susan Bickley0:27£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen17. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 15. Aria: "Bane of virtue" (Irene) - Sc.3Susan Bickley 5:06£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen18. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 16. Chorus of Christians: "Come, mighty Father" - Sc.3Gabrieli Consort 2:35£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen19. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 17. Recitative: "Fly, fly, my brethren" (Messenger, Irene) - Sc.4Angus Smith 1:01£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen20. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 18. Aria: "As with rosy steps the morn" (Irene) - Sc.4Susan Bickley 6:48£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen21. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 19. Chorus: "All pow'r in heav'n" - Sc.4Gabrieli Consort 2:15£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen22. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 20. Recitative: "Mistaken wretches!" (Septimius) -Sc.5Paul Agnew0:21£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen23. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 21. Aria: "Dread the fruits of Christian folly" (Septimius) - Sc.5Paul Agnew 2:43£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen24. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 22. Recitative: "Deluded mortal"/Accompagnato: "O worse than death indeed" (Theodora, Septimius) - Sc.5Susan Gritton 1:21£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen25. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 23. Aria: "Angels, ever bright and fair" (Theodora) - Sc.5Susan Gritton 3:36£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen26. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 24. Recitative: "Unhappy, happy crew!" (Didymus, Irene) - Sc.6Robin Blaze 1:11£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen27. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 25. Air: "Kind heaven, if virtue be thy care" (Didymus) - Sc.6Robin Blaze 5:04£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen28. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 26. Recitative: "Oh love! how great thy pow'r" (Irene) - Sc.6Susan Bickley0:23£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen29. Theodora (1750) / Part 1 - 27. Chorus: "Go, gen'rous pious youth" - Sc.6Gabrieli Consort 4:51£0.79  Buy MP3 


Disc 2:

Samples
Song TitleArtist Time Price
Listen  1. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 28. Recitative: "Ye men of Antioch" (Valens) - Sc.1Neal Davies0:36£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen  2. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 29. Chorus of Heathens: "Queen of summer" - Sc.1Gabrieli Consort0:50£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen  3. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 30. Aria: "Wide spread his name" (Valens) - Sc.1Neal Davies 2:22£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen  4. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 31. Recitative: "Return, Septimius" (Valens) - Sc.1Neal Davies0:36£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen  5. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 32. Chorus of Heathens: "Venus laughing from the skies" - Sc.1Gabrieli Consort 1:18£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen  6. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 33. Sinfony - Sc.2Gabrieli Players 1:02£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen  7. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 34. Recitative: "Oh thous bright sun!" (Theodora)-Sc.2Susan Gritton0:39£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen  8. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 35. Aria: "With darkness deep" (Theodora) - Sc.2Susan Gritton 3:52£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen  9. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 36. Sinfony (original version) - Sc.2Gabrieli Players 1:22£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen10. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 37. Recitative: "But why art thou disquieted?" (Theodora) - Sc.2Susan Gritton0:21£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen11. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 38. Aria: "O! that I on wings could rise" (Theodora) - Sc.2Susan Gritton 3:14£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen12. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 39. Recitative: "Long have I known" (Didymus, Septimius) - Sc.3Robin Blaze 1:21£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen13. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 40. Aria: "Though the honours, that Flora" (Septimius) - Sc.3Paul Agnew 3:53£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen14. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 41. Recitative: "O save her then" (Didymus, Septimius) - Sc.3Robin Blaze0:35£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen15. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 42. Aria: "Deeds of kindness to display" (Didymus) - Sc.3Robin Blaze 6:57£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen16. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 43. Recitative: "The clouds begin to veil" (Irene) - Sc.4Susan Bickley0:38£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen17. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 44. Aria: "Defend her, Heav'n" (Irene) - Sc.4Susan Bickley 4:57£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen18. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 45. Recitative: "Or lull'd with grief" (Didymus) -Sc.5Robin Blaze0:33£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen19. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 46. Aria: "Sweet rose and lily" (Didymus) - Sc.5Robin Blaze 2:32£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen20. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 47. Recitative: "O save me, Heav'n"(Theodora, Didymus) - Sc.5Susan Gritton 1:18£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen21. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 48. Aria: "the pilgrim's home" (Theodora) - Sc.5Susan Gritton 2:43£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen22. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 49. Accompagnato: "Forbid it, Heav'n!"/Rec.: "Ah! what is liberty" (Didymus, Theodora) - Sc.5Robin Blaze 1:54£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen23. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 50. Duet: "To thee, thou glorious son of worth" (Theodora, Didymus) - Sc.5Susan Gritton 4:36£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen24. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 51. Recitative: "'Tis night" (Irene) - Sc.6Susan Bickley0:47£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen25. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 52. Chorus of Christians: "He saw the lovely youth" - Sc.6Gabrieli Consort 4:48£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen26. Theodora (1750) - alternative Scene 2/Part II / Part 2 - 34a. Recitative: "Oh thou bright sun!" (Theodora) - alternative endingSusan Gritton0:39£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen27. Theodora (1750) - alternative Scene 2/Part II - 36a. Sinfony - alternative versionGabrieli Players 1:40£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen28. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 37. Recitative: "But why art thou disquieted?" (Theodora) - Sc.2Susan Gritton0:21£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen29. Theodora (1750) / Part 2 - 38. Aria: "O! that I on wings could rise" (Theodora) - Sc.2Susan Gritton 3:14£0.79  Buy MP3 


Disc 3:

Samples
Song TitleArtist Time Price
Listen  1. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 53. Aria: "Lord, to thee each night and day" (Irene) - Sc.1Susan Bickley 5:11£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen  2. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 54. Recitative: "But see, the good, the virtuous" (Irene) - Sc.2Susan Bickley0:37£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen  3. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 55. Aria: "When sunk in anguish and despair" (Theodora) - Sc.2Susan Gritton 3:54£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen  4. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 56. Chorus of Christians and Theodora: "Blest be the hand" (Chorus, Theodora) - Sc.2Susan Gritton 3:27£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen  5. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 57. Recitative: "Undaunted in the court" (Messenger, Irene)/Accompagnato: "O my Irene, Heav'n is kind" (Theodora) - Sc.3Angus Smith 1:30£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen  6. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 58. Duet: "Whither, Princess, do you fly?" (Irene, Theodora) - Sc.3Susan Bickley 1:09£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen  7. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 59. Recitative: "She's gone disdaining liberty and life" (Irene) - Sc.3Susan Bickley0:40£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen  8. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 60. Aria: "New scenes of joy come crowding on" (Irene) - Sc.3Susan Bickley 4:31£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen  9. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 61. Recitative: "Is it a Christian virtue then"-Sc.4/"Be that my doom" (Valens, Didymus, Theodora, Septimius) - Sc.5Neal Davies 1:54£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen10. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 62. Aria: "From virtue springs each gen'rous deed" (Septimius) - Sc.5Paul Agnew 6:34£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen11. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 63. Aria: "Cease, ye slaves, your fruitless pray'r" (Valens) - Sc.5Neal Davies 1:02£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen12. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 64. Recitative: "'Tis kind, my friends" (Didymus, Theodora) - Sc.5Robin Blaze0:53£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen13. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 65. Chorus (of Heathens): "How strange their ends" - Sc.5Gabrieli Consort 3:22£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen14. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 66. Recitative: "On me your frowns" (Didymus, Theodora, Valens) - Sc.5Robin Blaze0:31£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen15. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 67. Aria: "Ye ministers of justice" (Valens) - Sc.5Neal Davies 1:08£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen16. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 68. Recitative: "And must such beauty suffer" (Didymus, Theodora, Septimius) - Sc.6Robin Blaze0:55£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen17. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 69. Aria and Duet: "Streams of pleasure ever flowing"/ "Thither let our hearts aspire" (Didymus, Theodora) - Sc.6Robin Blaze 6:04£0.79  Buy MP3 
Listen18. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 70. Recitative: "Ere this their doom is past" (Irene)- Sc.7Susan Bickley0:21£0.39  Buy MP3 
Listen19. Theodora (1750) / Part 3 - 71. Chorus (of Christians): "O Love divine" - Sc.7Gabrieli Consort 3:02£0.79  Buy MP3 


Product Description

Amazon.co.uk

There is nothing like a good tale of Christian martyrdom to set the old creative juices flowing. Or at least it seemed to do the trick for Handel in this glorious oratorio (it was supposedly a personal favourite of his­-and listening to it, you can understand why). As you'd expect, it offers opportunities for blood-and-guts fury ("Racks, gibbets, sword and fire"), but it also has an abundance of the most meltingly beautiful arias--just try the young countertenor Robin Blaze in "Sweet Rose, and Lily", or Susan Bickley's heartfelt reading of "As with rosy Steps". And what of Theodora herself, sung here by Susan Gritton? On paper she looks quite an irritating character, a little too saintly to be good company, but Handel rescues her with some of his most profound and moving music. Her beautiful aria "With Darkness Deep as is my Woe", is extraordinarily moving, sung here with purity but also with emotional depth. There are also some wonderful ensemble pieces, particularly the duets between Didymus and Theodora (who love each other and end up dying together­-always a useful dramatic ploy). So, a terrific work, excellently packaged; this is the best of the four versions now available on CD so why hesitate? --Harriet Smith

Product Description

3CD W/Gabrieli Consort & Players, Paul Mccreesh

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
47 of 47 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Utter, and complete aural joy! 20 Dec 2000
Format:Audio CD
Handel's Theodora - the tale of Christian Martyrdom set in Antioch c304 A.D, is an utter delight, and no more so in this new recording by Paul McCreesh and the Gabrieli Consort and Players.

Those of you reading who were lucky enough to see the Glyndebourne production a couple of years ago with Dawn Upshaw, David Daniels et al, will already know what an emotional work this is, and this recording conveys Handel's musical (and emotional) mastery perfectly.

For your money you get three CDs (79, 60 and 48 mins respectively). The recording is crisp and responsive - the tempi well balanced and the pitch even (in this case A=418Hz).

What of the Cast? Counter-tenors are now big business with the likes of Scholl and Daniels regularly appearing on the World's opera stages, but it is refreshing to hear the excellent (and English) Robin Blaze in this recording. His voice is majestic, florid and emotional all at once, with a light, even temperament (listen to 'The raptur'd soul' or 'Sweet Rose and Lilly').

The soprano Susan Gritton is now a personal favourite of mine and in the title role she not only shines, but is a good pairing for Blaze's Didymus, no more so than in the two utterly rapturous duets at the end parts II and III respectively ('To thee thou glorious son of worth' and 'stream of pleasure ever flowing'). Sue Gritton has power when required but also possesses intelligence and the emotional depth to really make any aria meaningful.

Singers no less accomplished than Gritton and Blaze take the other lead roles. Susan Bickley's Irene is fantastic, and the timbre of her voice a delight to hear - she also gets my vote for 'best ornamentation', with some wonderful moments ('Bane of Virtue' and 'As with rosy steps the morn')....

The other two male roles, Valens and Septimius are given excellent performances by the bass Neal Davies and the tenor Paul Agnew respectively. Both these singers convey the music perfectly, with Agnew's lyrical tenor voice standing out especially.

One must not forget either the chorus or the orchestra. The Gabrieli chorus makes a fantastic sound that is both well articulated and intelligent. The counterpoint and fugal quality of Handel's music is delivered with vigour when required and emotion in the more contemplative numbers. The chorus sings beautifully what Handel rated as one of his finest choruses, of the raising of the son of the widow of Nain (He saw the lovely youth) - it is easy to see why!

This recording has everything - a fine cast and chorus supported by an excellent band on period instruments. In short, it is three hours of some of the best music Handel ever wrote, and for that reason alone should grace the shelves of any lover of Handel's exquisite music. Read more ›

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34 of 39 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars FAITH WORSE THAN DEATH 6 Aug 2002
By DAVID BRYSON TOP 500 REVIEWER VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
Dying for one's beliefs, Bertrand Russell said, is putting rather a high premium on conjecture. Killing for one's beliefs seems to be back on the agenda these days, and the story of the Christian martyrs Theodora and Didymus should strike a few chords in the 21st century. The Roman 'President' (yes, really) Valens is not some monster of total evil but a perfectly recognisable authoritarian redneck -- the laws of Rome including religious observances will be obeyed or else. Theodora refuses as a Christian and is sentenced to prostitution. The closet Christian Didymus tries to help, Valens' lieutenant Septimius intercedes with Valens arguing that it would have been his duty to carry out a sentence of death but not of a fate worse than, and the outcome is death for Theodora and Didymus. Lucretius said in the century before either Christianity or the Roman Empire were founded that religious beliefs are totally unverifiable yet this is the kind of misery they have people inflicting on themselves and one another.

Handel's Theodora is a towering masterpiece. It would be hard to imagine any serious music lover going through life ignorant of Messiah, the St Matthew Passion, Figaro or Tristan, but I wonder how many know Theodora, which is of the same stature as any of these. It is a big work (longer than Aida) and it is more even in quality than Messiah. It is not really right to single out individual numbers, but the first two arias from Theodora's confidante Irene will be likely to make a big impression on newcomers to the work until even they are surpassed by Theodora's Angels Ever Bright and Fair. The arias of Valens are superb pieces of Handelian swashbuckle, like The Enemy Said from Israel in Egypt or the tremendous Revenge Timotheus Cries from Alexander's Feast....

Morell's libretto seems to me distinctly good, given that it is in the strange lingo that English poetry adopted in the 18th century. It is never ridiculous, and Dryden himself inflicted far worse on Chaucer believing he was 'fortifying' him with 'a correct and splendid diction', more realistically called by Housman 'this impure verbiage'. I personally would not want the poetry too good, because most great poetry does not lend itself to musical setting (as well-intentioned settings of Housman seem to me to prove). Morell provides a workmanlike inner structure for Handel to erect his temple.

The performers are eminent specialists, it is many years since I last heard Theodora, I have no other performance to compare, and I am too grateful for this one to try to criticise. It suits me that vocal cadenzas are kept minimal and that the harpsichord continuo is not obtrusive. I thought I had read somewhere that Handel actually had clarinets for an early performance, but I may be mistaken. As often with Handel it is hard to establish an authoritative version of the score, and alternative endings to Act II are provided.

Will I live to see the day when Theodora is in its rightful place as a central classic of our musical heritage? This set can only help in a big way towards that. Read more ›

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com: 5.0 out of 5 stars  5 reviews
33 of 35 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Total Handel Heaven! 20 Dec 2000
By Jason Field - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
Handel's Theodora - the tale of Christian Martyrdom set in Antioch c304 A.D, is an utter delight, and no more so in this new recording by Paul McCreesh and the Gabrieli Consort and Players.

Those of you reading who were lucky enough to see the Glyndebourne production a couple of years ago with Dawn Upshaw, David Daniels et al, will already know what an emotional work this is, and this recording conveys Handel's musical (and emotional) mastery perfectly.

For your money you get three CDs (79, 60 and 48 mins respectively). The recording is crisp and responsive - the tempi well balanced and the pitch even (in this case A=418Hz).

What of the Cast? Counter-tenors are now big business with the likes of Scholl and Daniels regularly appearing on the World's opera stages, but it is refreshing to hear the excellent (and English) Robin Blaze in this recording. His voice is majestic, florid and emotional all at once, with a light, even temperament (listen to `The raptur'd soul' or `Sweet Rose and Lilly').

The soprano Susan Gritton is now a personal favourite of mine and in the title role she not only shines, but is a good pairing for Blaze's Didymus, no more so than in the two utterly rapturous duets at the end parts II and III respectively (`To thee thou glorious son of worth' and `stream of pleasure ever flowing'). Sue Gritton has power when required but also possesses intelligence and the emotional depth to really make any aria meaningful.

Singers no less accomplished than Gritton and Blaze take the other lead roles. Susan Bickley's Irene is fantastic, and the timbre of her voice a delight to hear - she also gets my vote for `best ornamentation', with some wonderful moments (`Bane of Virtue' and `As with rosy steps the morn').

The other two male roles, Valens and Septimius are given excellent performances by the bass Neal Davies and the tenor Paul Agnew respectively. Both these singers convey the music perfectly, with Agnew's lyrical tenor voice standing out especially.

One must not forget either the chorus or the orchestra. The Gabrieli chorus makes a fantastic sound that is both well articulated and intelligent. The counterpoint and fugal quality of Handel's music is delivered with vigour when required and emotion in the more contemplative numbers. The chorus sings beautifully what Handel rated as one of his finest choruses, of the raising of the son of the widow of Nain (He saw the lovely youth) - it is easy to see why!

This recording has everything - a fine cast and chorus supported by an excellent band on period instruments. In short, it is three hours of some of the best music Handel ever wrote, and for that reason alone should grace the shelves of any lover of Handel's exquisite music.

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars "Virgin" is not a dirty word 20 Sep 2000
By Dr. Peter J. Glidden - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
"Theodora, Virgin and Martyr" is the less than appetizing subtitle of Handel's pentultimate oratorio, subject taken from St. Ambrosius' "De virginibus", made into a play by Pierre Corneille (1646), and also a novel-treatise by Robert Boyle (1687). From this inauspicious subject, two works of great beauty resulted, the play and the oratorio. Yet the popularity of either was little in their day, and for this we will blame the subject, too much virtue, too little passion. However, the music is strangely liberated from the drama and Handel really outdid himself, as he did so often in the more subtle, heroine-centred oratorios "Deborah", "Susannah" are two good examples. Just how does one sustain interest over three CD's with little forward-moving plot and sententious choruses? Simply, via the music, and by extention, the skill and expressiveness of the singers and orchestra. Paul McCreesh took what he learned about variety from Solomon, dramatic singing of static texts from the Messiah, and gave us this latest, beautiful release. Buy this opera for Susan Gritton, a passionate yet consumate voice, but also for the clean, "boyish" (yet with lovely, dark low notes and incredible skill) counter-tenor Robin Blaze. And if you know Neal Davies and Paul Agnew, you pretty much have a perfect cast. The pure "gravy" element comes, however, with the addition of Susan Bickley, one of those rare mezzos who is genuinely soft and gentle on the ear while never sacrificing vocality. She is the kind of alto you loved sitting next to in choir, something of Anne Sophie Von Otter's warmth, and wonderfully expressive. Great chorus, great conducting, a worthy addition to Handelian output and recordings.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfection 15 Sep 2004
By S Duncan - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
I can find no weak link. The conducting is superb, the recording is clear digital, the story is gripping and as realistic as you can expect from Handel....and the singing? Superb.

Neal Davies makes a firm, vicious and cruel Valens. His menace is palpable yet very musical. Paul Agnew's Septimius is the definition of sympathy. He colours his voice vividly to convey his torture, conflicting loyalties as well as his sympathy and love for his friend, and later to convey his stern advice to the Christians "Dread the fruits of Christian folly". The latter was executed with fascinatingly clean runs.

I will struggle not to get carried away with Susan Bickley's RAVISHING Irene! "As with rosy steps the dawn advancing" will stop your breath with its purity, its beauty and the effectiveness of its simplicity. Likewise, "Defend her heav'n" will slow your breath in parallel piety to Bickley's awesome rendition.

The superlatives continue for one of the most endearing countertenors of our time. Robin Blaze's delivery as Didymus is smooth in all respects...vocal skill and drama without a hint of hysterics. None of the so-called 'hoot' to his lovely voice either. His duet with Susan Gritton ("To thee thou glorious son of worth") is rapturously sung and the voices are perfectly matched.

Then Susan Gritton herself: I am not equal to the task of her praise. Suffice it to say that her pure, golden-honeyed tone add painful beauty to technical perfection.

I summon the strength for final praise to the EXCELLENT chorus and Choir Director. "Go gen'rous pious youth" is one of the tracks that I play most frequently. All throughout, however, the chorus is brilliant.

McCreesh and his players have made this into an epic event. Full satisfaction guaranteed.
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