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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Gem of early Handel oratorio, 13 Mar 2002
This 2 CD set is a gem! The work itself is a gem of early Handel, composed by the 22 year old Georg Friedrich and the performance by the Concerto Italiano directed by Rinaldo Alessandrini is yet another. The Libretto of Il Trionfo is no triumph of literature but notwithstanding this, Handel's music is lively and full of interest with memorable tunes and wonderful orchestral writing. This musicians match the demands of the music and their freshness is maintained throughout the 133 minute performance.
The opening sonata begins in lively form promising exciting and accurate string playing by members of the Concerto Italiano and the quality of the orchestra is confirmed at the entry of the woodwind. The soloists are well matched to each other and to the orchestra. Beauty (La Belleza) is sung by the soprano Deborah York who shows both dexterity and ability to sustain tone. In the aria Un pensiero nemico di pace she ably demonstrates her vocal athleticism in the fast runs and steady tone in the contrasting slow central section. The second soprano Gemma Bertagnolli sings the part of Pleasure (Il Piacere) with power and conviction although for me her tone is sometimes too plummy and swooping for baroque oratorio. However, the two sopranos are beautifully matched in power and tone in duets such as Il voler nel fior degl'anni and in this movement they are sensitively accompanied by the oboes and strings of the orchestra. Today's fashion for casting one of the rising superstar countertenors in alto roles is avoided in this recording and the decision to engage Sara Mingardo as Disillusionment (Il Disinganno) is well founded. She has a beautifully rounded tone shown in slow arias such as Se la bellazza perde vaghhezza and Crede l'uom ch'egli riposi in the second of which the recorders accompany her with a magical duet and she is able to show nimbleness in the faster passages. Time (Il Tempo) is ably sung by the tenor Nicholas Sears whose attack in Folle, dunque tu sola presumi is wonderfully matched by the lively playing of the strings. His voice has power and conviction over the vocal range required in this piece and he has a good command of the dynamics required. The final movement of Part One is the quartet Se non sei piu ministro di pene and all four singers and orchestra blend well. The second CD contains Part 2 which has more gems including some familiar tunes from this less than familiar work. This is explained by Handel's habit of borrowing and reworking successful tunes into later works which are none the less for this practice. The second CD has a generous 71 minutes of music and the split of the two parts onto separate discs is sensible and logical. Although 10 minutes longer than the first part, this second part retains the freshness, conviction and interest of the first. This is due in no small part to the direction of Rinaldo Alessandrini who maintains sensible tempi throughout the work; nimble but unrushed in the faster movements and dignified without being pedestrian in the slow movements. The recording quality throughout the disc is excellent with a good balance between soloists, continuo and ripieno playing of the band. In Part 1, after the longest recitative, Questa e la Reggia mia, we are treated to a sonata which is nothing less than a brilliant organ concerto which shows this playing off to good effect along with the digital dexterity of Alessandrini on the organ. All in all this is a recording that must not be ignored by lovers of baroque oratorios and I have no hesitation in recommending it.
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