Reinvention
Donald Macleod looks on as Handel reinvents himself as a composer of English oratorio and introduces the work widely regarded as Handel's most fundamentally English creation.
With income from opera drying up, Handel turned to other means of making a living. He realised there was money to be made with his new English oratorio, and the publication of his instrumental works provided him with another source of income.
Donald Macleod introduces one of Handel's last operas, full of light-hearted, amorous intrigue, the first of a set of twelve concerti grossi which are the finest things of their kind he ever composed, and part of the oratorio widely regarded as Handel's most fundamentally English creation.
Serse (excerpts)
Anna Stéphany, mezzo-soprano (Serse)
Hilary Summers, alto (Amasatre)
Brindley Sherratt, bass (Ariodate)
Early Opera Company
Conductor, Christian Curnyn
Concerto grosso in G, Op 6 No 1
Gabrieli Players
Conductor Paul McMcreesh
L'Allegro, Il Penseroso ed Il Moderato (Part 3: Il Moderato)
Gillian Webster (soprano)
Jeremy Ovenden (tenor)
Peter Harvey (baritone)
Gabrieli Consort and Players
Conductor Paul McMcreesh.
Last on
More episodes
Next
You are at the last episode
Music Played
![]()
George Frideric Handel
Serse, Act 1: Ombra mai fu
Singer: Anna Stéphany. Orchestra: Early Opera Company. Conductor: Christian Curnyn.- CHANDOS : CHAN-0797.
- CHANDOS.
- 3.
![]()
George Frideric Handel
Serse, Act 1: Sc 8-11
Singer: Hilary Summers. Singer: Brindley Sherratt. Singer: Anna Stéphany. Orchestra: Early Opera Company. Conductor: Christian Curnyn.- CHACONNE CHAN 0797.
- Chaconne.
- 19.
![]()
George Frideric Handel
Concerto Grosso in G major, Op 6 No 1
Ensemble: Gabrieli Consort. Ensemble: Gabrieli Players. Director: Paul McCreesh.- Winged Lion/Signum SIGCD 392.
- Winged Lion/Signum.
- 1.
![]()
George Frideric Handel
L'Allegro Il Penseroso ed Il Moderato: Part 3
Singer: Gillian Webster. Singer: Jeremy Ovenden. Singer: Peter Harvey. Ensemble: Gabrieli Consort. Ensemble: Gabrieli Players. Director: Paul McCreesh.- Signum SIGCD392.
- Signum.
- 16.
Broadcast
- Fri 2 Feb 201812:00BBC Radio 3
Beethoven Unleashed – the box set
The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.
Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week
The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod’s best stories from the last 20 years
Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem
What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?
A man out of time – why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...
The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.
Composer Help Page
Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.
