Listening to Handel: An Owner's Manual
(Unlocking the Masters). Of all the biggest-name composers, Handel probably wrote the most truly great music that no one knows about. This book takes the curious listener through his entire output, from his earliest works in Italy, through his more than 40 operas, and including the famous English oratorios on which his reputation largely rests. Along the way it examines his orchestral music, the pieces he wrote for England's lavish royal ceremonies, and his surprisingly limited production of sacred music. Just as important, the book surveys and recommends recordings of all of the music discussed, so that listeners can acquire a music collection of whatever depth suits them best, while the included CD features top-notch recordings from the Harmonia Mundi label of a wide range of Handel's music in all of the major media in which he worked, both vocal and instrumental. Few composers cared more than Handel about pleasing his listeners and creating a body of work that was both entertaining and fun. It's time to blow away the Victorian cobwebs that have dogged his reputation, and discover just how much there is to enjoy.
"1130647299"
Listening to Handel: An Owner's Manual
(Unlocking the Masters). Of all the biggest-name composers, Handel probably wrote the most truly great music that no one knows about. This book takes the curious listener through his entire output, from his earliest works in Italy, through his more than 40 operas, and including the famous English oratorios on which his reputation largely rests. Along the way it examines his orchestral music, the pieces he wrote for England's lavish royal ceremonies, and his surprisingly limited production of sacred music. Just as important, the book surveys and recommends recordings of all of the music discussed, so that listeners can acquire a music collection of whatever depth suits them best, while the included CD features top-notch recordings from the Harmonia Mundi label of a wide range of Handel's music in all of the major media in which he worked, both vocal and instrumental. Few composers cared more than Handel about pleasing his listeners and creating a body of work that was both entertaining and fun. It's time to blow away the Victorian cobwebs that have dogged his reputation, and discover just how much there is to enjoy.
37.0 In Stock
Listening to Handel: An Owner's Manual

Listening to Handel: An Owner's Manual

by David Hurwitz
Listening to Handel: An Owner's Manual

Listening to Handel: An Owner's Manual

by David Hurwitz

$37.00 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    Qualifies for Free Shipping
  • PICK UP IN STORE
    Check Availability at Nearby Stores

Related collections and offers


Overview

(Unlocking the Masters). Of all the biggest-name composers, Handel probably wrote the most truly great music that no one knows about. This book takes the curious listener through his entire output, from his earliest works in Italy, through his more than 40 operas, and including the famous English oratorios on which his reputation largely rests. Along the way it examines his orchestral music, the pieces he wrote for England's lavish royal ceremonies, and his surprisingly limited production of sacred music. Just as important, the book surveys and recommends recordings of all of the music discussed, so that listeners can acquire a music collection of whatever depth suits them best, while the included CD features top-notch recordings from the Harmonia Mundi label of a wide range of Handel's music in all of the major media in which he worked, both vocal and instrumental. Few composers cared more than Handel about pleasing his listeners and creating a body of work that was both entertaining and fun. It's time to blow away the Victorian cobwebs that have dogged his reputation, and discover just how much there is to enjoy.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781574674873
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date: 04/30/2019
Series: Unlocking the Masters
Pages: 192
Product dimensions: 5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

David Hurwitz, a music critic, author, and percussionist, is the founder and executive editor of Classicstoday.com, the Internet’s first classical music review magazine. His many books include Unlocking the Masters titles on Richard Strauss, Mozart, Mahler, Sibelius, Haydn, Dvorák, Shostakovich, and Bernstein. Hurwitz’s other writings include works on Beethoven and Brahms, and his articles have appeared in Nineteenth-Century Music Review, Music and Letters, Early Music America, and other scholarly periodicals. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Introduction: Listening to the Mysterious Mr. Handel xv

Chapter 1 The Curse of The Harmonious Blacksmith: (Too?) Popular Favorites 1

The Harmonious Blacksmith (1720) 2

Largo from Xerxes (Serse) (1738) 5

Water Music (1717) and Music for the Royal Fireworks (1749) 8

Zadok the Priest (1727) 14

Messiah (1741) 16

Chapter 2 It's Saul Good: Exploring the English Oratorios and Associated Instrumental Works 23

Blood and Guts 28

The Waratorios 32

Pastoral Fantasies 37

Choral Characterization 47

Two English Operas 51

The New Testament 55

What To Do During Intermission (Concertos and Orchestral Music) 59

Chapter 3 A Pair of Acis: Same Story, Different Music 67

Aci, Galatea e Polifemo (Serenata or Dramatic Cantata) 1708 67

Acis and Galatea (Variously called a Masque, Serenata, Oratorio, Pastoral Opera, Little Opera, etc) 1718 68

Chapter 4 Sex and Drugs and Da Capo Arias: The Operas 77

The Handel Opera Revival: How It Really Happened 79

Ariodante: Handel's Operatic Paradigm 85

A Dozen Great Handel Operas (excluding Ariodante) 103

Aria Recitals and Collections 123

Chapter 5 Channeling Cleopatra: Musical Characterization 131

Chapter 6 A Lotta Cantatas and Serenatas: Early Italian Pieces, Sacred Music, and English Ceremonial Works 145

Early Italian Instrumental Cantatas and Serenatas 145

Sacred Music 151

Ceremonial Music 161

Chapter 7 Secondhand Handel: Borrowing and Musical Morality 167

Track 1 "Eternal source of light divine" (Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne) 171

Track 2 "Dominus a dextris tuis" (Dixit Dominus) 171

Track 3 "Disserratevi, o porte d'Averno" (La Resurrezione) 172

Track 4 "Ogni vento" (Agrippina) 173

Track 5 "Ombra mai fù" (Serse) 175

Track 6 "Se tanto piace al cor" (Ariodante) 176

Track 7 Concerto Grosso Op. 6, No. 1 177

Track 8 "Fammi combattere" (Orlando) 178

Track 10 "Lascia ch'io pianga" (Rinaldo) 179

Track 11 "Sibilar I'angui d'Aletto" (Aci, Galatea e Polifemo) 181

Track 14 "Rejoice, O Judah! Hallelujah! Amen" (Judas Maccabaeus) 182

Notes 185

CD Track Listing 187

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews