Jennifer Lane Own the Pow'r of Harmony! - hidden vocal and instrumental gems of Handel Total time: 64:02 Release date: 1/8/2010 Location of artist: CA, USA

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This stunning new album with mezzo-soprano Jennifer Lane commemorates the 250th anniversary of George Frideric Handel's passing (1685-1759). It contains lesser known vocal and instrumental gems from throughout Handel's career. From the much adored but rarely performed cantata: "Udite il mio consiglio," composed at the court of Cardinal Ruspoli in Rome during the Vatican's ban on opera, to glorious excerpts from the English oratorios Jephtha, Hercules and Saul, composed during a similar ban on Italian opera in England, these works of genius are unjustly overshadowed by Handel's new testament sacred works, particularly Messiah, and those few of his operas regularly offered by the world's opera houses. Also included on this album is the rapturous Sonata in D Major for Violin and Continuo two arias from the opera Atalanta, and an aria from one of Handel's earliest Italian operas, Rodrigo. For many years, it was believed that the cantata: "Udite il mio consiglio," the centerpiece of this recording, ended with the Rodrigo aria "Allor che sorge." Handel's 19th century editor, Karl Friedrich Chrysander, found ending the cantata with a recitative too radical and was certain an aria had to be missing. This recording allows the listener to hear the cantata either way. You be the judge!

Some of Handel's most complex women are portrayed here as well as some of his most endearing boys, according to the 18th century tradition in which sopranos and mezzos took leading roles of both genders: Hercules' wife Dejaneira's jealousy; Jephtha's faithful wife Storge's shock at the news of their daughter's impending sacrifice; David's love for Jonathan; and Meleagro's youthful love and passion for Atalanta.

Full texts and translations and the orchestra list for the album are included in the artwork documentation that accompanies the download.

m3u audio streams (if the flash player above doesn't work for you): [hifi lofi] Play all tracks as an m3u audio stream (or xspf, ogg, mp3 file) [hifi lofi] 01-Air - Fly fly malicious spirit fly (Saul HWV 53 1738) (GF Handel) (2:15) [hifi lofi] 02-Air - Brave Jonathan (Saul HWV 53 1738) (GF Handel) (2:25) [hifi lofi] 03-Recitative - Some dire event (Jephtha HWV 70 1751) (GF Handel) (0:31) [hifi lofi] 04-Air - Scenes of horror (Jephtha HWV 70 1751) (GF Handel) (4:35) [hifi lofi] 05-Sonata for violin and basso continuo in D major (HWV 371 c 1750) Mvt 1 Affetuoso (GF Handel) (3:16) [hifi lofi] 06-Sonata for violin and basso continuo in D major (HWV 371 c 1750) Mvt 2 Allegro (GF Handel) (3:04) [hifi lofi] 07-Cantata - Udite il mio consiglio (HWV 172 1707) Recitativo - Udite il mio consiglio (GF Handel) (1:11) [hifi lofi] 08-Cantata - Udite il mio consiglio (HWV 172 1707) Aria - Innocente rassembra (GF Handel) (1:56) [hifi lofi] 09-Cantata - Udite il mio consiglio (HWV 172 1707) Aria - Non le scherzate intorno (GF Handel) (4:09) [hifi lofi] 10-Cantata - Udite il mio consiglio (HWV 172 1707) Recitativo - Al vederla sovente (GF Handel) (1:09) [hifi lofi] 11-Cantata - Udite il mio consiglio (HWV 172 1707) Aria - Non esce un guardo mai (GF Handel) (5:20) [hifi lofi] 12-Cantata - Udite il mio consiglio (HWV 172 1707) Recitativo - Volea pur dir (GF Handel) (0:20) [hifi lofi] 13-Cantata - Udite il mio consiglio (HWV 172 1707) Arioso - Non fu gia per amor (GF Handel) (0:55) [hifi lofi] 14-Cantata - Udite il mio consiglio (HWV 172 1707) Recitativo - Fuggite ah si fuggite (GF Handel) (0:35) [hifi lofi] 15-Aria - Allor che sorge (Rodrigo HWV 5 1707) (GF Handel) (3:26) [hifi lofi] 16-Sonata for violin and basso continuo in D major (HWV 371 c 1750) Mvt 3 Larghetto (GF Handel) (2:07) [hifi lofi] 17-Sonata for violin and basso continuo in D major (HWV 371 c 1750) Mvt 4 Allegro (GF Handel) (3:59) [hifi lofi] 18-Recitative - 'Twill be a painful separation (Jephtha HWV 70 1751) (GF Handel) (0:34) [hifi lofi] 19-Aria - In gentle murmurs will I mourn (Jephtha HWV 70 1751) (GF Handel) (4:43) [hifi lofi] 20-Recitative - Then am I lost (Hercules HWV 60 1745) (GF Handel) (0:44) [hifi lofi] 21-Air - There in myrtle shades reclin'd (Hercules HWV 60 1745) (GF Handel) (2:13) [hifi lofi] 22-Recitative - Oh joyful news (Hercules HWV 60 1745) (GF Handel) (0:25) [hifi lofi] 23-Air - Begone my fears fly hence away (Hercules HWV 60 1745) (GF Handel) (4:28) [hifi lofi] 24-Aria - M'allontano sdegnose pupille (Atalanta HWV 35 1736) (GF Handel) (6:00) [hifi lofi] 25-Aria - Si mel raccordero (Atalanta HWV 35 1736) (GF Handel) (3:42)