Ton Koopman, The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra - George Frideric Handel: Concertos pour orgue (1986)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 888 Mb | Total time: 73:11+69:43+63:04 | Scans included
Classical | Label: Erato | 2292-45394-2| Recorded: 1984
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 888 Mb | Total time: 73:11+69:43+63:04 | Scans included
Classical | Label: Erato | 2292-45394-2| Recorded: 1984
Whilst Handel was renowned in his lifetime as a virtuoso organist, his art was based on improvisation. He left no developed oeuvre of keyboard pieces which would give us an idea of his full capabilities as an organist. His organ concertos are actually theatre pieces, developed by Handel to support his oratorio performances. Handel brought in an organ to act as continuo in the choruses and developed the idea of an organ concerto as a way of adding extra novelty. At the oratorios, the audience could not rely on novelty and virtuoso display from the latest Italian singers so Handel’s performances on the organ were a sort of substitute.