I have been an admirer
of Andreas Scholl’s ever since the release
of his Way-Faring Stranger disc.
It was one of the first discs I was
ever moved to review, and a concept
which I had scoffed at until being utterly
transfixed, spell-bound, by a pre-release
"taster" played on Radio 3.
Over the years, Scholl has produced
a number of compilation-type discs,
all of them of the highest quality,
with carefully-chosen works.
This is a collection
of arias written for the famous eighteenth
century castrato, Francesco Bernardi, who
went under the name of Senesino – "The
Sienese", after the city of his
birth. After making his debut - as far
as we know - in Venice, Senesino swiftly
rose to great prominence. He was a skilled
actor as a singer of the finest calibre
and was engaged by the court opera at
Dresden. He was sacked for his refusal
to sing a particular aria and for ripping
up a fellow musician’s music. Handel
promptly snapped him up for the Royal
Academy of Music, Handel’s then newly-formed
opera company in London. Handel wrote
and revised a number of roles specifically
for Senesino – as had other major composers,
including Albinoni and Scarlatti – not
least Giulio Cesare and Rodelinda.
After one resolved estrangement he finally
drove Senesino away by violating the
notoriously arrogant singer’s vanity
with Orlando’s mad scene!
This is a wonderful
collection, and well performed. Scholl
has a very pure, piercing voice, full
of dramatic intensity and lyrical beauty,
with great dynamic control and fantastic
expression. His range from light and
delicate, as in Lotti’s Discordi
pensieri, to powerful in Handel’s
absolute gem, Dove sei, amato bene
(listen to the resonant power and dramaticism
in the word "Vieni"!), and
his supple, nimble athleticism in Albinoni’s
Stelle ingrate and Handel’s Cara
sposa demonstrate his proficient
skill and vocal agility as well as giving
us an idea of Senesino’s tremendous
talent. Scholl captures the jubilation
of Scarlatti’s Del ciel sui giri
brilliantly. Despair and wild grief
permeate Pompe vane di morte
and Dove sei, amato bene, from
Handel’s Bertarido – full of
controlled but nonetheless passionate
emotion, with Scholl never over-doing
it.
The Accademia Bizantina,
conducted by Ottavio Dantone, provides
excellent and sympathetic, but unobtrusive
accompaniment. I highly recommend this
disc to all lovers of baroque opera,
and to all fellow devotees of the beautiful
counter-tenor voice!
Em Marshall
Andreas Scholl, counter-tenor 
