My personal recommendation
of this disc stems from the fact that
I bought it myself. Looking to weed
out an overgrown collection of some
of its lesser glories and replace them
with better versions, I decided that
my CD of these Concerti Grossi performed
by the English Chamber Orchestra under
Raymond Leppard (Philips Baroque Classics,
subsequently a 2-CD Duo with the Organ
Concerti Op.4 and deleted in both formats)
was a candidate. I know that Leppard’s
performances have many supporters and
I have certainly always found them serviceable,
but there are better versions out there,
especially as, other things being equal,
I prefer ‘period’ instrument performances.
The recent version
by the Academy of Ancient Music under
their new director Richard Egarr (Harmonia
Mundi hybrid SACD HMU907415) certainly
seemed a prime candidate, having received
the highest praise in various quarters.
Otherwise there are strong contenders
from Harnoncourt (Warner Elatus) and
Gardiner (Warner Apex) and decent versions
from Creswick (on modern instruments,
Naxos) and de Vriend (Challenge Classics
– "not exciting but very satisfying"
according to Tim Perry on this site,
which makes it sound like the Leppard
which I was replacing!) Finally there
was the Handel and Haydn Society/Hogwood
version (3 CDs, Avie AV2065, containing
Op.3 and Op.6), a mid-price recoupling
of Decca originals, which Robert Hugill
praised highly on this website. I might
very well have gone for the Avie had
I not already owned these versions of
the Op.6 Concerti, so that I would be
buying three CDs to obtain one. Apart
from that, I fully endorse Robert Hugill’s
enthusiastic recommendation of the two-thirds
of this set which I own and which I
have no intention of weeding out.
Why, then, did I not
opt for any of the fine versions of
Op.3 which I have named above? For the
sake of Concerto ‘4b’, almost certainly
a spurious work, which the publisher-cum-music-pirate
Walsh included in the first printed
version of these works and which he
subsequently replaced with a genuine
Handel work. Scholarly opinion is that
‘4b’ is probably a rag-bag of movements
‘in the Italian style’ from various
sources, which would seem to be the
end of the matter – except that I rather
like it. After all, Handel, like Bach,
was not above ‘borrowing’ (not always
from himself in Handel’s case) and even
the ‘genuine’ Concerto No.3 may have
been assembled by Walsh rather than
Handel, from a Chandos Anthem and Te
Deum.
Leppard includes ‘4b’
on the CD that I was replacing, therefore,
if possible, the replacement should
also include it. Unfortunately, Egarr
does not, nor, I believe, do Harnoncourt
or Gardiner; in any case, Harnoncourt
can sometimes be more than a little
eccentric. Goodman does include it:
he likes it ("a delightful work
… deserving much greater recognition")
and his performance makes a very good
case for it – perhaps even for its being
the highlight of these concertos.
Harmonia Mundi offer
a 37-second snippet from the finale
of Concerto No.1 in the Egarr version
on their website – just enough to confirm
that these are lively performances:
hardly enough to form a firm opinion,
yet suggesting that I may be tempted
to buy this version at some future date
when I have committed to SACD: [http://www.harmoniamundi.com/uk/album_fiche.php?album_id=1155]
The Hyperion website [http://hyperion-records.co.uk/details/55075.asp]
offers a much more substantial RealPlayer
sample, Goodman’s rendition of the first
movement of the genuine Concerto No.4,
a long overture-movement in three sections,
(Largo) – Allegro – (Largo
or Lentement), lasting 6:20 in
this performance which observes the
repeats – as, presumably, does Egarr,
who takes 6:33 according to the Harmonia
Mundi website. Leppard does not take
the marked repeats for the central Allegro
and Lentement section, thus making
it a far less substantial movement:
A-A-B-C instead of A-A-B-C-B-C. This
concerto, probably written as an interlude
for a performance of Amadigi,
is scored for two oboes, two violins,
viola, bassoon and continuo. (Op.3 is
still sometimes known, erroneously,
as ‘Handel’s oboe concertos’ because
of the prominent parts for that instrument.)
In the first movement
the first-violin line and the first-oboe
part are identical, as are the second-violin
and second-oboe parts. (Scores of all
the Op.3 Concertos, albeit in elderly
editions and not including ‘4b’, are
available at http://www.icking-music-archive.org/ByComposer/Handel.php)
In Leppard’s version of this movement
the oboes are almost swamped by the
string sound, and, though the tempi
are lively enough, the whole effect
is bottom-heavy, with the harpsichord
coming through as an occasional tinkle.
With Goodman the overall sound is much
lighter, the oboes can be clearly differentiated
from the violins, though they play the
same notes, and the harpsichord is integrated
within the continuo – just audible but
never too prominent.
The Philips booklet
notes describe this movement as "ingenious"
and "witty" – epithets which
apply much more to Goodman’s version
than to Leppard’s. Though there is little
difference in tempi between the two
in the other movements of this concerto
– Leppard is actually faster in places
– Goodman’s performances throughout
sound lither and livelier and the same
is true throughout the remaining concertos.
The playing of the
Consort throughout is excellent, with
Goodman leading from the violin. The
scale of the performances is just right
– small-scale enough to sound lithe
and fresh but weighty enough in the
right places, as in the opening four
bars of Concerto No.1, scored by Handel
for two sets of violins, two violas,
two bassoons and continuo. This opening
sounds just a little plodding from Leppard
but just right from Goodman. I have
already referred to the continuo – audibly
there but never too prominent. The excellent
booklet, with detailed notes by Goodman,
lists theorbo (in No.3), harpsichord
and organ continuo contributions, all
well integrated within the overall sound.
The Op.3 concertos
on their own make for a shortish CD;
de Vriend’s CD, for example, offers
just 55:48. Egarr adds a nine-minute
Sonata a 5 HWV288, which brings
his version up to a respectable 68:04.
Leppard (74:10) rounds his version off
with a Concerto Grosso movement in F,
thus ending his CD with a largo,
which seems a little downbeat.
Goodman offers the
best ending of all. The sixth concerto
exists only in the form of two fast
movements, which Leppard plays as they
are, while Egarr bridges these movements
with an improvisation. Goodman, who
has edited all the concertos for his
performances, splices the first movement
of the published Concerto No.6 together
with an Overture in D (HWV337) from
a manuscript in the British Library,
to create a three-movement work. The
finale, as printed by Walsh,
actually the first movement of Handel’s
first published Organ Concerto, is then
performed as an encore – a lively performance,
fully worthy to stand beside my recommended
versions of Handel’s Op.4 and Op.7 Organ
Concertos (Ton Koopman at budget price
on a 2-CD Apex set, 2564 62760-2) to
round off a set of lively performances.
The digital recording
dates from 1992 – hence the notes refer
to the British Museum, rather than the
British Library – but is more than suitable
for purpose. So, unless you must have
surround sound or you disapprove of
Concerto ‘4b’ or take issue with Goodman’s
edition of these scores, I see little
reason not to buy this CD … and it comes
at a fraction of the price of the Egarr.
Otherwise, for those who want Op.3 and
Op.6 together, there is always the Hogwood
set.
Brian Wilson
The Brandenburg Consort/Roy Goodman 
