Boston Baroque & Martin Pearlman - Handel: Concerti grossi, Op. 6 Nos. 7-12 (2008)

Following on the heels of the widely popular English release of Corelli's set of Concerti Grossi, Handel soon set out to compose his own set of 12 works in the genre. Unlike Corelli, whose contributions very exactly followed the Baroque formulation for a concerto grosso, Handel frequently altered listeners' expectations. The number of movements is not a constant; 4 of the 12 concertos employ an oboe in addition to the more traditional strings and harpsichord; the seventh concerto doesn't even use solo parts for the traditional two violins and cello. Add to this Handel's propensity to self-quote and refer to the works of other composers, and the result is a set of wonderfully varied compositions that keeps listeners on their toes throughout.

The present recording by Boston Baroque, however, does not always follow Handel's example by maintaining listeners' attention throughout. The normally crisp and precise ensemble is less polished than might be expected based on several previous, exceptional releases. Intonation, particularly in some of the solo passages, is lazy and imprecise. Tempo selection is quite conservative, and many slow movements become ponderous and uninteresting long before their completion. Balance and clarity throughout the orchestra are inconsistent, with the lower registers frequently becoming muddy and indistinct. Regrettably, this performance simply does not live up to the potential of the compositions being performed, nor of the orchestra itself. ~ Mike D. Brownell