Richard Pennycuick wrote in response to me:

>>Tonight I'll be listening to Robert King's new recording of Handel's
>>L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato and the Vanska
>>recording of the Lemminkainen Suite by Sibelius.
>
>The excerpt from the Handel on the Gramophone sampler sounded
>interesting, and I've enthused about the Sibelius in earlier  posts,
>so I'd be interested in your thoughts on both of these, please, Don.

Well, I don't have anything to say about the Vanska recording at this time,
since I have not listened yet.  I will make a point to report on it.

The King/Handel recording is very good: the best conducting you could
want, very good soloists, and an excellent recorded sound.  Handel's
music is very good as well, but none of the pieces would I call among my
favorite.  Now I don't want to turn anyone off the work; I enjoyed it and
am glad to have it and will be playing it plenty.  It's good Handel.  But,
for those who might be starting a Handel vocal works collection, there's
richer areas to tap first: Flavio, Rinaldo, Agrippina, Alexander Balus,
Messiah, Apollo e Daphne, Ariodante, Orlando, Susanna, Samson, and Ottone
(all based on personal taste).  For those of us who want every Handel vocal
work which is performed well or better, the recording is a must.

Don Satz
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