Two new Handel vocal CD's have hit the stores.  One is from Harmonia Mundi
and features Dorothea Roschmann and the Akademie Fur Alte Musik Berlin
performing Handel's German Arias interspersed with two Telemann flute
quartets.  The other, from Teldec, features Eva Mei and Il Giardino
Armonico performing Handel Italian Cantatas.

I find the Roschmann disc superior to Mei's recording based on the quality
of the compositions and performances.  The German Arias were the last
works written by Handel to German text.  They are thoroughly dilightful.
Roschmann has a very strong, expressive, and beautiful voice; it's hard
to imagine anyone doing them better.  The instrumental support from the
relatively new and well received Akademie is great as is the recorded
sound.

And, the Telemann flute quartets add a nice touch of variety to the
program.  I believe that Capriccio, quite a few months ago, released the
same or similar Handel vocal program.  However, that one can't compete with
the excellence of performances on the Harmonia Mundi CD which clocks in at
over 78 minutes.

I don't wish to belittle Handel's Italian Cantatas, but I don't find them
to be among Handel's better vocal works.  Eva Mei is a fine singer but the
beauty of her voice is debatable and her expressiveness in the cantatas is
somewhat lacking.  Excellent support is provided by Il Giardino Armonico.
The disc has less than 60 minutes of music, and some instrumental works
would have been a good idea.

Don's Conclusion:  The Roschmann CD(901689) is outstanding and a must-buy
for Handel fans.  The Mei CD is not recommended, especially since the same
or similar program is available from Veronique Gens on Virgin.  Gens shows
what's lacking in Mei's performances.

Don Satz
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