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 [log in to unmask]