Young Handel was a quick learner. Having moved to Rome in 1707, he had already received a major commission early that year from Cardinal Colonna to compose music for the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel to be celebrated in the church of Santa Maria di Monte Santo in July. Such a feat shows not only the upcoming composer’s ability to master the prevailing Italian musical style but also a social adroitness that was to hold him in good stead for most of his life.
The three vesper psalms recorded here (Dixit Dominus, Nisi Dominus and Laudate Pueri) are some of Handel’s first great successes in the sacred genre, showing his skill at adopting a formula but never making it sound hackneyed. Justin Doyle and the RIAS Kammerchor Berlin bring plenty of verve to these performances, pointing out the striking contrasts between each section.
From the bustling, buoyant opening of Dixit Dominus we are aware of impressive agility of the singers and players who extract maximum dramatic effect for the score’s rhetorical utterances, for example the shuddering treatment of “Conquassabit capita” (He shall crush the heads) contrasting with the amiable pastoral scene of “De torrente in via bibet” (He shall drink from the torrent). Fine singing in particular from soprano Johanna Winkel and alto Alex Porter add further aural delight.
Nisi Dominus benefits from similar treatment with bass Andreas Wolf making an excellent case for Sicut sagittae.
Laudate Pueri scored for soprano solo, oboe, strings and chorus is enriched by the distinguished and ever-flexible instrument of soprano Carolyn Sampson who consummates a fine marriage between music and text. Here Handel’s word painting is taken to new levels, and her performance alone is worth the price of admission.
Composer: Handel
Works: Dixit Dominus, Nisi Dominus, Laudate Pueri
Performers: RIAS Kammerchor Berlin/Justin Doyle
Label: Harmonia Mundi HMM902723
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