G.F. Handel: Concerti Grossi, Opus 3 Il Concerto Barocco

• George Frideric Handel (1685-1759): Concerto No. 1 in Bb Major:
• 1 Concerto No. 1 in Bb Major - (Allegro) 02:40
• 2 Concerto No. 1 in Bb Major - (Largo) 04:41
• 3 Concerto No. 1 in Bb Major - (Allegro) 02:39
• Concerto No. 2 in Bb Major
• 4 Concerto No. 2 in Bb Major - Vivace 01:50
• 5 Concerto No. 2 in Bb Major - Largo 02:25
• 6 Concerto No. 2 in Bb Major - Allegro 02:10
• 7 Concerto No. 2 in Bb Major - (Menuet) 02:15
• 8 Concerto No. 2 in Bb Major - (Gavotte and variations) 02:54
• Concerto No. 3 in G Major
• 9 Concerto No. 3 in G Major - Largo, e staccato - Allegro 02:57
• 10 Concerto No. 3 in G Major - Adagio - Allegro 04:12
• Concerto No. 4 in F Major
• 11 Concerto No. 4 in F Major - (Largo) - Allegro 05:57
• 12 Concerto No. 4 in F Major - Andante 01:56
• 13 Concerto No. 4 in F Major - Allegro 01:27
• 14 Concerto No. 4 in F Major - Allegro - (Menuet) 03:28
• Concerto No. 5 in d minor
• 15 Concerto No. 5 in d minor - (Largo) 01:37
• 16 Concerto No. 5 in d minor - Fuga: Allegro 02:18
• 17 Concerto No. 5 in d minor - Adagio 01:33
• 18 Concerto No. 5 in d minor - Allero, ma non troppo 01:34
• 19 Concerto No. 5 in d minor - Allegro 02:46
• Concerto No. 6 in D Major
• 20 Concerto No. 6 in D Major - (Vivace) 02:52
• 21 Concerto No. 6 in D Major - (Largo) 00:31
• 22 Concerto No. 6 in D Major - Allegro 03:56
• Total Runtime 58:38

Info for G.F. Handel: Concerti Grossi, Opus 3

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) was a practical composer. He believed in recycling: if he once wrote a rather good piece, he used it again elsewhere. Of the compositions entitled Concerti Grossi, Opus 3 (1734), only the first was originally conceived as a concerto grosso. The other five are compilations of movements written years before, with a few new movements added. Opus 3, therefore, could be described as an environmentally friendly compilation of 60% recycled and 40% new material. The publication contains a wonderful variety of texture and colour, and is full of contrasting emotions. The individual concertos feature different instrumentations – pairs of oboes, recorders, cellos, violins and bassoons all make an appearance, as well as solo violin, oboe, flute and organ.

The first concerto is the only one in the set that was newly composed – it contains no material reworked from earlier compositions. It is the most typical concerto grosso, a term implying the alternation of small groups of instruments with the full orchestra. In each movement, two pairs of solo instruments contrast with the full string orchestra. In the opening Allegro, a pair of oboes alternates with solo oboe and solo violin; in the following Largo, two recorders make way for the violin and oboe again, and in the closing Allegro a pair of oboes trades places with a pair of bassoons.

The second concerto was probably written before 1720 for the opera orchestra in the Haymarket theatre in London. The lively rhythm of the opening movement (which Handel took from a version of his Brockes Passion of 1716) gives way to a lyrical Largo. A compact, contrapuntal Allegro follows, also borrowed from the Brockes Passion. Handel then added two new dance movements, a Menuet contrasting static harmonies with a flowing melody, and a Gavotte with virtuoso variations for the bass group and violins.

Il Concerto Barocco

Il Concerto Barocco
Literally translated Il Concerto Barocco means "the baroque concert". This name was chosen as it bests describes what this ensemble is about. Il Concerto Barocco is an ensemble accommodating a wide range of instrumentations ranging from the trio to the full baroque orchestra. The basic principle of the ensemble's performances is that the music played is best served by the instrumentation and performance practices developed and used in the period that the music was conceived.

Founded in 2001 Il Concerto Barocco has become an established link in the Netherlands music scene. Il Concerto Barocco presents a number of concert series per year with concerts performed in their home concert venue, The Waterstaatskerk in Hengelo (The Netherlands) and various other venues throughout the Netherlands and Germany.

Ronald Moelker
studied recorder at the Conservatorium in Rotterdam as well as at the Royal Conservatorium in The Hague. He has performed at major European early music festivals including the festivals in Utrecht and Brugge. In 1986 he won the Van Wassenaer Competition with the ensemble Super Librum and in 1987 the KRO radio prize as soloist. Ronald Moelker has made numerous concert tours, radio and CD recordings as a soloist and with Ensemble Super Librum, and the Lacrimae Ensemble.

Sarah Walder
studied cello and Viola da Gamba with Catharina Meints at the Oberlin Conservatorium (USA), graduating cum laude in 1992 and later at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. She performs with many different chamber music ensembles in Europe and the Americas including Musica Temprana (18th century Latin-American music), Antequera (vedel), Apollo's Fire (the Cleveland Baroque Orchestra), Compagnia Vocale with Johannette Zomer and the Classical Bassoon Quartet Island.

Booklet for G.F. Handel: Concerti Grossi, Opus 3