This album was partly recorded live at the Martinskirche Basel in October 2016, and the production team included Renaud Loranger as executive producer and Markus Heiland as recording producer and editor.
Critical Reception
Handel's Parnasso in festa was well-received by the public, with The Daily Advertiser reporting it contained "the most exquisite Harmony ever furnish'd from the Stage."
Historical Context
The serenata Parnasso in festa was semi-staged at its premiere, meaning it was performed in front of a single set with minimal stage action, attended by the King, Queen, and the engaged royal couple.
Compositional Technique
Parnasso in festa is largely a compilation of movements from Handel's earlier works, including the English oratorio Athalia, with only nine of its 33 numbers being newly composed.
Performer Biography
Andrea Marcon, the conductor of this recording, is recognized as one of the world's preeminent conductors of Baroque and Classical repertoire and has over 50 recordings to his name.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Unlike Handel's operas, Parnasso in festa has no plot, instead featuring reflective dialogues rich in nature imagery that promote morality and virtue, linking the mythological couple Thetis and Peleus to the real royal couple.
Composition History
George Frideric Handel's Parnasso in festa was composed for the wedding of Princess Anne and Prince William IV of Orange, which took place on March 14, 1734.
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