The Brook Street Band, named after Handel's London street, has maintained an unusually stable core-membership for over twenty years, allowing them to develop a precise and spontaneous music-making style.
Critical Reception
The Dragon of Wantley was praised by Lord Wentworth, who reported that even Handel, whose operatic efforts were mocked by the work, thought its tunes were 'very well compos'd'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Henry Carey, the librettist, aimed to clear the London stage of corrupting foreign influences, particularly Italian opera, which he satirized in his poetic works.
Interpretation
This recording uses a conflation of two surviving scores for The Dragon of Wantley, one complete in music but lacking recitatives, and another with recitatives but heavily cut arias.
Composition History
The Dragon of Wantley, originally conceived around 1734 as a lampoon on Handel's oratorios, was revised in 1737 to specifically target opera.
Composer Biography
John Frederick Lampe, the composer, was a professional bassoonist in Handel's orchestra, which allowed him to thoroughly absorb and effectively pastiche the opera seria style.
Compositional Technique
The comedy in The Dragon of Wantley comes from the mismatch between its crude, vulgar plot and music that is 'as grand and pompous as possible,' according to its librettist Henry Carey.
