Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

In 1717, George Frideric Handel was in dire straits. Living in London, his annual pension for teaching the royal princesses had stopped, and the public's enthusiasm for opera had waned. Happily, he gained a new patron: James Brydges, Earl of Carnarvon and Duke of Chandos. Brydges offered Handel residence at Cannons, his newly built palace in Edgware, then a rural area outside London. Set up as a rival court to George I, he employed Handel to replace Johann Pepusch as Kapellmeister. Among his commissions were the Chandos Anthems and Chandos Te Deum. However, the Duke's reign was short-lived. Brydges lost his fortune in the financial crisis of 1720 and Cannons House was demolished - its treasures sold off to pay debts - but Handel's glorious music survived as a reminder of the brief stardom of an ill-fated Duke. There are, broadly speaking, two ways of performing Handel or indeed any baroque composer. Some like to add extra instruments, including some that were yet to have been invented such as valved trumpets, and bring in a massed choir to sing above the extra volume. The other approach is to try to replicate what the composer himself would have expected to hear, as is the case on this recording. Adrian Butterfield and the London Handel Orchestra And Soloists take the period approach with a nine-piece band ("orchestra" seems too grand a designation) which includes recorders rather than flutes which blends well with the vocal ensemble (again "choir" probably gives the wrong impression). There are five singers: the excellent Grace Davidson (soprano), three tenors in Charles Daniels, Nicholas Mulroy and, on the Te Deum only, Benedict Hymas, plus the bass Edward Grint. While I believe Ms Davidson deserves to be singled out as a singer of excellence this is not to say that the male voices are in any way inadequate. This is baroque music as it should be heard: light on its feet and even at its most serious still full of joy. As with much of Handel's repertoire there are many other recordings available. For my money The Sixteen's Complete Chandos Anthems on the appropriately named Chandos label set the benchmark but the recording of Number Eight (HWV 253) on the CD under review certainly passes muster. No doubt Handel enthusiasts will enjoy comparing and contrasting and more general listeners will also appreciate the Adrian Butterfield and the London Handel Orchestra and Soloists rendition.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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