Glory Of Baroque Worship

The main selling point of this disk of fine baroque sacred music was the premiere performance of the then ( 2001 ) very recently rediscovered Gloria for solo soprano, violins and bass by Handel. The solo soprano entrusted with the recording was Gillian Keith, who does a more than adequate job, and the performers on the entire disk are the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists conducted by John Eliot Gardiner. The work has all the appeal of an aria from one of Handel's operas or oratorios and raises the interesting point that most people now listen to this music for intellectual stimulus and laid back enjoyment rather than for the purposes of worship for which it was originally written. There is another Handel work on the disk, a setting of Dixit Dominus, which is a setting for full choir and such solo duties as there are, are taken by members of the Monteverdi Choir. This is Handel at his most Italianate and this makes for a logical programme on the disk since the other work is another setting of the Gloria by Vivaldi. The Red Priest, despite the nickname, rarely composed sacred works since his reputation and operatic and concerto works precluded a position as official church composer. So the sacred works that he did write came from occasional commissions or when the official choirmaster was absent for whatever reason. This Gloria is typically exuberant and contains many recognisable touches from his secular works. The English Baroque Soloists play excellently throughout, giving fine support to the choir. Just occasionally, the choir members sound under powered when asked to solo.