For opera fans, the major attraction in this six-disc set dedicated to the works of
Handel will likely be the 1981 recording of his English-language opera Semele, with
John Eliot Gardiner leading a strong cast of singers. While there may have been more compelling Semeles than
Norma Burrowes (whose interpretation is nevertheless very sensitive), the remainder of the cast is consistently excellent, especially
Anthony Rolfe Johnson's commanding portrayal of Jupiter. For oratorio fans, the attractions will likely be the three-part oratorio Israel in Egypt, the funeral anthem The Ways of Zion do Mourn, and the coronation anthem Zadok the Priest, all with
Gardiner leading the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestra in performances of great weight and seriousness, recorded between 1976 and 1978. The concluding two discs include an angular but expressive 1990 account of
Handel's early Italian oratorio La Resurrezione, with
Ton Koopman and the
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, as well as a muscular performance of the Dixit Dominus from 1977, with
Gardiner and the Monteverdi forces. The earlier stereo
Gardiner choral recordings sound heavier and fuller than the more vivid recording of Semele, but they all sound dowdy compared with the light and air-filled digital recording of La Resurrezione. The set should be of strong interest to dedicated
Handel fans.