Specifically composed by George Frideric Handel for the
Choir of the Chapel Royal at St. James Court, the four anthems presented on this 2007 Naxos release are performed by this time-honored chamber choir in its established venue, giving us a good idea of how these sacred works originally sounded. Accompanied by instrumentalists who make up the ad hoc Musicians Extra-ordinary, and directed by
Andrew Gant, the men and boys sing in a pure-toned, high church style, and the ensemble's performances comport with period practices of the English Baroque. These anthems were composed between 1712 and 1726 and represent Handel's important work as a church musician, which brought him royal favor and which he pursued concurrently with his lucrative career as a composer of operas. Yet there is little of the florid Italianate style in these works, and in some ways they anticipate the later oratorios, particularly in their robust, declamatory settings of English texts and emotional directness and simplicity. The sound of these recordings is highly resonant and imbued with the "aural halo" of period instruments, though the singers are quite clearly heard, due to their small number, crisp enunciation, and minimal vibrato.