Klarinet Archive - Posting 000539.txt from 1996/03

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: Basset horns in Handel?????????????
Date: Thu, 21 Mar 1996 01:58:58 -0500

In a recently received notice of recordings for sale from the San
Antonio company, H&B records, a recording of Handel arias is
described as being on record number FLN 16738, though the
company who made the recording is not specified.

Normally, a recording of Handel arias would not be of special
interest to clarinet players, but this one has to be an exception
(or, perhaps, a grave typo).

The conductor is Charles Mackarras, a man who is very careful
about authenticity. In fact, he is an absolute nut on the
subject, so it is not likely that one hears other than original
works in untranscribed form on his recordings. The arias are
sung by the British soprano (maybe a mezzo), Ann(e) Murray,
and are said to be from Giulio Cesare, Xerxes, Alcina, and
Ariodante.

What is of special interest is a brief blurb quoted from a review
of the recording said to be in "Grammophone." I quote: "... the
lovely dialogue of voice and basset-horn in Caesar's first aria,
makes a deligtful beginning ..."

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?????????????????????????

What is this piece? Is this or could this be a typo, a
misunderstanding, a case of mistaken identity?

I know of no work by Handel that uses a basset horn, and even
clarinet parts are very, very rare.

Help from anyone would be appreciated. I am very confused.

====================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
(leeson@-----.edu)
====================================

   
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