De Luca, Fernando
Handel: Complete Harpsichord Music Vol. 3
This third album in the complete recording of Handels keyboard works includes some highlights which bear witness, at the same time, of Handels extraordinary capability to evoke orchestral textures and polyphony on the keyboard, and of his ability to transfer pre-existing works to the keyboard with brilliant and creative ideas. For instance, Concerto HWV 305 is recorded here in the version for keyboard alone, but it also exists as an orchestral works; so do many of his Fugues recorded here (HWV 605-610), which are reworked, for example, as part of Israel in Egypt or within Trio Sonatas or Concerti grossi. There is also an Air derived from the beloved Water Music no. 1, and a fascinating Chorale Prelude on Jesu meine Freude, best known in Bachs motet version. Beyond these highlights, the album also comprises several other small gems of great beauty.