Although German-born, some consider Handel quintessentially English, thanks to the renown of his oratorios. In fact, he was as German as he was English as he was Italian, such was his extraordinary ability to set each language as if it were his native tongue, and to adopt differing nationalistic styles into his music as the occasion required. Aged 21, Handel travelled to Italy in 1706, where he lived until 1710, during which time he was influenced by the music of Corelli and Scarlatti. His Italian sojourn was hugely important to his formation as composer for the voice, and it was then that Handel wrote some of the lesser-known duets and trios performed here by sopranos Roberta Invernizzi and Silvia Frigato, and tenor Thomas Bauer.

The often contrapuntal-style vocal writing is certainly different from the lyrical music of the Messiah, but the result is no less moving. Invernizzi’s soprano is well suited to this repertoire, and her light voice easily negotiates the frequent passages of coloratura. Less appealing is Frigato, whose occasionally loose vibrato gives the impression of poor intonation, but the two voices blend beautifully in the duet ‘Amor gioje mi porge’. However, all told, this is a fabulous recording.

Alexandra Mathew