COMPOSERS: Rameau
LABELS: Decca Serenata
WORKS: Hippolyte et Aricie
PERFORMER: Angela Hickey, Robert Tear, Janet Baker, John Shirley-Quirk; St Anthony Singers, English CO/Anthony Lewis
CATALOGUE NO: 444 526-2 ADD
Dating from well before the period-instrument movement got into its stride, this recording shows a sure sense of style. Thirty years on, that style is considerably more refined in Marc Minkowski’s recent Archiv version, but none of Minkowski’s principals matches the musical intelligence or emotional intensity of Baker or Shirley-Quirk. The orchestral playing is heavy by today’s standards and the sound boxy. Buy it for Baker and Shirley-Quirk though. Barry Millington
Rameau: Hippolyte et Aricie
Dating from well before the period-instrument movement got into its stride, this recording shows a sure sense of style. Thirty years on, that style is considerably more refined in Marc Minkowski’s recent Archiv version, but none of Minkowski’s principals matches the musical intelligence or emotional intensity of Baker or Shirley-Quirk. The orchestral playing is heavy by today’s standards and the sound boxy. Buy it for Baker and Shirley-Quirk though. Barry Millington