Handel's enchanting Organ Concertos

Matthew Halls gives a truly magical performance in this new disc.

Composer:  Handel
Repertoire: Organ Concertos
Artists: Matthew Halls (organ), Sonnerie/Monica Huggett
Rating: 5/5
Genre: Instrumental
Label:  Avie AV2055

The six concertos that make up Handel’s Op.4 are the most uplifting, life-enhancing works of their kind. These period instrument performances spring off the page, freshly minted, with lively tempos and buoyant rhythms that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Some of Matthew Halls’s ornaments risk being over-fussy but few have managed to convey with such magical effect the spirit of exuberant improvisation inherent in the solo part.