Luogo e data di registrazione		-
	Registrazione: live / studio		studio
	Edizione LP		AMADEO - AVRS 6366 - (1 lp) - durata 39' 47" - (p) 1966 - Analogico
	Altre edizioni LP		MACE - MCS9063 - (1 lp)
	Prima Edizione CD		-
	Note		Stereo compatibile

In 1724 Georg Friedrich Handel was left in the lurch by theorical manager Heidegger, who up till then had been a layal collaborator Handel had to move to Covent Garden and Heidegger leased his Haymarket Theatre to belonged to John Rich, who also owned the Lincoln's Inn Field Theatre that in 1728 staged the first performance of "The Beggar's Opera", the work that finally put paid to baroque opera seria in England. The "Nobility Opera" was for more successful than Handesl was. It had secured the services of the famous castrato Farinelli, whereas Handel had to make do with the recently engaged John Beard, who eventually became his best oratorio singer. He had written his "Alexander's Feast", a setting of Dryden's poem, in 1736, and the first performance, before a Covent Garden audience of 1.300, was a veritable triumph for Handel. Yet he still hesitated to go over completely to oratorio, and it was not until three years later that he finallyforswore opera. In 1739 he produced his "Ode to St Cecilia" which was forst performed at the Lincoln's Inn Theatre on St Cecilia's day, 22 November, in accordance with an old tradition dating back to Restoration times. The programme also included two Concerti Grossi and "Alexander's Feast". It was during these years before 1740 that most of Handel's major instrumental works were written, including the twelwe Concerti Grossi Op 6 of 1739, two of which are included on this record. They are a striking example of Handel's dexterity in handling this baroque form, and of his supreme mastery of the art of conjointly contrasting solo and tutti. Handel wrote a considerable number of works for the oboe, including Concertos and Trio Sonatas, and the oboe was his favourite instrument. In all probability his fondness for hit dated from his early days as a student at the Univeristy of Halle in 1702, when he made friends with Michael Hyntzsch and his "Hautboisten-Companie". Alfons Übelhör (Translation: Richard Rickett)