George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Handel for Trumpet
Jonathan Freeman-Attwood (trumpet), Tim Freeman-Attwood (trumpet, HWV 21, 38, 68), Anna Szałucka (piano)
rec. 2022/2023, Duke’s Hall, Royal Academy of Music, London, UK
Linn CKD736 [78]
In his tenth solo outing for Linn Records, Jonathan Freeman-Attwood presents a beautifully programmed set of Handel arias, duets and concertos, reimagined as chamber pieces for trumpet and piano. Unsurprisingly, given the modern instruments, these performances seem largely unconcerned with adherence to historically informed performance practice as currently understood, yet exude a warmth and intimacy that is attractive and compelling.
Anna Szałucka, it seems to me, is the perfect accompanist for such intimate music making. Her playing is front and centre throughout these works, yet she has a straightforward, relaxed and unfussy style that complements the trumpet, particularly effective in the more plaintive pieces. Perhaps the best examples are the larghetto from Sonata No. 3 in E-flat Major (a rearrangement of the Organ Concerto in F Major, HWV 295) and “To Thee, Thou Glorious Son of Worth” (from Theodora). In both cases, Szałucka effortlessly engages the listener, gently supporting the melody to the end.
Tom Freeman-Attwood, also a gifted trumpet player, joins his father in arrangements of three arias, from Berenice, Alessandro and Theodora. In each of these pieces, the balance between the two duetting trumpets and the piano is superbly handled and exceptionally well recorded.
An understandable concern around constraining and reassigning such rich music to piano and trumpet for the entirety of the album is very quickly put to rest. The arrangements by Freeman-Attwood and long-term partner at the Royal Academy of Music, Timothy Jones are programmed to ensure maximum engagement throughout the 78 minutes running time, with the reimagined arias interspersed around the longer concertos. The entire recording is a joy from start to finish, but if I were pushed to identify highlights not already mentioned, I would direct listeners to the elegance of the Andante from Suite No. 3 (track 4), the rolling piano lines in Nel passer da un laccio all’altro from Giove in Argo (track 7) and the rhythmic brilliance of Bel piacere from Agrippina (track 28), which provides a fitting finale to this outstanding release.
Peter Bright
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Contents
Ritorna o caro (from Rodelinda, HWV 19)
Sonata No. 1 in F Major (After Concerto grosso in F Major, Op. 3, No. 4, HWV 315)
Nel passer da un laccio all’altro (from Giove in Argo, HWV A14)
Prelude, Allemande and Fugue (from Suite No. 3 in D Minor, HWV 428)
Sonata No. 3 in E-flat Major (After Handel’s Organ Concerto in F Major, HWV 295)
Where’er you walk (from Semele, HWV 58)
Vezzi, Iusinghe, e brio (from Ariodante, HWV 33)
Se il mio amor fu il tuo delitto (from Berenice, HWV 38)
Sonata No. 2 in F Minor (After Concerto grosso in A minor, Op. 6, No. 4, HWV 322)
With Thee th’Unsheltered Moor I’d Tread (From Solomon, HWV 67)
Brilla nell’alma (from Alessandro, HWV 21)
Sonata No. 4 in A Major (After Concerto a due cori in B-Flat Major, HWV 332)
To Thee, Thou Glorious Son of Worth (From Theodora, HWV 68)
Bel piacere (from Agrippina, HWV 6)
