Le Concert d' Astrée . Emmanuelle Haïm

When, in 1706, the twenty-one-year-old Handel journeyed to Italy he could not possibly have imagined that his four-year stay would turn out to have such a fundamental influence on his career. Italy in the year 1706 was not only a breeding ground for Opera and Oratorio, it was also a country where the latest developments in Baroque music were rapidly being adopted. In comparison with Italy, the rest of Europe functioned - with exception of headstrong France - on a provincial level. Handel met all the important composers in Italy, from Alessandro and Domenico Scarlatti to Vivaldi, Corelli and Albinoni. In a period of four years, he wrote a mammoth work that truly belongs among the very best of his music. The two cantatas, which are part of Le Concert d'Astrée, illustrate how quickly Handel managed to assimilate the Italian language and musical taste. The works are pure gems of character and atmosphere, they sparkle with energy and are full of unforgettable melodies. It comes as no surprise then that Handel later returned to the Italian repertory as a source of inspiration many times in his career.