Les Arts Florissants, William Christie - Handel – Concerti Grossi Op.6 (1995)

First released in 1995, this 2004 Musique d'abord reissue of five of Handel's Concerti grossi, Op. 6, is an absolute bargain and highly recommended to any lover of great music. Considering that William Christie and Les Arts Florissants are among the most brilliant interpreters of Handel, that these gorgeous works afforded them an ideal platform for their talents, and that Harmonia Mundi provided the best possible engineering to capture their glorious sound, this budget CD is an embarrassment of riches not to be missed. One regrets, however, that there are just five of the 12 concerti; since Christie recorded only Nos. 1, 2, 6, 7, and 10 for Harmonia Mundi before switching to Erato, there will be no follow-up disc for the rest of Op. 6. But this is an exceptional album for anyone who does not already own a complete set, and a great deal even for those who do. The ripieno glows with a burnished luster in the resonant acoustic, and the concertino soloists are wonderfully expressive, technically polished, and utterly clear in execution. Handel's genius, of course, is comparable only to Bach's, and these exquisite works are fine choices for any beginner exploring Baroque music beyond the Brandenburg Concertos.