Handel: Venus & Adonis • Zefiro
This was originally reviewed on December 24, 2010. I've updated the review based upon a recent re-listen; the original review did not appear with a rating.
This CD of music by Handel performed by Gemma Bertagnolli and Alfredo Bernardini's Zefiro ensemble caught my eye this past November, in the FNAC store I visited in Paris. The recording features seven works, including:
- HWV 388
- HWV 390
- HWV 393
- HWV 392
which are trio sonatas for oboes.
For the soprano, cantatas:
- HWV 132b
- HWV 207
- HWV 85 (Venus & Adonis)
I was surprised to open the booklet to this CD in December 2025 and see how many strong musicians are listed in the credits: the Grazzi brothers, Luca Guglielmi on harpsichord, Evangelica Mascardi on lute, and of course, Bernardini on oboe. The sonatas for oboes are of course expertly played. The sound is generous, with an ideal amount of reverb.
Bertagnolli has a nice voice, dramatic without turning "operatic" in with obsessive vibrato. She does employ vibrato, for sure, but I didn't find it challenging.
What's now becoming a signature sound for Zefiro, is captured in the sonatas. Each of the tempi is well chosen, and as a recital, the instrumental works operate nicely inner-woven between the vocal works for a "recital" type presentation. Clean yet expressive playing, a clear recorded sound, and careful attention to the content of the music for choosing appropriate tempi.
Both HWV 132b and 85 are the larger sung works; Mi palpita il cor features an oboe solo. The theme is love, of a troubled heart, calling upon the names of those from mythology, perfect Arcadian fodder. Despite the humdrum text, the music sings, showcasing Handel's strenth as a vocal composer.
HWV 85 is a premier recording; the liner notes note it may be the first work by Handel in English, playing upon the popularity of the subject after Blow's 1683 opera. Guglielmi completed the unfinished score for this performance.
This CD has aged very well. The recording was well made, the instrumentalists were in top form, and the singer provides a strong portrayal across the two larger vocal works and the single aria. As a CD/concert, it does well to bring together Handel's diverse gifts, putting the oboe at the forefront.
