Handel Athalia

Dame Joan Sutherland, Emma Kirkby (sops); Aled Jones (treb); James Bowman (alto); Anthony Rolfe Johnson (ten); David Thomas (bass); New College Choir, Oxford; Academy of Ancient Music / Christopher Hogwood

L'Oiseau-Lyre 417 126-1OH2 (11/ 86); 417 126-4OH2; 417 126-2OH2 (2/87).

Producer Peter Wadland; Engineer John Pellowe

Handel's Athalia – "the first great English oratorio", according to Winton Dean – has had a long wait for its first complete recording; but the new one under Christopher Hogwood gives a very welcome account of it. Much of the choral singing, by New College Choir, Oxford, is forthright and spirited, though not all of it: there are some routine passages here and there. But the solo singing is on a high level, with many superlative things: there is Emma Kirkby, cool, poised and alluring in Josabeth's arias, Aled Jones producing very beautiful sound as the boy Joas, Anthony Rolfe Johnson as graceful as always in Mathan's music, along with sure contributions from James Bowman and David Thomas; and to cap it there is Dame Joan Sutherland in commanding form in the title-role, no 'early music' singer, but aptly and artfully differentiated, because of that, from the rest of the cast as the anti-heroine in this piece needs to be. Dependable and often pleasantly crisp playing from the Academy of Ancient Music, and an excellent recording: a valuable addition to the library of the Handelian and indeed anyone who admires stylish and sensitive singing.

Stanley Sadie