HANDEL Israel in Egypt
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570966-67bk Handel US 18/3/08 18:14 Page 12 The Grand River Baroque Festival Artistic Director Kevin Mallon HANDEL 2 CDs Israel in Egypt Albino • Brown • Enns Modolo • Mahon McLeod • Nedecky • Roach • Such • Watson The Grand River flows 300 kilometres through southwestern Ontario from the highlands of Dufferin County to Port Maitland on Lake Erie. It lends its name to a region outside of the city of Kitchener, Ontario, where an annual Aradia Ensemble • Kevin Mallon Baroque Festival has taken place since 2002. Each summer in the small village of Ayr, Ontario, a series of concerts brings the rich heritage and diversity of the Baroque repertoire to audiences in the region. (Ayr’s other international claim to fame is as a location for the Kate Hudson / Matthew McConaughey movie “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”). The Grand River Baroque Festival plays host to Baroque musicians of international stature as well as promising young talents. It began as an informal event, the brainchild of oboist James Mason and violinist Julie Baumgartel, the Festival’s founder directors. It was their vision to bring Baroque music to the beautiful Ontario countryside with performances taking place in a barn, which unlikely as it sounds has beautiful acoustics. Under the direction of “Jim and Julie”, the festival grew in size and stature, with notable performances of Bach’s B minor Mass and St Matthew Passion under their direction. Concerts recorded by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation have been a feature of the festival. In 2006, Kevin Mallon was appointed Artistic Director of the Festival with the Aradia Ensemble acting as orchestra in residence. Under his guidance the festival continues to flourish, with creative programming and audience development. A Mozart celebration was one of the highlights of 2006 as well as a performance by Aradia of Handel’s Water Music (in part a celebration of their award winning Naxos recording: Naxos 8.557764). A large variety of styles from chamber music to choral, to contemporary music written for baroque instruments has been a feature of the concert program in the last few years. One notable concert in the 2007 Grand River Baroque Festival was of Handel’s Israel in Egypt – the start of larger project of performances leading to the present recording of the work. The Aradia Ensemble is grateful to the Grand River Baroque Festival for its financial support of this recording. 8.570966-67 12 570966-67bk Handel US 18/3/08 18:14 Page 2 George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) Kevin Mallon Israel in Egypt The Irish musician Kevin Mallon, now resident in Canada, is quickly developing a world- CD 1 wide reputation. With an impressive background that includes conducting studies with John Eliot Gardiner, composition with Peter Maxwell Davies, with training at Chetham’s School Part I: The Lamentation of the Israelites Part II: The Exodus of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and at Dartington College for the death of Joseph $ Recitative: Now there arose a new king 0:26 of Arts, he learnt his craft as a violinist with such orchestras as the Hallé and the BBC 1 Symphony 2:20 over Egypt (Bud Roach, Tenor) Philharmonic, and later as concert-master with Le Concert Spirituel and Les Arts Florissants 2 Chorus: The sons of Israel do mourn 4:02 % Alto Solo and Chorus: 3:11 in Paris. With these groups he has recorded extensively and toured the world. He has 3 Chorus: How is the mighty fall’n I 1:47 And the children of Israel sighed performed concerts all over Europe, including Vienna, London, Berlin and Paris, with 4 Chorus: He put on righteousness 1:59 (Peter Mahon, Countertenor) appearances in Russia, the Baltic States, China, Japan, New Zealand, the United States and 5 Quartet: When the ear heard him 3:33 ^ Recitative: Then sent He Moses, His servant 0:25 Canada. (Jennie Such, Soprano; Jennifer Enns Modolo, Alto; (Bud Roach, Tenor) Before moving to Canada to take up positions with the University of Toronto and the Nils Brown, Tenor; Sean Watson, Bass) & Chorus: They loathed to drink of the river 1:52 Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Kevin Mallon was active in both his native Ireland and throughout Europe. He was 6 Chorus: How is the mighty fall’n II 0:44 * Air: Their land brought forth frogs 2:19 conductor of the Irish Baroque Orchestra as well as the Musical Director of the Harty Ensemble in Belfast. He also 7 Duet and Chorus: He deliver’d the 5:31 (Jennifer Enns Modolo, Alto) conducted numerous orchestras and opera companies in Ireland, including the Ulster Orchestra, Castleward Opera poor that cried ( Chorus: He spake the word 2:09 and the National Chamber Choir. (Laura Albino and Eve Rachel McLeod, Sopranos) ) Chorus: He gave them hailstones for rain 2:14 Kevin Mallon formed and became the Music Director of the Aradia Ensemble in 1996. This vocal and 8 Chorus: How is the mighty fall’n III 0:50 ¡ Chorus: He sent a thick darkness 2:40 instrumental group has achieved extraordinary successes. They have made numerous recordings for Naxos, all of 9 Quartet: The righteous shall be had 3:48 over all the land which have received international praise. The ensemble was featured in 2000 at the New Zealand International in everlasting remembrance ™ Chorus: He smote all the first-born of Egypt 2:22 Chamber Music Festival, and in 2003 at the Musica nel Chiostro festival in Tuscany. (Laura Albino, Soprano; £ Chorus: But as for his people, he led them 4:16 Although Kevin Mallon specialises in music of the Baroque period, he is in demand to conduct a wide Jennifer Enns Modolo, Alto; Nils Brown, Tenor; forth like sheep repertoire. As part of his recording contract with Naxos, he is Music Director of the Toronto Chamber Orchestra, a Sean Watson, Bass; Chorus) ¢ Chorus: Egypt was glad when they departed 2:10 group made up of some of Toronto's best orchestral musicians, with whom he has already made fifteen recordings. 0 Chorus: Their bodies are buried in peace 4:22 ∞ Chorus: He rebuked the Red Sea, 0:30 Having conducted Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress and Lucas et Cécile by the Canadian Joseph Quesnel with ! Chorus: The people will tell of their wisdom 1:54 and it was dried up the contemporary opera company Opera Anonymous, in recent years Mr. Mallon has formed an association with @ Quartet: They shall receive a 4:12 § Chorus: He led them through the deep 1:15 Toronto’s Opera in Concert having conducted Handel’s Semele, Rinaldo and Tamerlano, Vivaldi’s Griselda, glorious kingdom ¶ Chorus: But the waters overwhelmed 1:06 Rameau’s Castor et Pollux and Mozart’s Zaide with the company. He has also developed a speciality in Viennese (Jennie Such, Soprano; Jennifer Enns Modolo, Alto; their enemies Operetta, having conducting many productions for Toronto Operetta Theatre. Bud Roach, Tenor; Sean Watson, Bass) • Chorus: And Israel saw that great work 0:10 Engagements as a guest conductor have taken him to Finland, Sweden, Poland and the United States. He has # Chorus: The merciful goodness of the Lord 5:23 ª Chorus: And believed the Lord and 2:32 recently taken up the position of Music Director of Opera 2005 in Cork, Ireland, conducting a series of operas as endureth forever His servant Moses part of Cork's tenure as European Capital of Culture. This opera company has already achieved remarkable success and has twice been nominated for Best Opera Production in the prestigious Irish Times Theatre Awards. Also interested in Irish music, he is a member of the Toronto-based traditional group Dulaman. Kevin Mallon has made over forty recordings for Naxos in Baroque and Classical repertoire. 8.570966-67 2 11 8.570966-67 570966-67bk Handel US 18/3/08 18:14 Page 10 Aradia Ensemble CD 2 One of the most exciting new groups to emerge in the early music Part III: Moses’ Song world, the Toronto-based Aradia Ensemble specialises in presenting an 1 Chorus: Moses and the children of Israel 0:54 ^ Duet: Thou in Thy mercy hast 4:05 eclectic blend of orchestral, operatic and chamber music played on sung this song led forth thy people original instruments.The group records for Naxos and has made more 2 Chorus: I will sing unto the Lord 2:30 (Jennifer Enns Modolo, Alto; Bud Roach, Tenor) than 30 recordings. They have made two music videos, one film 3 Duet: The Lord is my strength and my song 3:57 & Chorus: The people shall hear, and be afraid 4:32 soundtrack, have collaborated with Isadora Duncan and Baroque (Jennie Such and Eve Rachel McLeod, Sopranos) * Air: Thou shallt bring them in 3:19 dancers, have co-produced opera and worked with Balinese Gamelan. 4 Chorus: He is my God 0:42 (Jennifer Enns Modolo, Alto) While focusing heavily on the repertoire of seventeenth-century France 5 Chorus: And I will exalt Him 2:16 ( Chorus: The Lord shall reign 1:36 and England, Aradia also performs works by the Italian and German 6 Duet: The Lord is a man of war 6:06 for ever and ever I masters of the baroque, as well as contemporary pieces commissioned (Sean Watson and Jason Nedecky, Basses) Recitative: For the horse of Pharao went in by the group. In July 2000 Aradia was the featured ensemble in 7 Chorus: The depths have covered them 1:35 (Bud Roach, Tenor) residence at the New Zealand Chamber Music Festival and in July 8 Chorus: Thy right hand, O Lord, 1:31 Chorus: The Lord shall reign 2003 performed at Musica nel Chiostro in Tuscany.