The opportunity to record a disc of Handel’s course, but the very first operatic aria I knew and HANDELIAN PYROTECHNICS operatic arias came to me very early on in my life. learnt was ‘Art thou troubled? Music will calm GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-1759) I turned it down. As far as self-promotion and thee’: a not-very-faithful English rendering of general career-advancement were concerned, I ‘Dove sei’ from Handel’s Rodelinda. My choices could see how useful such a recording might be. for this recording have thus been guided by what Artistically-speaking I could not feel comfortable is significant to me, as well as their general with it. At this stage I had performed only a excellence. ‘Se possono tanto’ may seem obscure Xerxes, HWV 40 Rodelinda, regina de’ Longobardi, HWV 19 couple of Handel’s operatic roles on stage and I to some, but Poro was my first ever Handel role, 1 Ombra mai fù [3.11] 7 Dove sei [4.44] had found them a stern examination of technique, and I really need no excuse to include what is, stamina and emotional reserves. I resolved along with ‘Qual nave smaritta’ and ‘Dove sei’, Poro, re dell’Indie, HWV 28 Radamisto, HWV 12 therefore to aim to revisit this concept only when I a shining illustration of how frequently and 2 Se possono tanto due luci vezzose [5.45] 8 Qual nave smarrita [6.12] had performed a significant number of his operas, skilfully Handel uses the radiance of E major for 9 Ombra cara [7.44] and to choose repertoire for a recording that I a character’s defining aria. Beethoven said of Giulio Cesare in Egitto, HWV 17 knew and loved; that I had fully lived with. All the Handel: ‘Go to him to learn how to achieve great 3 Al lampo dell’armi [3.17] Agrippina, HWV 6 recorded material here therefore is from roles that effects by such simple means’, and so I have gone 4 Dall’ondoso periglio – Aure, deh, per pietà [7.31] 0 Tacerò, purchè fedele [4.28] I have sung, in some cases many times over, in to ‘Tacerò, purchè fedele’; has anyone ever written Rinaldo, HWV 7 Ottone, re di Germania, HWV 15 various productions. so eloquently about being silent? I always begin 5 Cara sposa [8.24] q Dopo l’orrore [4.56] the da capo relishing the irony of this repetition. My original title for this recording was ‘Handel Orlando, HWV 31 Total timings: [60.52] for Life’. I have had an association with his I once overheard a distinguished conductor 6 Cielo! Se tu il consenti [4.33] music for as long as I can remember. My father being interviewed about how he ‘lived for his passed on a love of music to all his children, a art’. He refuted the concept: ‘Bullsh*t’, said love that he had acquired in the darkness of a he, ‘Art lives for us’. It is this life-affirming, Sheffield air-raid shelter; his earliest memories live-giving aspect of Handel that I’m aiming to are of his mother’s voice, singing to soothe him celebrate. So frequently his operas reveal their as the bombs fell. As a family we genuinely would most devastatingly beautiful and uplifting music WILLIAM TOWERS COUNTERTENOR ARMONICO CONSORT gather around the piano in the evenings and sing when life is at its darkest. Here the arias shine CHRISTOPHER MONKS DIRECTOR together, and in these gatherings Handel was a brightest, here we find Radamisto’s ‘Ombra cara’ recurrent presence. The Messiah was foremost of and the boundlessly optimistic ‘Dopo l’orrore’, www.signumrecords.com - 3 - looking out beyond the darkest clouds to the of us, whatever air-raid shelter of life we might 4 Dall’ondoso periglio faint glimmer of a dawning hope. This is the find ourselves in. We just need to take the time Dall’ondoso periglio From the perilous billows uncrushable, indomitable spirit that lies in all to listen. Salvo mi porta al lido I was brought safely to shore Il mio propizio fato. By my propitious destiny. William Towers Qui la celeste Parca The celestial Fate Non tronca ancor lo stame alla mia vita! Has not yet severed the thread of my life! Ma Dove andrò? e chi mi porge aita? But where shall I go? And who will help me? Where are my troops? Texts and Translations Ove son le mie schiere? Ove son le legioni? Where are the legions? 1 Ombra mai fù Che a tante mie vittorie il varco apriro? Which to so many victories paved the way? Ombra mai fù di vegetabile, Never was the shade of a tree Solo in quest’erme arene Alone on these desert sands Care ed amabile More dear and loveable Al monarca del mondo errar conviene? The ruler of the world must wander? Soave più. Or more soothing. Aure, deh, per pietà Ye breezes, in pity 2 Se possono tanto Spirate al petto mio, Blow upon my breast Se possono tanto due luci vezzose, If a beautiful gaze can have such power Per dar conforto, oh Dio! al mio dolor. To give comfort, O God! to my grief Son degne di pianto le furie gelose The jealous rage of an unhappy soul, Dite, dov’è, che fa l’idolo del mio sen, Tell me, where is the idol of my breast D’un alma infelice, d’un misero cor. Of a tortured heart is worthy of pity. L’amato e dolce ben di questo cor? The beloved and sweet goodness of this heart? Ma d’ogni intorno io veggio But everywhere I see S’accenda un momento chi sgrida, Let him now stand and fight Sparse d’arme e d’estinti Arms and corpses scattered Chi dice che vano è il tormento, Who cries out, declaring such torments to be L’infortunate arene: In this unfortunate arena: Che ingiusto è ‘l timor. Vain, such fears to be wrong. Segno d’infausto Annunzio al fin sarˆ Sign of the ill-omened forecast of what is yet to be. 3 Al lampo dell’armi 5 Cara sposa Al lampo dell’armi The soldier’s foremost thought in battle Cara sposa, amante cara, Beloved spouse, dearest love Quest’alma guerriera Vendetta farà. Is to strike the enemy first. He cares for Dove sei? Where are you? Non fia che disarmi nothing more Deh! Ritorna a’ pianti miei! Alas! Return to him who weeps La destra guerriera Chi forza le dà. Than to disarm And kill his foe. - 4 - - 5 - Del vostro Erebo sull’ara, On your altars of Erebus 9 Ombra cara Colla face del mio sdegno With my face of blazing anger Ombra cara di mia sposa, Dear shade of my wife, Io vi sfido, o spirti rei! I defy you, you guilty spirits! Deh! riposa, Pray rest in peace, E lieta aspetta And joyfully await 6 Cielo! Se tu il consenti La vendetta che farò! The vengeance I will take. Cielo! Se tu il consenti Heaven! If you consent to this Deh! Fa che nel mio seno Ah! Into my heart let E poi tosto ove tu stai And very soon thereafter Possa anche il ferro entrar; The sword enter also; Mi vedrai You will see me fly Perché a un sì rio dolore For from such a bitter sorrow Venire a volo, Whither you are now, Dal misero mio core Of my wretched heart E fedel t’abbraccerò. And faithfully I will embrace you. Sappia col ferro almeno I can with the sword at least L’uscita ritrovar. Find escape. 0 Tacerò, purché fedele Tacerò, purché fedele I will be silent, 7 Dove sei Nel tuo sen conservi amor. As long as you truly love me. Dove sei, amato bene? Where are you, so dearly loved? Soffrirò, benché crudele, I will suffer, Vieni l’alma a consolar! Come and console my heart. Contro me sia il tuo rigor. Although your cruel severity is against me. Vieni, vieni amato bene! Come, come, beloved! Son oppresso da tormenti, I am oppressed by torments, q Dopo l’orrore Ed i crudi miei lamenti Sol con And my cruel lamenting can only be soothed If I Dopo l’orrore After the gloom te posso bear. am with you. D’un ciel turbato Of a stormy sky, Più vago e bello Appare il dì. The day appears more delightful and lovely; 8 Qual nave smarrita È tale more So too does love, Qual nave smarrita tra sirti e tempeste, Like a boat adrift midst quicksands and storms, Se a un cor sdegnato If it gives back Nè luce, nè porto gli toglie il timor. With no light for guide and no sight of port, Rende la calma To a scorned heart Tal io senz’aita fra doglie funeste, So I amid sorrows find no healing balm Che gli rapì. The calm which it took away. Non trovo conforto al misero cor. To comfort the griefs of a wretched heart. - 6 - - 7 - WILLIAM TOWERS at the Drottningholm Theatre and with the His oratorio and recital schedule has featured Philharmonia Baroque in San Francisco; Giunio appearances in many major venues and festivals William Towers read English at Cambridge (Porpora L’Agrippina) for the Barber Institute; Poro in the UK and abroad, including the Wigmore University and was a postgraduate scholar at the (Handel Poro) at the Goettingen Festival; Giulio Hall, Symphony Hall Birmingham, Barbican Hall, Royal Academy of Music. He appeared extensively Cesare (Handel Giulio Cesare) for Gothenburg Royal Albert Hall, the Grosses Festspielhaus as a soloist in Sir John Eliot Gardiner’s Bach Opera; Unulfo (Handel Rodelinda) for the Bolshoi Salzburg, Konzerthaus Vienna, Fundación Juan Cantata Pilgrimage and his performances in the Moscow; Marco Fabio (Caldara Lucio Papirio March Madrid, National Auditorium Madrid, complete Bach series have been issued on CD.