Handel - The Occasional Songs

Handel wrote over two thousand 'songs', the vast majority being the arias that are the main constituents of his operas, oratorios and cantatas. There is, however, a small and little-known repertory of Handel songs that are complete in themselves, not elements of larger works. These 'occasional songs', as they may be called, are brought together here for the first time, sung by Emma Kirkby, soprano and Charles Daniels, baritone. Paul Nicholson directs from the harpsichord with David Miller, archlute/thoerbo, Katherine Sharman, cello, Adrian Butterfield and William Thorp, violins and Andrew Carwood and Simon Davies on tenor instruments. Recorded with support from the Gerald Coke Handel Foundation.