Mr. Handel’s Dinner

MR HANDEL’S DINNER

Concertos, Sonatas & Chaconnes by George Friedric Handel and his inner circle

London in the third decade of the 18th century. The musical life around George Frideric Handel is flourishing. The Saxon composer, theatre director and salesman of the first order invites the best musicians and singers to London to create opera productions of the highest standard with him.

The orchestra at this time could not perform more colourfully and sonorously, and the many Italian guests provide enthusiasm. Musicians such as Franceso Geminiani, Giuseppe Sammartini, Pietro Castrucci, Francesco Barsanti or the English master harpsichordist William Babell, his concertmaster Matthew Dubourg or the French flautist Michel Blavet provided a breath of fresh air and were also allowed to present themselves as composers, this during the long intermissions of the opera or oratorio performances, which became a concert experience for the London audience. There were no concert halls; people either went to a pub or to the theatre.

There was a party during the concert breaks, with favourites, i.e. favourite pieces of the time, with works by the maestro Handel himself and with colourful instrumental compositions by the Handel clan, i.e. his international guests. Sometimes the organist and harpsichordist Handel himself came to an intermission concert and improvised virtuosically on the keys, but more often he needed the breaks between the acts to recover from the strain. Especially untuned instruments and inflexible star singers made his life difficult.

His majestic way of recuperation was to take time out with festive meals. He enjoyed dining extensively and nurturing his physical fullness while grand concertos were given in the theatre.

Pressestimmen

…indeed, extreme ensemble virtuosity, and the crackest of crack continuo units, are absolute non-negotiable when Steger’s around and La Cetra deliver on the throughout in joyous spadefuls. (…) I’m really not sure what Steger can do to top this album. Although, knowing him, I suspect he might.

Charlotte Gardner, Gramophone Magazine July 2019

… With exuberant, unbridled joy of playing, the interludes are chamber-musical with hand-picked musicians of the magnificent La Cetra Barockorchester Basel.

Guido Fischer, Rondo 27.4.2019

The members (of La Cetra) play rhetorically perfect, very musical and colourful music and are the perfect counterpart to the soloist when playing ball…

Hendryk Proske and Claus Fischer for MDR, 23.4.2019