Mr Handel's Dinner: Music For The Opera Intermissions - Maurice Steger, La Cetra

Maurice Steger - Recorder

La Cetra Barockorchester Basel

Highly virtuoso dinners
London in the 1730s. Musical life was flourishing around the figure of Handel. The Saxon composer also served as director; at the height of his fame, he surrounded himself with the finest London musicians, and was joined by many foreign composers to occupy the long breaks between the acts of his lyric works. Their musical interludes accompanied lavish dinners, during which Mr Handel escaped from the pit to indulge his gourmet tendencies. Quite a programme!


George Frideric Handel [1685-1759]

Concerto for recorder in F Major

1Larghetto. Adagio 2'38
2Allegro 1'47
3[Improvisation] 1'49
4Alla Siciliana 1'47
5Presto 2'10
Dance Suite

6Chaconne. Tanz der spanischen Damen und Cavallier (From Almira, HWV 1) 1'18
7Bourrée (From Almira, HWV 1)0'58
8Sarabanda (From Almira, HWV 1) 4'26
9Ritornello (From Almira, HWV 1)0'53
10Rondeau (From Almira, HWV 1) 1'25
11Rigaudon (From Almira, HWV 1)0'45
12Allegro (From Oboe Concerto, HWV 287) 1'35
Francesco Geminiani

Concerto per flauto in G Major

13Preludio. Adagio 3'15
14Allegro 2'07
15Adagio 1'12
16Vivace 2'06
17Gavotta. Allegro 2'16
Gottfried Finger

18A Ground in D Minor 3'47
George Frideric Handel [1685-1759]

Sonata a flauto e cembalo HWV 362 in A Minor

19Larghetto 2'54
20Allegro 2'17
21Adagio 2'36
22Allegro 2'24
23Passacaille HWV 399 in G Major 4'28
William Babell

Concerto in 7 Parts Op. 3 No. 1 in D Major

24Allegro 1'57
25Adagio 1'41
26Allegro 2'40
George Frideric Handel [1685-1759]

Trio a flauto, violin e basso HWV 386a in C Minor

27Cantabile 3'55
28Allegro 2'20
29Andante 2'57
30Allegro 2'10
31Chaconne HWV 435 in G Major 7'45