#loveHandel - an occasional podcast dedicated to the great baroque composer George Frideric Handel

loveHandel - The Handel specialists share their love for the music of Joseph Gibbs

Join Rachel and Tatty from The Brook Street Band as they chat all things Gibbs over a few cups of coffee! Joseph Gibbs is one of the 18th century’s best-kept secrets; his music is characterful and individual, fusing the best of Italianate virtuosity with English and quirky Gibbs-ian humour. Despite the obvious brilliance of his compositions, the 8 Solos for Violin and Basso Continuo, Op. 1 of c. 1746 are one of only two published sets of music, and there are scant references to Gibbs in the years after his death. However, the re-emergence of his portrait (painted by Thomas Gainsborough) in the early years of the 20th century sparked a curiosity and interest in Gibbs’s music, which has been described as amongst ‘the finest English violin sonatas of the century’.

Heinrich Schütz - A German in Venice

To support the release of "Heinrich Schütz - A German in Venice" (First Hand Records FHR 145) , The Brook Street Band's new recording with tenor David de Winter, Tatty and David chat about the music, their love of the language Latin, the making of the CD and its varied instrumentation... and quite possibly...food! One of the key German composers before Bach with more than 500 surviving individual pieces, Heinrich Schütz wrote mainly church music, and is credited with bringing the Italian style to Germany and continuing its evolution from the Renaissance into the early Baroque. Although he lived most of his long life in Germany, in his twenties Schütz made two visits to Venice. The first was between 1609 and 1613 when he was taught by Giovanni Gabrieli; and the second in the late 1620s to meet and possibly study under Monteverdi. The two trips greatly influenced Schütz’s music as he absorbed and began to combine the ornate and theatrical Venetian style with the more understated Lutheran tradition in which he grew up. This album explores his solo cantatas alongside examples of the brilliant and virtuosic Venetian style instrumental music. The CD is available here [https://www.brookstreetband.co.uk/store/schutz-a-german-in-venice/]

The Dragon of Wantley

Deviating from her usual Handelian subject matter Tatty Theo is joined by conductor John Andrews for a chat about John Frederick Lampe's opera "The Dragon of Wantley". Tatty, baroque cellist and founder of award-winning music ensemble The Brook Street Band, has always loved the composer George Frideric Handel's music. In the #loveHandel podcast, Tatty usually shares her passion for Handel, with information about Handel's life and music, and why she thinks it is so great. Today she adds Lampe's wonderful music into the mix, so here's to a whole new audience getting to #loveHandel and #loveLampe's music! "The Dragon of Wantley" is the BBC Music Magazine Opera award winner in 2023 and is available from Resonus Classics [https://www.resonusclassics.com/products/john-frederick-lampe-the-dragon-of-wantley?_pos=1&_psq=dragon+of&_ss=e&_v=1.0] and all the usual music websites and streaming platforms. With thanks to the Continuo Foundation for its generous sponsorship of the recording.

Handel's Israel in Egypt

Tatty Theo delves into the history of Handel's now-famous oratorio "Israel in Egypt". Tatty, baroque cellist and founder of award-winning music ensemble The Brook Street Band, has always loved the composer George Frideric Handel's music. In the #loveHandel podcast, Tatty shares her passion for Handel, with information about Handel's life and music, and why she thinks it is so great. Here's to a whole new audience getting to #loveHandel's music!

loveHandel - Handel's oratorios

Tatty Theo, cellist and founder of award-winning music ensemble The Brook Street Band, has always loved the composer George Frideric Handel's music. In the #loveHandel podcast, Tatty shares her passion for Handel, with information about Handel's life and music, and why she thinks it is so great. Here's to a whole new audience getting to #loveHandel's music! loveHandel - Handel's Oratorios Even if you don't think you know any Handel, you'll recognise some of the melodies from his most famous composition of all, The Messiah. Tatty Theo looks at Handel's creation of the English oratorio, giving a brief history and background to these wonderful pieces, as well as exploring their legacy. With thanks to Arts Council England and #NationalLottery and its players, for funding this project.