Oratory concert

oratorical — Ensembles of the National Philharmonic and soloists under the baton of Nicholas McGegan in L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato Handel.

Nicholas McGegan (photo by Dario Acosta)

The beginning of 1740 in London was marked by an extremely severe winter. The Thames froze completely, the cold delayed food deliveries, and the organizers of cultural life forced the organizers of cultural life to postpone or cancel events. Despite this frosty aura, Georg Friedrich Händel lit up to work on another piece for one of the London theaters. He quickly picked up the idea suggested to him by literary friends to compose two poems by the beloved English poet John Milton: L'Allegro (Cheerful) and Il Penseroso (Thoughtful). The first is a hymn in honor of the fun and bustling city. The second is a praise of focus, contemplation and solitude. In order to reconcile such extreme approaches, a third allegory was needed, according to the Enlightenment idea of the golden mean: Il Moderato (Moderate), absent from Milton. The new text was created by the poet Charles Jennens, who collaborated with Handel, who referred, among others, to Shakespeare's Storm.
The result was a work of almost philosophical character, elusive of easy classification, full of graceful arias and choirs so appreciated in Handel's oeuvre. In it, the composer drew handfuls from English traditions, colorfully reproducing the sonorous landscape of the countryside and the sounds of nature, while not depriving the work of humor.
The soloists and ensembles of the National Philharmonic will be led by Nicholas McGegan, one of the greatest authorities in the field of Handel music. The conductor knows L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato extremely closely — he has conducted this piece many times and recalls his collaboration with Mark Morris Dance Group on the famous choreographic interpretation of the work as one of the most important artistic experiences.

Bartłomiej Gembicki