PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Barthold Heinrich Brockes wrote a libretto on the Passion of Christ based on the account in Matthew's Gospel which was set to music by many composers of his time, including Reinhard Keiser, Georg Philip Telemann and George Frideric Handel. It is Handel's version of the latter that the period-instrument ensemble Arcangelo has chosen to present here. Under the direction of Jonathan Cohen, these specialists in the Baroque repertory are joined by the voices of Sandrine Piau, whose numerous Handel recordings are regarded as a benchmark, the tenor Stuart Jackson and the baritone Konstantin Krimmel, recently revealed in a debut recital for Alpha (Saga, ALPHA549). Together they resurrect the operatic splendour of a work that was first performed in 1719 and is thought to have influenced numerous passages of J.S.Bach's St John Passion, written a few years later.

REVIEW
The recording itself is warm, spacious and beautifully balanced. All in all, this is my favourite Brockes-Passion right now. Perfect for Easter or anytime you like of course. --BBC Radio 3 Record Review – Record of the Week

Sandrine Piau, radiant as the Daughter of Zion; Stuart Jackson, outstanding as the Evangelist; and Konstantin Krimmel as a dramatic Jesus. The “chorus” is an eight-strong consort. The drama moves with momentum and the textures are more lucid and rhythmically crisper. --The Sunday Times - Album of the Week