Before catgut violin strings were a gleam in
Christopher Hogwood's eye, there was
Neville Marriner and the
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. A chamber orchestra in an era before historically informed performance practice, the
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields was a virtuoso ensemble light of tone, clean of intonation, and brisk of tempo; they specialized in energetic and objective performances. In this three-disc 2007 collection combining a 1964 recording of
Handel's 6 Concerti Grossi, Op. 3, with a 1968 recording of the same composer's 12 Concerti Grossi, Op. 6,
Marriner and the
Academy turn in performances marked by sharp, snappy conducting and bright, brilliant playing. The Opus 3 set is very impressive with its buoyant Allegros and expressive Largos. But the Opus 6 set is even better with the same qualities plus superlative solo violin playing from such
Academy stalwarts as
Iona Brown,
Alan Loveday, and, in four concertos,
Marriner himself.
George Malcolm is an alert harpsichordist in Opus 3, but
Thurston Dart, while not as agile, is more penetrating in Opus 6. First released on Argo LPs in justly celebrated stereo sound, they sound as fine if perhaps a bit louder in this digital remastering. Listeners who like Baroque music but find the tone and tuning of period instruments a strain over the long haul will surely enjoy these recordings.