Handel: The Eight Harpsichord Suites; Six Fugues or Voluntarys; Fugue in E; Fugue in F

CD Details

George Frideric Handel composed his Eight Harpsichord Suites between 1720 and 1733, works that showcase the composer’s gift for melody and structural elegance. This 2002 Hyperion recording features all eight suites (HWV 426-433) along with Six Fugues or Voluntarys and additional fugues in E and F, performed by harpsichordist Paul Nicholson. Rather than playing marked repeats literally, Nicholson adds tasteful embellishments that give fresh perspective to these Baroque keyboard works, bringing out the expressive qualities of Handel’s slow movements while maintaining the vitality of faster passages.

This CD contains the complete suites and fugues across a single disc, with tracks ranging from the brief Suite No. 2 in F Major to the substantial Suite No. 3 in D Minor. The recording, made in 1994, features excellent sound quality and comes from Hyperion’s catalog. A hand-inspected used copy lets you experience this thoughtfully performed Handel collection at a fraction of the original retail price.