"In his best arias, Handel excelled at making his characters’ emotions real. Bell excels at characterising this emotion and all of her performances are wonderfully vivid. One can take as read Bell’s capability with the virtuoso technical aspects of these arias and she is one of those enviable singers who are able to go beyond sheer bravura and use the vocal line for expressive purposes. I will treasure this disc as a record of a fine singer at her wonderful peak at a particular point in her career; as her voice develops Handel will cease to be so central to her repertoire and I’m sure there will be further wonderful peaks.
MusicWeb-International.com - 1 December 2005
" Emma Bell has built a good reputation as a Handel singer, and this disc gives a worthy impression of her qualities. She is well accompanied by Richard Egarr and the orchestra, whose players respond successfully when they have solo passages, such as the bassoon in "Ah, crudel". The warm recording presents voice and instruments clearly
ClassicalSource.com - 1 December 2005
"There’s an irresistibly atavistic, dangerous quality to the mix of special ingredients that form Emma Bell’s brand of lyric soprano singing, the ideal compliment to her rock solid technique and informed musicianship. For her second release on the label Linn Records, Bell stamps her bold artistic mark on a group of peerless Handel arias. Listen, for example, to her reading of Piangerò la sorte mia from Giulio Cesare, by turns tender and full of rage. Magnificent stuff." *****
Classics FM magazine - December 2005
Editor’s Choice
Here is a voice of glowing quality - bright yet creamy in texture, weighty yet pure - which is matched by fine musical imagination and a masterly control of technique. It is a joy to hear rapid divisions sung with perfection, with not the smallest suspicion of unwanted aspirates intruding, the bane of too much latter-day singing. Equally, Bell’s ability in lyrical arias to float the most exposed high notes with no hint of an upward slide makes for ravishing results There have been a number of impressive discs of Handel arias lately but on any count Bell offers the promise of a great recording career. Linn provides a beautifully balanced, cleanly focussed sound.
Edward Greenfield - Gramophone magazine - December 2005
"Bell’s latest disc is devoted entirely to Handel arias and opens with a furious onslaught from Amadigi, where Bell becomes Melissa, summoning the powers of hell, her voice bright, feisty, defiant. But come Rodelinda’s lament Ombre piante and rapture takes over, the beauty softened, the steel turned to sensuous velvet. There are beautiful instrumental solos, too, from members of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra under Richard Egarr." *****
Rob Cowan - The Independent - 11 October 2005
Performance ***** Sound *****
Quite simply Emma Bell gets better and better. This sparkling recording confirms her reputation as one of the most exciting of the younger generation of Handelians.Richard Egarr directs a Scottish Chamber Orchestra on its very best behaviour with fine string playing throughout and a magnificently angry trumpet obbligato in the aria from Amadigi. Soloist and ensemble seem to egg each other on to ever-greater brilliance, which surely is just as it should be in the Baroque.
Christopher Cook - BBC Music magazine - October 2005
"Soprano Emma Bell packs passion and power into this collection of operatic arias. She takes every emotion to its extreme, from quiet reflection to angry defiance, and gets solid backing from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra under Baroque specialist Richard Egarr." ****
The Scotsman - 23 September 2005
"This is an enjoyable debut for an artist of immense potential." ***
Hugh Canning - The Sunday Times - 25 September 2005
CD of the Week
she [Bell] does have the precious gift of creating a vivid, flesh-and-blood sound The Scottish Chamber Orchestra, well versed in 18th-century style, play with gusto, while the superb trumpet and woodwind soloists deserve their own billing.
Richard Wigmore - The Sunday Telegraph - 11 September 2005
"extraordinary set of performances she [Bell] is a dazzling virtuoso A must for collectors." *****
Michael Tumelty - The Herald - 17 September 2005
"This first-class hybrid SACD from Linn has the makings of an award winner, and is unlikely to pass by critics without attracting rave reviews.
MusicWeek - 10 September 2005
Bell’s star is in the ascendant - an impression confirmed by her commanding despatch of these 11 arias with the SCO a long, vibrant voice, with an acute dramatic sensibility.
Andrew Clark - Financial Times - 3 September 2005
My Wish List
