The cantata or serenata a 3 (for three), Aci,Galatea e Polifemo, dates from Handel's visit to Naples in 1708, and it has almost nothing in common, except for its subject matter, with his exquisite English pastoral, Acis and Galatea for the Duke of Chandos's house at Cannons of 1718. As with so many of his Italian compositions, Handel used this enchanting creation of his youth as a sort of melody bank, lifting whole arias for insertion into his subsequent operas, so even if there are Handelians new to this work some of the music won't be entirely unfamiliar. Aci, cast originally, one presumes, with a high soprano castrato, has two sublime arias, 'Qui l'augel da pianta in pianta' and his dying lament, 'Verso già l'alma col sangue' ('My soul pours out with my blood'). Both belong to Handel's most ravishing early inspirations, the first a simile aria in which the soprano voice 'competes' with birdsong supplied by oboe and violin solos, the second a wonderfully evocative representation of the dying hero's throbbing heart and intense anguish. This is topflight stuff, and Aci's music is superbly sung by Sandrine Piau with her brilliant, steely yet still sweet soprano, used with quasi-instrumental technical accomplishment. Even though Galatea's music, written for a contralto, is less interesting, the Arcadian nymph is cast with the best singer here, the wonderful Sara Mingardo, one of the truly sublime Handelians of our time, who brings a dark sensuality to her love music and a heartbreaking outpouring of grief in the recative following Aci's death.
Haïm's spirited and imaginative direction, her singers and a pristine modern recording weigh the balance in favour of this set.