Erato's Handel: The Ultimate Collection is far from the last word in compilations of the composer's greatest hits, but it's not a bad CD for beginners to hear at least once to become acquainted with this Baroque master. Considering the selections touch on virtually every genre that Handel mastered, from orchestral and keyboard music to choral works and opera, this is a reasonably well-rounded survey. The downside of having so much music crammed into a program of a little over 68 minutes is that some pieces, like the Overture to the Music for the Royal Fireworks and "The Harmonious Blacksmith" Variations, are severely cropped, and this limitation becomes quite annoying on repeated play. But listeners should really regard this disc as a sampler and use it to see if Erato's catalog of Handel's works suits their taste. The label boasts a remarkable roster of artists, including conductor John Eliot Gardiner, harpsichordist Scott Ross, soprano Felicity Lott, contralto Marilyn Horne, harpist Lily Laskine, organist Marie-Claire Alain, and such early music ensembles as the Monteverdi Choir and Monteverdi Orchestra, the English Baroque Soloists, the Orchestre de Chambre Jean-François Paillard, and the Sixteen, backed by Ton Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. So this disc is decidedly not the only Handel album you'll ever need, but it's a good starter disc that presents Handel's music in historically informed performances with delightfully resonant sound. ~ Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide
