This is a hugely enjoyable first recording by Ludus Baroque, which comes together twice a year in Edinburgh’s Canongate Kirk to give concerts of great works by Bach and Handel. Alexander’s Feast is one of Handel’s most attractive works; its length (around 80 minutes), variety of music and lack of long da capo arias make it an ideal starting-point for listeners wishing to explore beyond Messiah – although this performance is bound to delight seasoned Handel enthusiasts too! First performed in London in 1736 to an admiring audience of 1300, the work is a setting of Dryden’s 1697 ode for St Cecilia’s Day, and represents Handel’s first opportunity to set a substantial text by a major English poet. Ludus Baroque was founded by Richard Neville-Towle in 1997 to fulfil his passion for the performance of baroque masterpieces on period instruments. The ensemble boasts a chorus drawn from some of Britain’s finest choirs (hand-picked on this occasion by our ex-employee Will Dawes), and top-quality vocal soloists are a hallmark of their concerts. The Ludus Baroque orchestra may not always play with quite the polish of more illustrious bands, but there are several outstanding moments – the full-blooded corno da caccia duet in Bacchus, ever fair and young, for instance, with its interesting spatial effects, and the crisp string playing in War, he sung, is toil and trouble. The choral sound is terrific, clear and youthful, precise and flexible, delivering power when required but capable of producing magical effects, such as the softly luminous entry of the sopranos in The list’ning crowd admire the lofty sound. But the glory of this performance is the three young soloists. William Berger’s slightly swaggering bass is just right for his arias, with some mighty top notes within his range. Sophie Bevan’s soprano is glorious, imbuing her first recitative with regal nobility, and combining agility with a lovely bloom in the faster, more angular music. Tenor Ed Lyon is a great story-teller – there’s no risk of misunderstanding his recitatives, delivered stylishly with forthright relish (and remarkably clear diction). This is definitely a disc to blow away the winter blues!

Reviewed by Anne McAlister