In this enchanting disc, Carolyn Sampson’s ravishing, silvery tones are put to the service of some of Handel’s most joyous and profound music for the solo voice.

Handel wrote little for his native tongue, but what he did demonstrates a particular level of contemplative pietism while still employing the familiar techniques of Italian opera. In these nine German arias he set the poems of his contemporary Barthold Heinrich Brockes, and their theme is that the abundant goodness of God is evident in the joy and beauty of His creation. The musical relationships with Handel’s opera arias are evident in the endless ingenuity of his characterization and the expressive, articulate melodies with which the soprano and the violin obbligato create their vivid images.

These arias are paired with Handel’s three oboe sonatas—delightful works which demonstrate the composer’s enthusiasm for the instrument’s expressive capabilities and colours.