Handel's famous 'Lascia ch'io pianga' in Virtuosic Harpsichord Version | Alexander von Heißen

The harpsichordist Alexander von Heißen playing William Babell's virtuosic arrangement of Handel’s iconic aria "Lascia ch'io pianga". 🎹🤩
Babell’s arrangement of this piece, originally from Handel's Rinaldo, transforms the aria into an intricate, dazzling work for solo harpsichord. It exemplifies the showmanship and improvisatory flair that characterized Babell’s style, making it both a technical challenge and a fresh interpretation of a beloved Baroque masterpiece.
William Babell (1689/1690-1723) was a renowned English composer and harpsichord virtuoso, best known for his elaborate transcriptions of popular operatic arias for keyboard. Babell was greatly influenced by his connection to George Frideric Handel, and he frequently adapted Handel's works, including arias from Rinaldo. His harpsichord transcriptions are noted for their virtuosic complexity, often incorporating rapid passages designed to showcase technical skill. Babell’s contemporaries, like Johann Mattheson, considered him a more skilled organist than Handel, although others, like music historian Charles Burney, criticized his flashy style for lacking depth and taste​.
We recorded this masterpiece in a baroque Castle in the middle of the night. Let me know, if you like the setting or is it too much? 🤔
Enjoy the music!