If, in this enjoyable programme, the two suites—the splendid F minor (especially its brooding prelude, its powerfully chorded fugue and the Allemande which Hawkins praised) and the shorter and later E minor (with its grave Allemande, expressive Sarabande and brilliant Gigue)—contain the finest music, Gerald Gifford has also planned his recital carefully so as to include some less familiar Handel which is not otherwise available on record at the moment. He plays the F major Capriccio—probably a very early piece, to judge by internal evidence—with bubbling energy. (Associated Board examiners next year will be very happy if they get any Grade VI candidates who perform it with such springiness!) There is the big Chaconne in F, whose short answering phrases lend themselves well to the use of alternate manuals, as here; but I did feel some lack of cohesion at moments during its course. There is no mention in the accompanying notes that the Partita in A (of which there is no other satisfactory current recording) is considered (according to Grove) only ''partly authentic'': the lengthy Allemande does rather outstay its welcome, but if it was not Handel who wrote its seductive Sarabande, with its poignant chromaticisms, then we need to discover and identify some other comparable genius.
As always, Gifford's playing is a model of clarity and vitality; he decorates repeats stylishly and tastefully; his registrations, on a big Shudi (such as Handel owned) are apt; and he is recorded with what is indeed ''real sound''. This tape, by the way, does not have an LP equivalent.'