George Frideric Handel (1685 - 1759)
CD 1
01. Symfony - Andante - Allegro - Allegro - Menuet 09:28
02. Recitative: This day, a solemn feast" 00:39
03. Chorus: "Awake the trumpet's lofty sound!" 02:04
04. Air: "Ye men of Gaza" 04:11
05. Chorus: "Awake the trumpet's lofty sound!" 00:32
06. Air: "Loud as the thunder's awful voice" 03:03
07. Air: "Then free from sorrow" 02:42
08. Chorus: "Awake the trumpet's lofty sound!" 00:33
09. Recitative: "Why by an angel" 00:39
10. Air: "Torments, alas!" 05:10
11. Recitative: "Oh change beyond report" 01:07
12. Air: "Oh mirror of our fickle state!" 03:56
13. Recitative: "Whom have I to complain of but myself" 01:34
14. Air: "Total eclipse!" 04:30
15. Chorus: "Oh first created beam!" 03:14
16. Recitative: "Ye see, my friends" 01:02
17. Recitative: "Brethren ond men of Dan" 00:41
18. Recitative: "Oh miserable change!" 01:04
19. Recitative: "Oh ever failing trust" 00:23
20. Air: "God of our fathers" 03:43
21. Recitative: "The good we wish for" 01:12
22. Air: "Thy glorious deeds inspir'd my tongue" 04:33
23. Recitative: "Justly these evils have befall'n thy son" 01:23
24. Air: "Why does the God of Israel sleep?" 05:00
25. Recitative: "There lies our hope!" 00:25
26. Chorus: "Then shall they know" 02:17
27. Recitative: "For thee, my dearest son" 01:55
28. Air: Then long eternity shall greet your bliss" 01:07
29. Air: "Joys that are pure" 05:07
30. Chorus: "Then round about the starry throne" 02:02
CD 2
01. Recitative: "Trust yet in God!" 00:23
02. Recitative: "My evils hopeless are!" 00:55
03. Air: "Return, oh God of hosts!" 05:50
04. Air and Chorus: "To dust his glory they would tread" 04:20
05. Recitative: "But who is this?" 01:14
06. Recitative: "With doubtful feet" 01:45
07. Air: "With plaintive notes" 07:12
08. Recitative: "Did Love constrain thee?" 00:37
09. Air: "Your charms to ruin led the way" 03:41
10. Recitative: "Forgive what's done" 00:41
11. Duet: "My faith and truth" 05:39
12. Air, 1st verse:"To fleeting pleasures make your court" 02:25
13. Air, 2nd verse: "How charming is domestic ease!" 02:26
14. Chorus: "Her faith and truth" 01:25
15. Recitative: "Ne'er think of that!" 01:45
16. Duet: "Traitor to love!" 01:46
17. Recitative: "She's gone!" 00:18
18. Air: "It is not virtue" 04:48
19. Recitative: "Favour'd of heaven is he" 00:31
20. Chorus: To man God's universal law" 02:25
21. Recitative: "No words of peace" 01:53
22. Air: "Honour arms scorn such a foe" 05:26
23. Recitative: "Cam'st thou for this" 00:36
24. Duet: "Go, baffled coward, go" 02:32
25. Recitative: "Here lies the proof" 01:04
26. Chorus: "Hear, Jacob's God" 03:38
27. Recitative: "Dagon, arise!" 00:15
28. Air: "To song and dance we give the day" 03:29
29. Chorus: "To song and dance we give the day" 01:57
30. Double Chorus: "Fix'd in this everlasting seat" 03:12
CD 3
01. Recitative: "More trouble is behind" 01:33
02. Air: "Presuming slave, to move their wrath!" 02:40
03. Recitative: "Reflect then, Samson" 00:49
04. Chorus: "With thunder arm'd, great God, arise!" 03:06
05. Recitative: "Be of good courage" 02:59
06. Air: "Thus when the sun from's wat'ry bed" 04:00
07. Air: "With might endued above the sons of men" 00:29
08. Air: "The Holy One of Israel" - Chorus: "To fame im- mortal go" 02:15
09. Recitative: "Old Manoa" 00:32
10. Air and Chorus: "Great Dagon has subdued our foe" 03:51
11. Recitative: "What noise of joy was that?" 01:00
12. Air: "How willing my paternal love" 03:24
13. Recitative: "Your hopes of his deliv'ry" 00:50
14. Chorus: "Hear us, our God!" 01:26
15. Recitative: "Noise call you this?" 00:47
16. Recitative: "Where shall I run" 02:54
17. Air: Ye sons of Irael, now lament" - Chorus: "Weep, Israel, weep" 04:29
18. Recitative: "Proceed we hence" 00:59
19. Dead March 02:54
20. Recitative: "The body comes" 01:06
21. Solo and Chorus: "Glorious hero" - Accompagnato: "The virgins too shall" - Chorus: "Bring the laurels" - Solo: "May ev'ry hero" 06:20
22. Recitative: "Come, come! no time for lamentation now" 00:24
23. Air: "Let The Bright Seraphim" 03:14
24. Chorus: "Let their celestial concerts all unite" 02:55
"Richter brings a solid, disciplined richness to Handel. The big choruses are supported by the organ, and the harpsichord is exuberantly present just about everywhere. The Munich Bach Choir sometimes sings with a German accent but doesn't muff an eighth note. The soloists are all native English speakers, and paramount among them is Alexander Young, the best Handel tenor of his time. He combines agility with persuasive heroic strength, and he is a superb actor. His unparalleled flamboyance of declamation brings every word to life (listen to the confrontation with Dalila); you remember both the character and the music. Arroyo sounds both voluptuous and repentant as Dalila, Procter is a composed, stately Micah with an absolutely steady contralto, and Flagello thunders imposingly as Harapha. Stewart's handsome baritone limns a suave, solicitous Manoa. The American tenor Jennings is the least renowned of these singers, and he does have a bland, forgettable voice; but he's an excellent technician who easily tosses off the most difficult passages. Armstrong and Donath divide the arias for the remaining Israelite and Philistine bystanders with almost equal distinction, though neither Archiv nor MHS specify who sings what. To Armstrong fall the ripest plums, "Let the bright Seraphim" and "With plaintive notes," and she manages admirably, though Donath's silvery voice is probably more appealing. If I tell you that Donath sings "It is not virtue," you should be able to sort out the rest—the timbres are quite different." -- Ralph V. Lucano, Fanfare[11/1998]
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