Disc: 1
1. Sinfonia: Allegro - Larghetto - Allegro - Andante Larghetto - Martyn Hill
2. Chorus: How Excellent Thy Name, Oh Lord - Martyn Hill
3. Aria: An Infant Rais'd By Thy Command Soprano - Martyn Hill
4. Chorus: Along The Monster Atheist Strode - Martyn Hill
5. Chorus: The Youth Inspir'd By Thee, Oh Lord - Martyn Hill
6. Chorus: Hallelujah - Martyn Hill
7. Recitativo: He Comes, He Comes! Michal - Martyn Hill
8. Aria: Oh God-Like Youth! Michal - Martyn Hill
9. Recitativo: Behold, Oh King Abner/Saul/David - Martyn Hill
10. Aria: Oh King, You Favours With Delight David - Martyn Hill
11. Recitativo: Oh Early Piety! Jonathan - Martyn Hill
12. Aria: What Abject Thoughts A Prince Can Have! Merab - Martyn Hill
13. Recitativo: Yet Think, Oh Whom This Honour You Bestow Merab - Martyn Hill
14. Aria: Birth And Fortune I Despise! Jonathan - Martyn Hill
15. Recitativo: Thou, Merab, First In Birth Saul/Merab - Martyn Hill
16. Aria: My Soul Rejects The Thought With Scorn Merab - Martyn Hill
17. Aria: See, See With What A Scornful Air Michal - Martyn Hill
18. Ah! Lovely Youth Michal - Martyn Hill
19. Sinfonia: Andante - Allegro - Martyn Hill
20. Recitativo: Already See The Daughters Of The Land Michal - Martyn Hill
21. Chorus: Welcome, Welcome, Mighty King! - Martyn Hill
22. Accompagnato: What Do I Hear? Saul - Martyn Hill
23. Chorus: David His Ten Thousands Slew - Martyn Hill
24. Accompagnato: To Him Ten Thousands Saul - Martyn Hill
25. Aria: With Rage I Shall Burst Saul - Martyn Hill
26. Recitativo: Imprudent Women! Jonathan/Michal - Martyn Hill
27. Aria: Fell Rage And Black Despair Possess'd Michal - Martyn Hill
28. Recitativo: Rack'd With Infernal Pains Abner - Martyn Hill
29. Aria: Oh Lord, Whose Mercies Numberless David - Martyn Hill
30. Sinfonia (Harp Solo) - Martyn Hill
31. Recitativo: 'Tis All In Vain Jonathan - Martyn Hill
32. Aria: A Serpent, In My Bosom Warm'd Saul - Martyn Hill
33. Recitativo: has He Escap'd My Rage? Saul - Martyn Hill
34. Aria: Capricious Man, In Humour Lost Merab - Martyn Hill
35. Accompagnato: Oh Filial Piety! Oh Sacred Friendship! Jonathan - Martyn Hill
36. Aria: No, No Cruel Father, No! Jonathan - Martyn Hill
37. Chorus: Preserve Him For The Glory Of Thy Name - Martyn Hill
Disc: 2
1. Chorus: Envy! Eldest Born Of Hell! - Martyn Hill
2. Recitativo: Ah! Dearest Friend Jonathan - Martyn Hill
3. Aria: But Sooner Jordan's Stream Jonathan - Martyn Hill
4. Recitativo: Oh Strange Vicissitude! David/Jonathan - Martyn Hill
5. Aria: Such Haughty Beauties Rather Move David - Martyn Hill
6. Recitativo: My Father Comes Jonathan - Martyn Hill
7. Recitativo: Hast Thou Obey'd My Orders Saul/Jonathan - Martyn Hill
8. Aria: Sin Not, Oh King, Against The Youth Jonathan - Martyn Hill
9. Aria: As Great Jehovah Lives Saul - Martyn Hill
10. Aria: From Cities Storm'd Jonathan - Martyn Hill
11. Recitativo: Appear, My Friend Jonathan/Saul - Martyn Hill
12. Aria: Your Words, Oh King David - Martyn Hill
13. Recitativo: Yes, He Shall Wed My Daughter! Saul - Martyn Hill
14. Recitativo: A Father's Will Has Authoriz'd My Love Michal - Martyn Hill
15. Duet: Oh Fairest Of Ten Thousand Fair Michal/David - Martyn Hill
16. Chorus: Is There A Man - Martyn Hill
17. Sinfonia: Largo - Allegro - Martyn Hill
18. Recitativo: They Father Is As Cruel David - Martyn Hill
19. Duet: At Persecution I Can Laugh David/Michal - Martyn Hill
20. Recitativo: Whom Dost Thou Seek? Michal/Doeg - Martyn Hill
21. Aria: No, No, Let The Guilty Tremble Michal - Martyn Hill
22. Sinfonia: Allegro - Martyn Hill
23. Accompagnato: The Time At Length Is Come Saul - Martyn Hill
24. Recitativo: Where Is The Son Of Jesse? Saul/Jonathan - Martyn Hill
25. Chorus: O Fatal Consequence - Martyn Hill
Disc: 3
1. Accompagnato: Wretch That I Am! Saul - Martyn Hill
2. Recitativo: 'Tis Said, Here Lives A Woman Saul - Martyn Hill
3. Recitativo: With Me What Would'st Thou? Witch/Saul - Martyn Hill
4. Aria: Infernal Spirits Witch - Martyn Hill
5. Accompagnato: Why Hast Thou Forc'd Me Samuel/Saul - Martyn Hill
6. Sinfonia: Allegro - Martyn Hill
7. Recitativo: Whence Comst Thou? David/Amalekite - Martyn Hill
8. Aria: Impious Wretch David - Martyn Hill
9. Sinfonia: Grave (Dead March) - Martyn Hill
10. Chorus: Mourn, Israel - Martyn Hill
11. Aria: Oh Let is Not In Gath Be Heard Tenor - Martyn Hill
12. Aria: From This Unhappy Day Soprano - Martyn Hill
13. Aria: Brave Jonathan Soprano - Martyn Hill
14. Chorus: Eagles Were Not So Swift As They - Martyn Hill
15. Aria: In Sweetest Harmony They Liv'd Soprano - Martyn Hill
16. Solo & Chorus: Oh Fatal Day! David - Martyn Hill
17. Recitativo: Ye Men Of Judah, Weep No More! Abner - Martyn Hill
18. Chorus: Gird On They Sword - Martyn Hill
Disc: 4
1. Overture - Philip Ledger
2. Recitativo: 'Twas At The Royal Feast Tenor - Philip Ledger
3. Aria & Chorus: Happy, Happy, Happy Pair! Tenor, Soprano - Philip Ledger
4. Recitativo: Timotheus, Plac'd On High Tenor - Philip Ledger
5. Accompagnato: The Song Began From Jove Soprano - Philip Ledger
6. Chorus: The List'ning Crowd - Philip Ledger
7. Aria: With Ravish'd Ears Soprano - Philip Ledger
8. Recitativo: The Praise Of Bacchus Tenor - Philip Ledger
9. Aria & Chorus: Bacchus, Ever Fair And Young Bass - Philip Ledger
10. Recitativo: Sooth'd With The Sound Tenor - Philip Ledger
11. Accompagnato: He Chose A Mournful Muse Soprano - Philip Ledger
12. Aria: He Sung Darius, Great And Good Soprano - Philip Ledger
13. Accompagnato: With Downcast Looks Soprano - Philip Ledger
14. Chorus: Behold Darius Great And Good - Philip Ledger
15. Recitativo: The Mighty Master, Smil'd To See Tenor - Philip Ledger
16. Arioso Softly Sweet In Lydian Measures Soprano - Philip Ledger
17. Aria: War, He Sung, Is Toil And Trouble Tenor - Philip Ledger
18. Chorus: The Many Rend The Skies - Philip Ledger
19. Aria: The Prince, Unable To Conceal His pain Soprano - Philip Ledger
20. Chorus: (Da Capo) The Many Rend The Skies - Philip Ledger
21. Accompagnato & Chorus: Now Strike The Golden Lyre Again Tenor - Philip Ledger
22. Aria: Revenge, Revenge, Timotheus Cries Bass - Philip Ledger
23. Accompagnato: Give This Vengeance Due Tenor - Philip Ledger
24. Aria: The Princes Applaud Tenor - Philip Ledger
Disc: 5
1. Aria & Chorus: Thais Led The Way Soprano - Philip Ledger
2. Accompagnato & Chorus: Thus, Long Ago Tenor - Philip Ledger
3. Recitativo: Let Old Timotheus Yield The Prize Tenor, Bass - Philip Ledger
4. Soli & Chorus: Let Old Timotheus Yield The Prize Bass/Tenor/Soprano - Philip Ledger
5. Recitativo: Your Voices Tune - Philip Ledger
6. Duet: Let's Imitate Her Notes Above - Philip Ledger
7. Chorus: Your Voices Tune And Raise - Philip Ledger
8. Sinfonia - Philip Ledger
9. Recitativo: See, Hercules! Pleasure - Philip Ledger
10. Aria: Come, Blooming Boy Pleasure - Philip Ledger
11. Aria: There The Brisk Sparkling Nectar Drain Pleasure - Philip Ledger
12. Aria & Chorus: While For Thy Arms Pleasure - Philip Ledger
13. Recitativo: Away, Mistaken Wretch! Virtue - Philip Ledger
14. Aria: This Manly Youth's Exalted Mind Virtue - Philip Ledger
15. Recitativo: Rise, Youth! Exalt Thyself And Me Virtue - Philip Ledger
16. Aria: Go, Assert Thy Heav'nly Race Virtue - Philip Ledger
17. Recitativo: In Peace, In War Virtue - Philip Ledger
18. Chorus: So Shalt Thou Gain Immortal Praise - Philip Ledger
19. Recitativo: Hear'st Thou, What Dangers Pleasure - Philip Ledger
20. Aria & Chorus: Turn Thee, Youth, To Joy And Love Pleasure - Philip Ledger
21. Recitativo: Short Is My Way - Oh Cease, Enchanting Siren! Pleasure/Hercules - Philip Ledger
22. Aria: Yet Can I Hear That Dulcet Lay Hercules - Philip Ledger
23. Aria: Enjoy The Sweet Elysian Grove Attendant On Pleasure - Philip Ledger
24. Recitativo: Oh! Whither, Reason, Dost Thou Fly? Hercules - Philip Ledger
25. Trio: Where Shall I Go? Hercules, Pleasure, Virtue - Philip Ledger
26. Recitativo: Mount, Mount The Steep Ascent! Virtue - Philip Ledger
27. Aria: Mount, Mount The Steep Ascent! Virtue - Philip Ledger
28. Chorus: Arise, Arise! - Philip Ledger
29. Recitativo: The Sounds Breathe Fire Celestial Hercules - Philip Ledger
30. Aria: Lead, Goddess, Lead The Way! Hercules - Philip Ledger
31. Chorus: Virtue Will Place Thee - Philip Ledger
From his teen years, Philip Ledger seemed destined to become one of England's leading organists; he did so, and quickly, but he also expanded his musical activities in several other directions. Early on, he was a prize-winning fellow of the Royal College of Organists in London, and was further trained at King's College, Cambridge, where he was an honors student. He became the youngest cathedral organist in England with his 1961 appointment as master of music at Chelmsford Cathedral; he remained there until 1965, at which point he became director of music at the new University of East Anglia (until 1973). There, Ledger also served as dean of the School of Fine Arts and Music from 1968 to 1971. It was in 1968 that Ledger was also made an artistic director of the Aldeburgh Festival, from which time he was deeply involved in Benjamin Britten's recordings of his own choral music. Around this time Ledger became ubiquitous in concert around London and on recordings, playing piano with the Melos Ensemble, harpsichord with chamber orchestras and ensembles (as both soloist and continuo player), and organ in recitals at Royal Festival Hall.
Ledger's prominence peaked with his work as music director of King's College, Cambridge (1974-1982), where he took over from David Willcocks and made an extensive series of choral recordings. He gave up King's to become principal of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, and became an honorary professor at the University of Glasgow in 1993. In 1985, he had added to his list of honors Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Ledger was especially highly regarded as a performer of early English music, on which his scholarly work has centered; Ledger edited the Oxford Book of English Madrigals and works of Byrd, Handel, and Purcell, most notably a performing edition of the latter's King Arthur. -- James Reel