George Frideric Handel: Semele; Israel in Egypt; The Ways of Zion Do Mourn; Zadok the Priest; La Resurrezione; Dixit

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Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - James Leonard
For opera fans, the major attraction in this six-disc set dedicated to the works of Handel will likely be the 1981 recording of his English-language opera "Semele," with John Eliot Gardiner leading a strong cast of singers. While there may have been more compelling Semeles than Norma Burrowes (whose interpretation is nevertheless very sensitive), the remainder of the cast is consistently excellent, especially Anthony Rolfe Johnson's commanding portrayal of Jupiter. For oratorio fans, the attractions will likely be the three-part oratorio "Israel in Egypt," the funeral anthem "The Ways of Zion do Mourn," and the coronation anthem "Zadok the Priest," all with Gardiner ...
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Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - James Leonard
For opera fans, the major attraction in this six-disc set dedicated to the works of Handel will likely be the 1981 recording of his English-language opera "Semele," with John Eliot Gardiner leading a strong cast of singers. While there may have been more compelling Semeles than Norma Burrowes (whose interpretation is nevertheless very sensitive), the remainder of the cast is consistently excellent, especially Anthony Rolfe Johnson's commanding portrayal of Jupiter. For oratorio fans, the attractions will likely be the three-part oratorio "Israel in Egypt," the funeral anthem "The Ways of Zion do Mourn," and the coronation anthem "Zadok the Priest," all with Gardiner leading the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestra in performances of great weight and seriousness, recorded between 1976 and 1978. The concluding two discs include an angular but expressive 1990 account of Handel's early Italian oratorio "La Resurrezione," with Ton Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, as well as a muscular performance of the "Dixit Dominus" from 1977, with Gardiner and the Monteverdi forces. The earlier stereo Gardiner choral recordings sound heavier and fuller than the more vivid recording of "Semele," but they all sound dowdy compared with the light and air-filled digital recording of "La Resurrezione." The set should be of strong interest to dedicated Handel fans.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 2/17/2009
  • Label: Warner Classics
  • UPC: 825646961184
  • Catalog Number: 469611
  • Sales rank: 120,194

Tracks

Disc 1
  1. 1–47 Semele, oratorio, HWV 58 - George Frideric Handel & Norma Burrowes (154:03)
    Composed byGeorge Frideric Handel
    Conducted byJohn Eliot Gardiner
    Performed byNorma Burrowes, Maldwyn Davies, Catherine Denley, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Della Jones, Patrizia Kwella, Robert Lloyd, Monteverdi Choir, Timothy Penrose, Elisabeth Priday, David Thomas
    1. 1Ouverture
    2. 2Act 1. Scene 1. No. 1. Accompagnato. Behold! auspicious flashes rise
    3. 3Act 1. Scene 1. No. 2. Chorus. Lucky omens bless our rites / No. 3. Recitative and Arioso. Daughter
    4. 4Act 1. Scene 1. Accompagnato. Ah me! What refuge now is left me? / No. 5. Air. O Jove! in pity teac
    5. 5Act 1. Scene 1. No. 8. Quartetto. Why dost thou thus untimely grieve
    6. 6Act 1. Scene 1. No. 9. Chorus. Avert these omens, all ye pow'rs! / No. 10. Accompagnato. Again ausp
    7. 7Act 1. Scene 1. No. 11. Chorus. Cease, cease your vows
    8. 8Act 1. Scene 2. Recitative. Oh Athamas; what torture hast thou borne! / No. 12. Air. Turn, hopeless
    9. 9Act 1. Scene 2. No. 14. Duetto. You've undone me
    10. 10Act 1. Scene 3. Recitative. Ah, wretched prince / No. 15. Accompagnato. Wing'd with our fears
    11. 11Act 1. Scene 4. Recitative. See, see! Jove's Priests and holy Augurs come / No. 16. Chorus. Hail Ca
    12. 12Act 1. Scene 4. No. 17. Air. Endless pleasure
    13. 13Act 1. Scene 4. No. 18. Chorus. Endless pleasure
    14. 14Act 2. Scene 1. No. 19. Symphony / Recitative. Iris, impatient of thy stay
    15. 15Act 2. Scene 1. Recitative. Look, where Cithaeron proudly stands / No. 20. Air. There, from mortal
    16. 16Act 2. Scene 1. No. 22. Air. Hence, Iris, hence away!
    17. 17Act 2. Scene 2. Air. Come, Zephyrs, come / No. 23. Air. O sleep, why dost thou leave me?
    18. 18Act 2. Scene 3. Recitative. Let me not another moment bear the pangs of absence
    19. 19Act 2. Scene 3. No. 24. Air. Lay your doubts and fears aside / Recitative. You are mortal
    20. 20Act 2. Scene 3. No. 25. Air. With fond desiring
    21. 21Act 2. Scene 3. No. 26. Chorus. How engaging, how endearing / Recitative. Ah me! - Why sighs my Sem
    22. 22Act 2. Scene 3. Recitative. Too well I read her meaning / No. 27. Air. I must with speed amuse her
    23. 23Act 2. Scene 3. No. 28. Chorus. Now Love that everlasting boy
    24. 24Act 2. Scene 3. Recitative. By my command
    25. 25Act 2. Scene 3. Recitative. See, she appears / No. 29. Air. Where'er you walk
    26. 26Act 2. Scene 4. Recitative. Dear sister, how was your journey hither? / No. 30. Air. But hark! the
    27. 27Act 2. Scene 4. No. 31. Duetto. Prepare then, ye immortal choir
    28. 28Act 2. Scene 4. No. 32. Chorus. Bless the glad earth with heav'nly lays!
    29. 29Act 3. Scene 1. No. 33. Symphony - No. 34. Accompagnato. Somnus, awake!
    30. 30Act 3. Scene 1. No. 35. Air. Leave me, loathsome light! / Recitative. Dull God, canst thou attend t
    31. 31Act 3. Scene 1. No. 36. Air. More sweet is that name than a soft purling stream / Recitative. My wi
    32. 32Act 3. Scene 1. No. 37. Duetto. Obey my will, thy rod resign
    33. 33Act 3. Scene 2. No. 38. Air. My racking thoughts by no kind slumbers freed
    34. 34Act 3. Scene 3. Recitative. Thus shap'd like Ino, with ease I shall deceive her... Behold in this m
    35. 35Act 3. Scene 3. Recitative. O ecstasy of happiness! / No. 39a. Air. Myself I shall adore / Recitati
    36. 36Act 3. Scene 3. No. 40. Accompagnato. Conjure him by his oath
    37. 37Act 3. Scene 3. No. 41. Air. Thus let my thanks be pay'd / Recitative. Rich odours fill the fragran
    38. 38Act 3. Scene 4. No. 42. Air. Come to my arms, my lovely fair / Recitative. Oh Semele! Why art thou
    39. 39Act 3. Scene 4. No. 43. Air. I ever am granting / Recitative. / No. 44. Accompagnato. / Recitative.
    40. 40Act 3. Scene 4. No. 46. Air. Ah, take heed what you press!
    41. 41Act 3. Scene 4. No. 47. Air. No, no, I'll take no less
    42. 42Act 3. Scene 5. No. 48. Accompagnato. Ah, whither is she gone!
    43. 43Act 3. Scene 6. No. 49. Air. Above measure is the pleasure, which my revenge supplies!
    44. 44Act 3. Scene 7. No. 50. Arioso. Ah, me! too late I now repent
    45. 45Act 3. Scene 8. Recitative. Of my ill-boding dream / No. 51. Chorus. Oh terror and astonishment!...
    46. 46Act 3. Scene 8. Recitative. See from above the bellying clouds descend / Scene the last. No. 53. Si
    47. 47Act 3. Scene the last. No. 55. Chorus. Happy, happy shall we be
Disc 2
Disc 3
  1. 1–40 Israel in Egypt, oratorio, HWV 54 - George Frideric Handel & Julian Clarkson (93:45)
    Composed byGeorge Frideric Handel
    Conducted byJohn Eliot Gardiner
    Performed byJulian Clarkson, Paul Elliott, John Eliot Gardiner, Brian Gordon, William Kendall, Jean Knibbs, Monteverdi Choir, Elisabeth Priday, Christopher Royall, Ashley Stafford, Maryilyn Troth, Stephen Varcoe, Charles Stewart, Monteverdi Orchestra, Daryl Greene
    1. 1Overture (Symphony, HWV 264), Lamentations of the Israelites for the death of Joseph
    2. 2Part 1. Recitative. Now there arose
    3. 3Part 1. No. 1. Chorus. And the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage
    4. 4Part 1. Recitative. Then sent He Moses
    5. 5Part 1. No. 2. Chorus. They loathed to drink of the river
    6. 6Part 1. No. 3. Air. Their land brought forth frogs
    7. 7Part 1. No. 4. Chorus. He spake the word
    8. 8Part 1. No. 5. Chorus. He gave them hailstones for rain
    9. 9Part 1. No. 6. Chorus. He sent a thick darkness over all the land
    10. 10Part 1. No. 7. Chorus. He smote all the first born
    11. 11Part 1. No. 8. Chorus. But as for His people
    12. 12Part 1. No. 9a. Chorus. Egypt was glad when they departed
    13. 13Part 1. No. 10. Chorus. He rebuked the Red Sea
    14. 14Part 1. No. 11. Chorus. He led them through the deep as through a wilderness
    15. 15Part 1. No. 12. Chorus. But the waters overwhelmed their enemies
    16. 16Part 1. No. 13. Chorus. And Israel saw that great work that the Lord did
    17. 17Part 1. No. 14. Chorus. And believed the Lord
    18. 18Part 2. No. 15. Introitus. Moses and the children of Israel sung this song
    19. 19Part 2. No. 15. Introitus. I will sing unto the Lord
    20. 20Part 2. No. 16. Duet. The Lord is my strength
    21. 21Part 2. No. 17. Chorus. He is my God
    22. 22Part 2. No. 17. Chorus. And I will exalt him
    23. 23Part 2. No. 18. Duet. The Lord is a man of war
    24. 24Part 2. No. 19. Chorus. The depths have covered them
    25. 25Part 2. No. 19. Chorus. Thy right hand, oh Lord, is now made glorious
    26. 26Part 2. No. 19. Chorus. And in the greatness of thine excellency
    27. 27Part 2. No. 19. Chorus. Thou sentest forth thy wrath
    28. 28Part 2. No. 20. Chorus. And with the blast of thy nostrils
    29. 29Part 2. No. 21. Air. The enemy said: I will pursue
    30. 30Part 2. No. 22. Air. Thou didst blow with the wind
    31. 31Part 2. No. 23. Chorus. Who is like unto Thee, oh Lord
    32. 32Part 2. No. 23. Chorus. The earth swallowed them
    33. 33Part 2. No. 24. Duet. Thou in thy mercy hast led forth thy people
    34. 34Part 2. No. 25a. Chorus. The people shall hear and be afraid
    35. 35Part 2. No. 26. Air. Thou shalt bring them in
    36. 36Part 2. No. 27. Chorus. The Lord shall reign for ever and ever
    37. 37Part 2. Recitative. For the horse of Pharoah went in
    38. 38Part 2. No. 27. Chorus. The Lord shall reign for ever and ever
    39. 39Part 2. Recitative. And Miriam the prophetess
    40. 40Part 2. No. 28. Solo and Chorus. Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously!... The Lord
Disc 4
  1. 11–23 The Ways of Zion Do Mourn (Funeral Anthem for Queen Caroline), for chorus & orchestra, HWV 264 - George Frideric Handel & John Eliot Gardiner (43:59)
    Composed byGeorge Frideric Handel
    Conducted byJohn Eliot Gardiner
    Performed byJohn Eliot Gardiner, Monteverdi Choir, Monteverdi Orchestra
    1. 11No. 1. Symphony
    2. 12No. 2. Chorus. The ways of Zion do mourn
    3. 13No. 2. Chorus. How are the mighty fall'n!
    4. 14No. 2. Chorus. She put on righteousness
    5. 15No. 3. Chorus. When the ear heard her, then it blessed her
    6. 16No. 4. Chorus. How are the mighty fall'n
    7. 17No. 5. Chorus. She deliver'd the poor
    8. 18No. 6. Chorus. How are the mighty fall'n!
    9. 19No. 7. Chorus. The righteous shall be had
    10. 20No. 8. Chorus. Their bodies are buried in peace
    11. 21No. 9. Chorus. The people will tell of their wisdom
    12. 22No. 10. Chorus. They shall receive a glorious kingdom
    13. 23No. 11. Chorus. The merciful goodness of the Lord
  2. 24 Zadok the Priest, coronation anthem No. 1 for chorus & orchestra, HWV 258 - George Frideric Handel & John Eliot Gardiner (7:02)
    Composed byGeorge Frideric Handel
    Conducted byJohn Eliot Gardiner
    Performed byJohn Eliot Gardiner, Monteverdi Choir, Monteverdi Orchestra
Disc 5
  1. 1–51 La Resurrezione, oratorio, HWV 47 - George Frideric Handel & Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra (116:01)
    Composed byGeorge Frideric Handel
    Conducted byJohn Eliot Gardiner
    Performed byAmsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Nancy Argenta, John Eliot Gardiner, Guillemette Laurens, Klaus Mertens, Guy de Mey, Barbara Schlick
    1. 1Part 1. Sonata
    2. 2Part 1. Scene 1. No. 3. Aria. Disserratevi, o porte d'Averno!
    3. 3Part 1. Scene 1. No. 2b. Accompagnato. Qual'insolita luce squarcia le bende alla tartarea notte?
    4. 4Part 1. Scene 1. No. 1. Aria. Caddi, è ver, ma nel cadere non perdei forza
    5. 5Part 1. Scene 1. No. 4. Accompagnato. Ma che veggio?
    6. 6Part 1. Scene 1. Recitativo. Chi sei?
    7. 7Part 1. Scene 1. No. 5. Aria. D'amor fu consiglio che al Padre nel Figlio l'offesa pagò
    8. 8Part 1. Scene 1. Recitativo. E ben, questo tuo Nume
    9. 9Part 1. Scene 1. No. 6. Aria. O voi, dell'Erebo potenze orribili
    10. 10Part 1. Scene 2. No. 7. Accompagnato. Notte, notte funesta
    11. 11Part 1. Scene 2. No. 8. Aria. Ferma l'ali, e sui miei lumi non volar, o sonno ingrato!
    12. 12Part 1. Scene 2. Recitativo. Concedi, o Maddalena, qualche tregua al martire
    13. 13Part 1. Scene 2. No. 9. Aria. Piangete, sì, piangete
    14. 14Part 1. Scene 2. Recitativo. Ahi, dolce mio Signore
    15. 15Part 1. Scene 2. No. 10. Duetto. Dolci chiodi, amate spine
    16. 16Part 1. Scene 2. Recitativo. O Cleofe, o Maddalena
    17. 17Part 1. Scene 2. No. 11. Aria. Quando è parto dell'affetto, il dolore in nobil petto non estigue la
    18. 18Part 1. Scene 2. Recitativo. Ma dinne e sarà vero che risorga Gesù?
    19. 19Part 1. Scene 2. No. 12. Aria. Naufragando va per l'onde, debol legno
    20. 20Part 1. Scene 2. Recitativo. Itene pure, o fide
    21. 21Part 1. Scene 2. No. 13. Aria. Così la tortorella
    22. 22Part 1. Scene 2. Recitativo. Se Maria dunque spera
    23. 23Part 1. Scene 2. No. 14. Aria. Ho un non so che nel cor
    24. 24Part 1. Scene 3. Recitativo. Uscite pure, uscite dall'oscura prigione
    25. 25Part 1. Scene 3. No. 15. Coro. Il Nume vincitor trionfi, regni e viva!
    26. 26Part 2. Introduzione
    27. 27Part 2. Scene 1. Recitativo. Di quai nuovi portenti ha la terra oggi ancora il sen fecondo?
    28. 28Part 2. Scene 1. No. 17. Aria. Ecco il sol, ch'esce dal mare
    29. 29Part 2. Scene 1. Recitativo. Ma ove Maria dimora
    30. 30Part 2. Scene 2. No. 18. Aria. Risorga il mondo
    31. 31Part 2. Scene 2. No. 19. Accompagnato. Di rabbia indarno freme coi mostri suoi l'incatenato Averno
    32. 32Part 2. Scene 2. Recitativo. Misero! ho pure udito?
    33. 33Part 2. Scene 2. No. 20. Aria. Per celare il nuovo scorno
    34. 34Part 2. Scene 2. Recitativo. O come cieco il tuo furor delira!
    35. 35Part 2. Scene 2. No. 21. Duetto. Impedirlo saprò
    36. 36Part 2. Scene 3. Recitativo. Amica, troppo tardo fu il nostro piè
    37. 37Part 2. Scene 3. No. 22. Aria. Per me già di morire non paventò Gesù
    38. 38Part 2. Scene 3. Recitativo. Ahi, abborrito nome!
    39. 39Part 2. Scene 4. No. 23. Aria. Vedo il Ciel che più sereno sifa intorno
    40. 40Part 2. Scene 4. Recitativo. Cleofe, siam giunte al luogo... Donne, voi ricercate di Gesù Zazareno
    41. 41Part 2. Scene 4. No. 24. Aria. Se per colpa di donna infelice
    42. 42Part 2. Scene 4. Recitativo. Mio Gesù, mio Signore
    43. 43Part 2. Scene 4. No. 25. Aria. Del ciglio dolente
    44. 44Part 2. Scene 4. Recitativo. Sì, sì, cerchiamo pure l'orme del nostro Amor
    45. 45Part 2. Scene 4. No. 26. Aria. Augelletti, ruscelletti
    46. 46Part 2. Scene 5. Recitativo. Dove sì frettolosi, Cleofe, rivolgi i passi?
    47. 47Part 2. Scene 5. No. 27. Aria. Caro Figlio!
    48. 48Part 2. Scene 5. Recitativo. Cleofe, Giovanni, udite
    49. 49Part 2. Scene 5. No. 28. Aria. Se impassible, immortale sei risorto
    50. 50Part 2. Scene 5. Recitativo. Sì, sì, col Redentore sorga il mondo redento!
    51. 51Part 2. Scene 5. No. 29. Coro. Diasi lode in Cielo, in terra
Disc 6
  1. 17–24 Dixit Dominus, hymn for soloists, chorus & orchestra in G minor, HWV 232 - George Frideric Handel & Charles Brett (34:50)
    Composed byGeorge Frideric Handel
    Conducted byJohn Eliot Gardiner
    Performed byCharles Brett, John Eliot Gardiner, Margaret Marshall, John Angelo Messana, Monteverdi Choir, Richard Morton, Felicity Palmer, Alastair Thompson, David Wilson-Johnson, Monteverdi Orchestra
    1. 17No. 1. Dixit Dominus
    2. 18No. 2. Virgam virtutis tuae
    3. 19No. 3. Tecum principium in die virtutis
    4. 20No. 4. Chorus. Juravit Dominus
    5. 21No. 5. Chorus. Tu es sacerdos in aeternum
    6. 22No. 6. Dominus a destris tuis
    7. 23No. 7. De torrente in via bibet
    8. 24No. 8. Gloria Patri, et Filio
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Album Credits

Performance Credits
John Eliot Gardiner Primary Artist
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