Georg Friedrich Händel: Alexander Balus
Alexander Balus
2
CDs
CD (Compact Disc)
Herkömmliche CD, die mit allen CD-Playern und Computerlaufwerken, aber auch mit den meisten SACD- oder Multiplayern abspielbar ist.
- Künstler: Dawson, McFladden, Denley, Daniels, George, New College Choir Oxford, King's Consort & Choir, King
- Label: Hyperion, DDD, 1997
- Bestellnummer: 8226598
- Erscheinungstermin: 10.6.1998
Product-Information:
Alexander Balus brings to completion The King's Consort's series of Handel's four 'military' oratorios (the other three being Judas Maccabaeus, The Occasional Oratorio, and Joshua).
The story is a somewhat embellished retelling of chapters 10 and 11 from the first book of the Apocryphal Maccabees and involves complicated intrigues between the Jews, Syrians and Egyptians in the second century BC. To cut a long story short, Alexander Balus, King of Syria, is eventually defeated in battle by Ptolomee of Egypt and then killed by an Arab; but Ptolomee himself dies just three days later allowing Jonathan, the Chief of the Jews, to remind us of the fate of those who do not believe in the One God.
Musically, Handel is at his very best in this piece. Much of the composition occurred simultaneously with that for Joshua and there is, typically, a small amount of material recycled from earlier works. The Third Act, where Cleopatra is not only told (maliciously) by her father that her beloved Alexander has been faithless, but is also then informed of his death, sees some extraordinary aria-writing, at times reminiscent of 'Dido's Lament'.
Rezensionen
'This is a landmark in recording history ... Self-recommending, I think' (The Sunday Times)
'All Handelians will want this set' (Gramophone)
'An outstanding recording … an enthralling experience' (Choir & Organ)
'A winner … one of those experiences where you know almost from the first chord that an enjoyable and rewarding evening lies ahead of you. The cast is on top form' (Early Music)
Rezensionen
R. Emans in Stereo 4/98: "Die Vielzahl von herrlichen Chören und Arien kostet Robert King mit viel Spannung voll aus."- Tracklisting
- Details
- Mitwirkende
Disk 1 von 2 (CD)
Alexander Balus (Oratorium) (Gesamtaufnahme)
- 1 Ouverture (1. Akt)
- 2 Chorus: "Flush'd with conquest, fir'd by Mithra"
- 3 Recitative: "Thus far, ye glorious partners of he war"
- 4 Air: "Great Author of this harmony"
- 5 Flourish of trumpets
- 6 Recitative: "And thus let happy Egypt's king"
- 7 Air: "Thrice happy the monarch, whom Aria: Why do the Nations contend"
- 8 Recitative: "Congretulation to our father's friend"
- 9 Air: "Hark! hark! he strikes the golden lyre"
- 10 Recitative: "Be it my chief ambition there to rise"
- 11 Air: "Fair virtue shall charm me"
- 12 Chorus: "Ye happy nations round"
- 13 Recitative: "My Jonathan"
- 14 Air: "Oh, what resistless charms are giv'n"
- 15 Air: "Subtle love, with fancy viewing"
- 16 Recitative: "Aspasia, I know not what to call"
- 17 Air: "How happy should we mortals prove"
- 18 Recitative: "Check not the pleasing accents of thy tongue"
- 19 Air: "So shall the sweet attractive smile"
- 20 Recitative: "How blissful state!"
- 21 Duet: "O what pleasures, past expressing"
- 22 Recitative: "Why hangs this heavy gloom upon the brow"
- 23 Air: "Heroes may boast thei mighty deeds"
- 24 Recitative: "Y sons of Judah, with high festival"
- 25 Air: "Great God, from whom all blessings spring"
- 26 Air: "Kind hope, thou universal friend" (2. Akt)
- 27 Recitative: "Long, long and happy live the king!"
- 28 Air: "O Mithra, with thy brighest beams"
- 29 Recitative: "Stay, my dread sovereign"
- 30 Air: "Mighty love now calls to arm"
- 31 Air: "Hateful man! thy sland'rous tongue"
Disk 2 von 2 (CD)
- 1 Chorus: "O calumny, on virtue waiting"
- 2 Recitative: "Ah! whence these dire forebodings of the mind?"
- 3 Air: "Tossed from thought to thought I rove"
- 4 Recitative: "Give to the winds, fair princess, there vain doubts"
- 5 Air: "Love, glory, ambition, whate'er can inspire"
- 6 Recitative: "thus far my wishes thrive"
- 7 Air: "Virtue, thou ideal name"
- 8 Accompagnato: "Ye happy people, with loud accents speak"
- 9 Soli / Chorus: "Triumph Hymen in the pair"
- 10 Recitative: Glad time, at length, hath reach'd the happy point"
- 11 Duet: "Hail wedded love, mysterious law!"
- 12 Chorus: "Hymen, fair Urania's son
- 13 Sinfonia (3. Akt)
- 14 Recitative: "Tis true, instinctive nature seldom points"
- 15 Air: "Here amid the shady woods"
- 16 Recitative: "Ah! was is not my Cleopatra's voice?"
- 17 Air: "Pow'rful guardians of all nature"
- 18 Recitative: "Treach'ry, O king, unheard of treachery"
- 19 Air: "Fury, with red sparkling eyes"
- 20 Recitative: "Gods! can there be a more afflictiong sight"
- 21 Air: "Strange reverse of human fate"
- 22 Recitative: "May he returns with laurel'd victory"
- 23 Air: "To God who made the radiant sun"
- 24 Chorus: "Sun, moon, and stars, and all ye Host of Heav'n
- 25 Recitative: "Yes he was false, my daughter, false to you"
- 26 Accompagnato: "Ungrateful child, by ev'ry sacred pow'r"
- 27 Air: "O sword, and thou, all-daring hand"
- 28 Accompagnato: "Shall Cleopatra ever smile again?"
- 29 Recitative: "Ungrateful tidings to the royal ear"
- 30 Air: "O take me from this hateful light"
- 31 Recitative: "Forgive, O queen, the messenger of ill!"
- 32 Accompagnato: "Calm thou my soul"
- 33 Air: "Convey me to some peaceful shore"
- 34 Recitative: "Mysterious are thy ways, O Providence!"
- 35 Chorus: "Ye servants of th' eternal King"
