Handel: Messiah, Saul, Alexander’s Feast, Ode on St Cecilia’s Day, Belshazzar (CD9)
Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Concentus Musicus WienCD1 MESSIAH
- Symphony
- Accompagnato (Tenor): “Comfort ye”
- Aria (Tenor): “Ev’ry valley”
- Chorus: “And the glory of the Lord”
- Accompagnato (Bass): “Thus saith the Lord”
- Aria (Alto): “But who may abide”
- Chorus: “And He shall purify”
- Recitative (Alto): “Behold, a virgin shall conceive”
- Aria (Alto) and Chorus: “0 thou that tellest good tidings”
- Accompagnato (Bass): “For behold, darkness shall cover the earth”
- Aria (Bass): “The people that walked in darkness”
- Chorus: “For unto us a Child is born”
- Pifa
- Recitative (Soprano): “There were shepherds”
- Accompagnato (Soprano): “And lo, the angel of the Lord”
- Recitative (Soprano): “And the angel said unto them”
- Accompagnato (Soprano): “And suddenly there was with the angel”
- Chorus: “Glory to God”
- Aria (Soprano): “Rejoice greatly”
- Recitative (Alto): “Then shall the eyes of the blind”
- Duet (Alto/Soprano): “He shall feed His flock”
- Chorus: “His yoke is easy”
- Chorus: “Behold the Lamb of God”
- Aria (Alto): “He was despised”
CD2 MESSIAH
- Chorus: “Surely, He hath borne our griefs”
- Chorus: “And with His stripes”
- Chorus: “All we like sheep have gone astray”
- Accompagnato (Tenor): “All they that see Him”
- Chorus: “He trusted in God”
- Accompagnato (Soprano): “Thy rebuke hath broken His heart”
- Arioso (Soprano): “Behold, and see”
- Accompagnato (Tenor): “He was cut off”
- Aria (Tenor): “But Thou didst not leave”
- Chorus: “Lift up your heads”
- Recitative (Tenor): “Unto which of the angels”
- Chorus: “Let all the angels of God”
- Aria (Alto): “Thou art gone up on high”
- Chorus: “The Lord gave the word”
- Aria (Soprano): “How beautiful are the feet of them”
- Chorus: “Their sound is gone out”
- Aria (Bass): “Why do the nations”
- Chorus: “Let us break their bonds asunder”
- Recitative (Tenor): “He that dwelleth in heaven”
- Aria (Tenor): “Thou shalt break them”
- Chorus: “Hallelujah”
- Aria (Soprano): “I know that my Redeemer liveth”
- Chorus: “Since by man came death”
- Accompagnato (Bass): “Behold, I tell you a mystery”
- Aria (Bass): “The trumpet shall sound”
- Recitative (Alto): “Then shall be brought to pass”
- Duet (Alto/Tenor): “O death, where is thy sting”
- Chorus: “But thanks be to God”
- Aria (Soprano): “If God be for us”
- Chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb”
CD3 SAUL
- Symphony
- How excellent thy name, o Lord chorus
- An infant rais’d by thy command soprano
- Along the monster atheist strode alto, tenor, bass
- The youth inspir’d by thee, o Lord … How excellent thy name o Lord chorus
- He comes, he comes! … O godlike youth! Michal
- Behold, o King … O King, your favours with delight Abner, Saul, David
- Oh early piety! oh modest merit! Jonathan
- What abject thoughts … Yet think, on whom this honour you bestow Merab
- Birth and fortune I despise! Jonathan
- Thou, Merab, first in birth … My soul rejects the thought Saul, Merab
- See, with what a scornful air … Ah! lovely youth! Michal
- Symphony
- Already see the daughters of the land Michal
- Welcome, welcome mighty king! … Saul, who hast thy thousands slain chorus
- What do I hear? … David his ten thousands slew … To him ten thousands! … With rage I shall burst his praises to hear! Saul, chorus
- Imprudent women! … Fell rage and black despair possess’d Jonathan, Michal
- Rack’d with infernal pains, ev’n now the king comes forth Abner
- O Lord, whose mercies numberless o’er all thy works prevail David
- ’Tis all in vain Jonathan
- A serpent, in my bosom warm’d … Has he escap’d my rage? Saul
- Capricious man, in humour lost Merab
- Oh filial piety! oh sacred friendship! … No, cruel father, no! Jonathan
- Preserve him for the glory of thy name, thy people’s safety chorus
- Envy! eldest-born of Hell! chorus
- Ah, dearest friend … But sooner Jordan’s stream … My father comes Jonathan
- Hast thou obey’d my orders … Sin not, o King, against the youth Saul, Jonathan
- As great Jehovah lives, I swear, the youth shall not be slain Saul
- From cities storm’d, and battles won, what glory can accrue? Jonathan
CD4 SAUL
- Appear, my friend. — No more imagine danger Jonathan, Saul
- Your words, o King, my loyal heart with double ardour fire David
- Yes, he shall wed my daughter! Saul
- A father’s will has authoriz’d my love Michal
- O fairest of ten thousand fair Michal, David
- Is there a man, who all his ways directs, his God alone to please? chorus
- Concerto
- Thy father is as cruel, and as false, as thou art kind and true … At persecution I can laugh David, Michal
- Whom dost thou seek? and who has sent thee hither … No, no, let the guilty tremble at ev’ry thought of danger near Michal, Doeg
- Mean as he was, he is my brother now … Author of peace Merab
- Symphony
- The time at length is come Saul
- Where is the son of Jesse? Saul, Jonathan
- Oh fatal consequence of rage, by reason uncontroll’d chorus
- Wretch that I am! … ’Tis said, here lives a woman Saul
- With me what wouldst thou? … Infernal spirits, by whose pow’r Witch, Saul
- Why hast thou forc’d me from the realms of peace Samuel, Saul
- Symphony
- Whence com’st thou? … Impious wretch, of race accurst! David, Amalekite
- Dead March
- Mourn, Israel, mourn chorus
- Oh let it not in Gath be heard … From this unhappy day no more, ye Gilboan hills Michal
- Eagles were not so swift as they chorus
- In sweetest harmony they liv’d … Oh fatal day! Merab, David, chorus
- Ye men of Judah, weep no more High Priest
- Gird on thy sword, thou man of might chorus
CD5 ALEXANDER’S FEAST
- Overture
- ’Twas at the royal feast, for Persia won by Philip’s warlike son tenor
- Happy pair! None but the brave deserves the fair soprano, tenor, chorus
- Timotheus, plac’d on high amid the tuneful quire tenor
- The song began from Jove soprano
- The list’ning crowd admire the lofty sound chorus
- With ravish’d ears the monarch hears soprano
- The praise of Bacchus then the sweet musician sung tenor
- Bacchus, ever fair and young … Bacchus’ blessings are a treasure bass, chorus
- Sooth’d with the sound, the king grew vain tenor
- He chose a mournful Muse soprano
- He sung Darius, great and good, by too severe a fate fall’n soprano
- With downcast looks the joyless victor sate soprano
- Behold Darius, great and good, by too severe a fate fall’n chorus
- The mighty master smil’d to see that Love was in the next degree tenor
- Softly sweet in Lydian measures soon he sooth’d the soul soprano
- War, he sung, is toil and trouble tenor
- The many rend the skies with loud applause chorus
- The Prince, unable to conceal his pain soprano
- The many rend the skies with loud applause chorus
CD6 ALEXANDER’S FEAST/ODE FOR ST CECILIA’S DAY
- Now strike the golden Lyre again! … Break his bands of sleep asunder … Hark, hark! the horrid sound tenor, chorus
- Revenge, revenge, Timotheus cries bass
- Give the vengeance due to the valiant crew tenor
- The princes applaud with a furious joy tenor
- Thais led the way, to light him to his prey … The princes applaud with a furious joy soprano, chorus
- Thus, long ago, ere heaving Bellows learned to blow … At last divine Cecilia came, inventress of the vocal frame tenor, chorus
- Let old Timotheus yield the prize tenor, bass
- Let old Timotheus yield the prize, or both divide the crown soprano, tenor, bass, chorus
- Overture
- From Harmony, from heav’nly Harmony chorus
- What passion cannot Music raise and quell! soprano
- The Trumpet’s loud clangor excites us to arms tenor, chorus
- La Marche
- The soft complaining Flute in dying notes soprano
- Sharp Violins proclaim their jealous pangs and desperation tenor
- But oh! what art can teach… the sacred Organ’s praise! soprano
- Orpheus could lead the savage race soprano
- But bright Cecilia rais’d the wonder high’r soprano
- As from the pow’r of sacred lays the spheres began to move chorus
CD7 BELSHAZZAR
- Overture
- Vain, fluctuating state of human empire! Nitocris
- Thou, God most high Nitocris
- The fate of Babylon, I fear, is nigh … O much belov’d of God and man! say Nitocris, Daniel
- Lament not thus, oh Queen, in vain! Daniel
- Behold, by Persia’s hero made in ample form Babylonians
- Well may they laugh, from meagre famine safe … Oh memory! still bitter to my soul! Gobrias, Cyrus
- Oppress’d with never-ceasing grief Gobrias
- Dry those unavailing tears Cyrus
- Be comforted … Methought, as on the bank of deep Euphrates … Now tell me, Gobrias Cyrus, Gobrias
- Behold the monstrous human beast Gobrias
- Can you then think it strange … Great God! who, yet but darkly known … My friends, be confident, and boldly enter upon this high exploit Cyrus
- All empires upon God depend Medes and Persians
- Oh sacred oracles of truth! Daniel
- Rejoice, my countrymen: the time draws near … For long ago, whole ages ere this Cyrus yet was born … “Thus saith the Lord to Cyrus, his anointed…” Daniel
- Sing, oh ye heav’ns! Jews
CD8 BELSHAZZAR
- Let festal joy triumphant reign! Belshazzar
- For you, my friends, the nobles of my court Belshazzar, Nitocris
- The leafy honours of the field Nitocris
- It is the custom, I may say, the law Belshazzar, Nitocris
- Recall, oh king! thy rash command Jews
- They tell you true Nitocris, Belshazzar
- Oh dearer than my life, forbear! Nitocris, Belshazzar
- By slow degrees the wrath of God Jews
- See, from his post Euphrates flies! … Why, faithless river, dost thou leave thy charge … Euphrates hath his task fulfill’d … Of things on earth, proud man must own Persians
- You see, my friends, a path into the city lies open … Amaz’d to find the foe so near Cyrus
- To arms, to arms! No more delay! Persians
- Ye tutelar gods of our empire, look down Babylonians
- Let the deep bowl thy praise confess … Where is the God of Judah’s boasted pow’r? … Help, help the king! … Oh dire portentous sight! … Call all my Wise Men Belshazzar, Babylonians
- Ye sages! welcome always to your king … Alas! too hard a task the king imposes Belshazzar, wise men
- Oh misery! oh terror! Hopeless grief! Babylonians
CD9 BELSHAZZAR
- Oh king, live for ever! … Art thou that Daniel of the Jewish captives? Nitocris, Belshazzar
- No! to thyself thy trifles be … Yet to obey his dread command … Thou, o king, hast lifted up thyself against the Lord … Oh sentence too severe! and yet too sure! Daniel, Nitocris
- Regard, oh son, my flowing tears Nitocris
- Oh God of truth! oh faithful guide! … You, Gobrias, lead directly to the palace Cyrus
- Oh glorious prince! Persians
- Alternate hopes and fears distract my mind Nitocris
- Fain would I hope — is there not room for hope? … Can the black Aethiop change his skin? Nitocris, Daniel
- My hopes revive — here Arioch comes Nitocris, Arioch, Messenger
- Bel boweth down! Jews
- Martial Symphony
- To pow’r immortal my first thanks are due Gobrias
- Be it thy care, good Gobrias, to find out the queen … Destructive War, thy limits know Cyrus
- Great victor, at your feet I bow Nitocris, Cyrus
- Say, venerable prophet, is there aught in Cyrus’ pow’r Cyrus, Daniel
- Tell it out among the heathen, that the Lord is King … Yes, I will build thy city, God of Israel all, Cyrus
- I will magnify thee, oh God my king! all
These five splendid works for vocal soloists, chorus and orchestra were composed by Handel in the 1730s and 1740s. Treating both sacred and secular themes, they are inspired by the same dramatic genius that made Handel a master of opera. Conducting a dazzling array of soloists and Concentus Musicus Wien, the groundbreaking ensemble he established in the early 1950s, Nikolaus Harnoncourt unfolds their narratives with his customary flair, precision and immediacy.