Immerse yourself in the timeless elegance of George Frideric Handel's masterful composition, "Solomon, HWV 67," a captivating oratorio that stands as one of the composer's most celebrated works. This 2007 release, meticulously crafted by Harmonia Mundi, offers a comprehensive exploration of Handel's genius, spanning over two hours and thirteen minutes of exquisite choral and operatic brilliance.
"Solomon" is a testament to Handel's unparalleled ability to weave intricate melodies and profound lyrics into a cohesive and enchanting narrative. The oratorio, believed to be penned by an anonymous English Jewish poet, delves into the biblical story of King Solomon, bringing to life his wisdom, his reign, and his legendary judgment. Each of the 64 tracks on this album is a gem, from the stirring "Ouverture" that opens the work to the poignant arias and choruses that follow, showcasing the depth and breadth of Handel's musical prowess.
The performance features an ensemble of exceptional talent, including the renowned conductor Nicholas McGegan, leading the FestspielOrchester Göttingen. Vocalists Tim Mead, Dominique Labelle, and Claron McFadden lend their voices to bring the characters of Solomon, the Queen, and other pivotal figures to life, their performances imbued with passion and precision.
This album is not just a collection of songs but a journey through Handel's artistic vision. The orchestration is rich and textured, with each instrument playing a crucial role in the overall symphony. The choral arrangements are particularly noteworthy, demonstrating Handel's mastery of vocal harmony and his ability to evoke a range of emotions through music.
Whether you are a seasoned fan of classical music or a newcomer to the genre, "Solomon" offers a rich and rewarding listening experience. The album's meticulous production and the performers' dedication to authenticity make it a standout in Handel's extensive discography. Dive into the world of "Solomon" and let the timeless music of George Frideric Handel transport you to a realm of beauty and wisdom.
2007 harmonia mundi s.a.2007 harmonia mundi s.a.
Tracks
Solomon, HWV 67, Act I: No. 1 OuvertureGeorge Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss
Solomon, HWV 67, Act I Scene 1: No. 2 "Your harps and cymbals sound" (Chorus of Priests)George Frideric Handel, Daniel Reuss, RIAS Kammerchor, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Solomon, HWV 67, Act I Scene 1: No. 3 Air "Praise ye the Lord for all his mercies past" (Levite)George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, David Wilson-Johnson
Solomon, HWV 67, Act I Scene 1: No. 4 "With pious heart, and holy tongue" (Chorus of Priests)George Frideric Handel, RIAS Kammerchor, Daniel Reuss, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Solomon, HWV 67, Act I Scene 1: No. 5 Accompagnato "Almighty pow'r" (Solomon)George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, Sarah Connolly
Solomon, HWV 67, Act I Scene 1: No. 6 Recitative "Imperial Solomon" (Zadok)George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, Mark Padmore
Solomon, HWV 67, Act I Scene 1: No. 7 Air "Sacred raptures cheer my breast" (Zadok)George Frideric Handel, Mark Padmore, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss
Solomon, HWV 67, Act I Scene 1: No. 8 "Throughout the land Jehovah's praise record" (Chorus of Israelites)George Frideric Handel, RIAS Kammerchor, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss
Solomon: Act I, scene 1 - No.9 Recitative. Solomon "Bless'd be the Lord"George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Sarah Connolly, Daniel Reuss
Solomon, HWV 67, Act I Scene 1: No. 10 Air "What though I trace each herb and flow'r" (Solomon)George Frideric Handel, Daniel Reuss, Sarah Connolly, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Solomon, HWV 67, Act I Scene 2: No. 11 Recitative "And see my queen, my wedded love" (Solomon)George Frideric Handel, Daniel Reuss, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Sarah Connolly
Solomon, HWV 67, Act I Scene 2: No. 12 Air "Bless'd the day when first my eyes" (Queen)George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, Susan Gritton
Solomon, HWV 67, Act I Scene 2: No. 13 Recitative "Thou fair inhabitant of Nile" (Solomon, Queen)George Frideric Handel, Susan Gritton, Daniel Reuss, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Sarah Connolly
Solomon, HWV 67, Act I Scene 2: No. 14 Duet "Welcome as the dawn of the day" (Queen, Solomon)George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Susan Gritton, Daniel Reuss, Sarah Connolly
Solomon: Act I, scene 2 - No.17 Recitative. Solomon "My blooming fair"George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Sarah Connolly, Daniel Reuss
Solomon, HWV 67, Act I Scene 2: No. 18 Air "Haste, haste to the cedar grove" (Solomon)George Frideric Handel, Sarah Connolly, Daniel Reuss, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Solomon: Act I, scene 2 - No.19 Recitative. Queen "When thou art absent from my sight"George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Susan Gritton, Daniel Reuss
Solomon, HWV 67, Act I Scene 2: No. 20 Air "With thee th'unshelter'd moor I'd tread" (Queen)George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, Susan Gritton
Solomon: Act I, scene 2 - No.21 Recitative. Zadok "Search round the world"George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, Mark Padmore
Solomon, HWV 67, Act I Scene 2: No. 22 Chorus "May no rash intruder disturb their soft hours"George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, RIAS Kammerchor, Daniel Reuss
Solomon, HWV 67, Act II Scene 1: No. 23 "From the censer curling rise" (Chorus of Israelites)George Frideric Handel, RIAS Kammerchor, Daniel Reuss, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Solomon, HWV 67, Act II Scene 1: No. 24 Recitative "Prais'd be the Lord" (Solomon)George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, Sarah Connolly
Solomon, HWV 67, Act II Scene 1: No. 25 Air "When the sun o'er yonder hills" (Solomon)George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, Sarah Connolly
Solomon: Act II, scene 1 - No.26 Recitative. Levite "Great Prince, thy resolution's just"George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, David Wilson-Johnson
Solomon, HWV 67, Act II Scene 1: No. 27 Air "Thrice bless'd that wise discerning king" (Levite)George Frideric Handel, Daniel Reuss, David Wilson-Johnson, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Solomon, HWV 67, Act II Scene 3: No. 28 Recitative "My sovereign liege" (Attendant, Solomon) - "Thou son of David" (First Harlot)George Frideric Handel, Susan Gritton, Daniel Reuss, Mark Padmore, Sarah Connolly, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Solomon, HWV 67, Act II Scene 3: No. 29 Trio "Words are weak to paint my fears" (Solomon, two Harlots)George Frideric Handel, Daniel Reuss, Susan Gritton, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Carolyn Sampson, Sarah Connolly
Solomon, HWV 67, Act II Scene 3: No. 30 Recitative "What says the other to th'imputed charge?" (Solomon, second Harlot)George Frideric Handel, Sarah Connolly, Daniel Reuss, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Carolyn Sampson
Solomon, HWV 67, Act II Scene 3: No. 31 Air "Thy sentence, great king" (Second Harlot)George Frideric Handel, Carolyn Sampson, Daniel Reuss, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Solomon: Act II, scene 3 - No.32 Recitative. First Harlot "Withhold, withhold the executing hand"George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, Susan Gritton
Solomon, HWV 67, Act II Scene 3: No. 33 Air "Can I see my enfant gor'd" (First Harlot)George Frideric Handel, Daniel Reuss, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Susan Gritton
Solomon, HWV 67, Act II Scene 3: No. 34 Accompagnato "Israel, attend to what your king shall say" (Solomon)George Frideric Handel, Sarah Connolly, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss
Solomon, HWV 67, Act II Scene 3: No. 35 Duet "Thrice bless'd the king" ( First Harlot, Solomon)George Frideric Handel, Sarah Connolly, Susan Gritton, Daniel Reuss, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Solomon, HWV 67, Act II Scene 3: No. 36 "From the east unto the west" (Chorus of Israelites)George Frideric Handel, RIAS Kammerchor, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss
Solomon: Act II, scene 3 - No.37 Recitative. Zadok "From morn to eve I could enraptur'd sing"George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, Mark Padmore
Solomon, HWV 67, Act II Scene 3: No. 38 Air "See the tall palm that lifts the head" (Zadok)George Frideric Handel, Daniel Reuss, Mark Padmore, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Solomon: Act II, scene 3 - No.39 Recitative. First Harlot "No more shall armed bands our hopes destroy"George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, Susan Gritton
Solomon, HWV 67, Act II Scene 3: No. 40 Air "Beneath the vine, or fig-tree's shade" (First Harlot)George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, Susan Gritton
Solomon, HWV 67, Act II Scene 3: No. 41. "Swell, swell the full chorus to Solomon's praise" (Chorus of Priests)George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, RIAS Kammerchor
Solomon, HWV 67, Act III: No. 42 Symphony: Arrival of the Queen of ShebaGeorge Frideric Handel, Daniel Reuss, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Solomon, HWV 67, Act III: No. 43 Recitative "From Arabia's spicy shores" (Queen, Solomon)George Frideric Handel, Sarah Connolly, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, Carolyn Sampson
Solomon, HWV 67, Act III: No. 44 Air "Ev'ry sight these eyes behold" (Queen)George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, Carolyn Sampson
Solomon: Act III - No.45 Recitative. Solomon "Sweep, sweep the string"George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Sarah Connolly, Daniel Reuss
Solomon, HWV 67, Act III: No. 46 Solo "Music, spread thy voice around" (Solomon, Israelites)George Frideric Handel, Daniel Reuss, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, RIAS Kammerchor, Sarah Connolly
Solomon, HWV 67, Act III: No. 47 Solo "Now a diff'rent measure try" (Solomon, Israelites)George Frideric Handel, Daniel Reuss, Sarah Connolly, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, RIAS Kammerchor
Solomon, HWV 67, Act III: No. 48 Recitative "Then at once from rage remove" (Solomon)George Frideric Handel, Daniel Reuss, Sarah Connolly, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Solomon, HWV 67, Act III: No. 49 Chorus of Israelites "Draw the tear from hopeless love"George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, RIAS Kammerchor, Daniel Reuss
Solomon: Act III - No.50 Recitative. Solomon "Next the tortur'd soul release"George Frideric Handel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Daniel Reuss, Sarah Connolly
Solomon, HWV 67, Act III: No. 51 Solo "Thus rolling surges rise" (Solomon, Israelites)George Frideric Handel, Daniel Reuss, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Sarah Connolly, RIAS Kammerchor
Solomon, HWV 67, Act III: No. 52 Recitative "Thy harmony's divine, great king" (Queen)George Frideric Handel, Daniel Reuss, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Carolyn Sampson
George Frideric Handel, born in 1685 in Halle, Germany, is one of the most celebrated composers of the Baroque era, renowned for his enduring influence on classical music. His prolific career spanned various genres, including operas, oratorios, anthems, and concerti grossi. Handel's compositions, such as the iconic 'Water Music' and 'Music for the Royal Fireworks', continue to captivate audiences today. After settling in London in 1712, he became a prominent figure in British musical life, leaving an indelible mark on the country's cultural landscape. Handel's works are celebrated for their grandeur and emotional depth, making him a cornerstone of the Baroque period and a symbol of European musical heritage. His final resting place is in the south transept of Westminster Abbey, a testament to his enduring legacy.
Vinylscout
George Frideric Handel
