Artist: Handel
Title Of Album: Saul / Alexander s Feast / The Choice of Hercules [Box set]
(Allen, Morrell, Best, Harper, Watts, Bowman, Donath – Ledger)
Year Of Release: 2002
Label: Virgin Classics
Genre: Baroque Oratorio
WebSite: Amazon

Handel – Saul / Alexander s Feast / The Choice of Hercules [Box set] – 2002

Saul, oratorio, HWV 53

CD1
1 Act 1. Sinfonia. Allegro – Larghetto – Allegro – Andante larghetto 12:53
2 Act 1. Chorus. How excellent thy name, oh Lord 3:17
3 Act 1. Aria. An infant rais d by thy command 1:27
4 Act 1. Chorus. Along the monster atheist strode 1:13
5 Act 1. Chorus. The youth inspir d by Thee, oh Lord 3:25
6 Act 1. Chorus. Hallelujah 2:04
7 Act 1. Recitativo. He comes, he comes! 0:05
8 Act 1. Aria. Oh god-like youth! 3:22
9 Act 1. Recitativo. Behold, oh king 0:58
10 Act 1. Aria. Oh king, your favours with delight 6:24
11 Act 1. Aria. Recitativo. Oh early piety 0:30
12 Act 1. Aria. What abject thoughts a prince can have! 2:28
13 Act 1. Recitativo. Yet think, on whom this honour you bestow 0:18
14 Act 1. Aria. Birth and fortune I despise! 5:10
15 Act 1. Recitativo. Thou, Merab, first in birth 0:24
16 Act 1. Aria. My soul rejects the thought with scorn 1:33
17 Act 1. Aria. See, see with what a scornful air 1:11
18 Act 1. Ah! Lovely youth 1:00
19 Act 1. Sinfonia. Andante – Allegro 1:15
20 Act 1. Recitativo. Already see the daughters of the land 0:22
21 Act 1. Chorus. Welcome, welcome, mighty king! 1:42
22 Act 1. Accompagnato. What do I hear? 0:23
23 Act 1. Chorus. David his ten thousands slew 0:38
24 Act 1. Accompagnato. To him ten thousands 0:14
25 Act 1. Aria. With rage I shall burst 1:23
26 Act 1. Recitativo. Imprudent women! 0:56
27 Act 1. Aria. Fell rage and black despair possess d 3:24
28 Act 1. Recitativo. Rack d with infernal pains 0:20
29 Act 1. Aria. O Lord, whose mercies numberless 4:01
30 Act 1. Sinfonia (harp solo) 1:48
31 Act 1. Recitativo. Tis all in vain 0:23
32 Act 1. Aria. A serpent, in my bosom warm d 2:09
33 Act 1. Recitativo. Has he escap d my rage? 0:25
34 Act 1. Aria. Capricious man, in humour lost 4:20
35 Act 1. Accompagnato. Oh filial piety! Oh sacred friendship! 1:50
36 Act 1. Aria. No, no cruel father, no! 1:48
37 Act 1. Chorus. Preserve him for the glory of thy name 3:02

CD2
1 Act 2. Chorus. Envy! eldest born of hell! 2:59
2 Act 2. Recitativo. Ah! dearest friend 0:36
3 Act 2. Aria. But sooner Jordan s stream 2:26
4 Act 2. Recitativo. Oh strange vicissitude! 0:48
5 Act 2. Aria. Such haughty beauties rather move 5:17
6 Act 2. Recitativo. My father comes 0:14
7 Act 2. Recitativo. Hast thou obey d my orders 0:38
8 Act 2. Aria. Sin not, oh king, against the youth 2:01
9 Act 2. Aria. As great Jehovah lives 1:49
10 Act 2. Aria. From cities storm d 2:19
11 Act 2. Recitativo. Appear, my friend 0:36
12 Act 2. Aria. Your words, oh king 1:13
13 Act 2. Recitativo. Yes, he shall wed my daughter! 0:29
14 Act 2. Recitativo. A father s will has authoriz d my love 0:35
15 Act 2. Duet. Oh fairest of ten thousand fair 3:17
16 Act 2. Chorus. Is there a man 1:50
17 Act 2. Sinfonia. Largo – Allegro 5:21
18 Act 2. Recitativo. Thy father is as cruel 0:35
19 Act 2. Duet. At persecution I can laugh 1:30
20 Act 2. Recitativo. Whom dost thou seek? 0:41
21 Act 2. Aria. No, no, let the guilty tremble 2:04
22 Act 2. Sinfonia. Allegro 1:23
23 Act 2. Accompagnato. The time at length is come 0:39
24 Act 2. Recitativo. Where is the son of Jesse? 1:13 4:35

CD3
1 Act 3. Accompagnato. Wretch that I am! 2:33
2 Act 3. Recitativo. Tis said, here lives a woman 0:55
3 Act 3. Recitativo. With me what would st thou? 0:49
4 Act 3. Aria. Infernal spirits 1:54
5 Act 3. Accompagnato. Why hast thou forc d me 3:44
6 Act 3. Sinfonia. Allegro 0:46
7 Act 3. Recitativo. Whence comst thou? 1:06
8 Act 3. Aria. Impious wretch 1:56
9 Act 3. Sinfonia. Grave (Dead March) 4:08
10 Act 3. Chorus. Mourn, Israel 3:32
11 Act 3. Aria. Oh let us not in Gath be heard 2:48
12 Act 3. Aria. From this unhappy day 2:51
13 Act 3. Aria. Brave Jonathan 0:30
14 Act 3. Chorus. Eagles were not so swift as they 0:25
15 Act 3. Aria. In sweetest harmony they liv d 4:28
16 Act 3. Solo & chorus. Oh fatal day! 4:04
17 Act 3. Recitativo. Ye men of Judah, weep no more! 0:33
18 Act 3. Chorus. Gird on they sword 6:32

Alexander s Feast, ode for St. Cecilia s Day, HWV 75

CD4
1 Part 1. Overture 6:31
2 Part 1. Recitativo. Twas at the royal feast 1:04
3 Part 1. Aria & chorus. Happy, happy, happy pair! 4:43
4 Part 1. Recitativo. Timotheus, plac d on high 0:30
5 Part 1. Accompagnato. The song began from Jove 1:02
6 Part 1. Chorus. The list ning crowd 2:02
7 Part 1. Aria. With ravish d ears 3:50
8 Part 1. Recitativo. The praise of Bacchus 0:39
9 Part 1. Aria & chorus. Bacchus, ever fair and young 5:03
10 Part 1. Recitativo. Sooth d with the sound 0:45
11 Part 1. Accompagnato. He chose a mournful muse 1:27
12 Part 1. Aria. He sung Darius, great and good 3:06
13 Part 1. Accompagnato. With downcast looks 1:14
14 Part 1. Chorus. Behold Darius great and good 2:38
15 Part 1. Recitativo. The mighty master, smil d to see 0:32
16 Part 1. Arioso. Softly sweet in Lydian measures 3:08
17 Part 1. Aria. War, he sung, is toil and trouble 4:40
18 Part 1. Chorus. The many rend the skies 4:45
19 Part 1. Aria. The prince, unable to conceal his pain 6:57
20 Part 1. Chorus [da capo]. The many rend the skies 4:49
21 Part 2. Accompagnato & chorus. Now strike the golden lyre again 8:37
22 Part 2. Aria. Revenge, revenge, Timotheus cries 2:03
23 Part 2. Accompagnato. Give this vengeance due 1:31
24 Part 2. Aria. The princes applaud 2:58

CD5
1 Part 2. Aria & chorus. Thais led the way 5:20
2 Part 2. Accompagnato & chorus. Thus, long ago 5:04
3 Part 2. Recitativo. Let old Timotheus yield the prize 0:30
4 Part 2. Soli & chorus. Let old Timotheus yield the prize 3:54
5 Part 2. Recitativo. Your voices tune 0:38
6 Part 2. Duet. Let s imitate her notes above 2:48
7 Part 2. Chorus. Your voices tune and raise 3:04

The Choice of Hercules, oratorio, HWV 69

CD5
8 Sinfonia 1:08
9 Recitativo. See, Hercules! 1:48
10 Aria. Come, blooming boy 1:57
11 Aria. There the brisk sparkling nectar drain 2:28
12 Aria & chorus. While for thy arms 2:30
13 Recitativo. Away, mistaken wretch! 0:28
14 Aria. This manly youth s exalted mind 6:15
15 Recitativo. Rise, youth! exalt thyself and me 0:18
16 Aria. Go, assert thy heav nly race 2:43
17 Recitativo. In peace, in war 0:20
18 Chorus. So shalt thou gain immortal praise 2:25
19 Recitativo. Hear st thou, what dangers 0:37
20 Aria & chorus. Turn thee, youth, to joy and love 2:34
21 Recitativo. Short is my way – Oh cease, enchanting siren! 0:38
22 Aria. Yet can I hear that dulcet lay 3:41
23 Aria. Enjoy the sweet Elysian grove 2:22
24 Recitativo. Oh! whither, Reason, dost thou fly? 0:15
25 Trio. Where shall I go? 2:22
26 Recitativo. Mount, mount the steep ascent! 0:42
27 Aria. Mount, mount the steep ascent! 1:36
28 Chorus. Arise, arise! 2:18
29 Recitativo. The sounds breathe fire celestial 0:17
30 Aria. Lead, Goddess, lead the way! 5:15
31 Chorus. Virtue will place thee 5:29