Experience the timeless elegance of George Frideric Handel's masterful oratorio, "Solomon," a captivating exploration of monarchy and wisdom through the lens of one of history's most enigmatic figures. Composed in 1749, this late work from the esteemed Baroque composer showcases his unparalleled skill in blending dramatic narrative with sublime choral and orchestral writing.
"Solomon" is not merely an opera but a profound meditation on power, justice, and the human condition. The work is structured in three acts, each filled with a rich tapestry of arias, duets, choruses, and recitatives that bring to life the biblical tales of King Solomon's reign. From the grand opening overture to the intricate vocal ensembles, every moment is imbued with Handel's distinctive musical genius.
This 2007 recording, released by Harmonia Mundi, captures the essence of Handel's vision with a stellar cast of vocalists and the precise orchestration that honors the composer's original intentions. The album spans over two hours, offering a comprehensive journey through Solomon's wisdom, his love for his queen, and his judicious rule. Highlights include the stirring chorus "Your harps and cymbals sound," the tender duet "Welcome as the dawn of the day," and the dramatic trio "Words are weak to paint my fears."
"Solomon" is a testament to Handel's enduring legacy, providing a window into the opulence and intrigue of the 18th-century court. Whether you are a seasoned enthusiast of Baroque music or a newcomer to Handel's works, this album promises an enriching and immersive experience. Dive into the world of King Solomon and discover the timeless allure of Handel's musical storytelling.
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
