Immerse yourself in the rich, dramatic world of George Frideric Handel's "Solomon," a captivating oratorio that masterfully blends the grandeur of opera with the spiritual depth of choral music. Released on October 23, 2007, by Harmonia Mundi, this album offers a sweeping journey through the biblical tale of King Solomon, filled with moments of profound reflection, intense drama, and exultant celebration.
Handel's "Solomon" is a three-act masterpiece that showcases his unparalleled ability to craft compelling narratives through music. The album spans a generous 2 hours and 13 minutes, providing a substantial and immersive listening experience. From the stirring overture to the triumphant final chorus, each track is a testament to Handel's genius, featuring a rich tapestry of arias, choruses, and recitatives that bring the story of Solomon's reign to life.
The album opens with the majestic "Overture," setting the stage for the dramatic and spiritual journey that follows. Throughout the three acts, you'll encounter a diverse range of musical styles and moods, from the solemn and reflective to the exuberant and celebratory. Standout pieces include the powerful "Sacred raptures cheer my breast" sung by Zadok, the tender duet "Welcome as the dawn of the day" between the Queen and Solomon, and the dramatic trio "Words are weak to paint my fears" featuring Solomon and the two Harlots.
Handel's "Solomon" is not just a showcase for his compositional prowess but also a testament to the skill of the performers. The album features a stellar cast of vocalists and instrumentalists who bring Handel's score to life with passion and precision. The choral sections, in particular, are a highlight, showcasing the powerful and nuanced singing of the chorus.
Whether you're a seasoned classical music enthusiast or a newcomer to the world of Handel, "Solomon" offers a rich and rewarding listening experience. This album is a must-listen for anyone interested in the works of George Frideric Handel or the rich tradition of Baroque oratorio.
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
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