Georg Friedrich Händel: The Choice of Hercules
The Choice of Hercules
Mit weiteren Werken von:
Maurice Greene (1696-1755)
Mitwirkende:
Susan Gritton, Alice Coote, Robin Blaze, Charles Daniels, Choir of the King's Consort, The King's Consort, Robert King
CD
CD (Compact Disc)
Herkömmliche CD, die mit allen CD-Playern und Computerlaufwerken, aber auch mit den meisten SACD- oder Multiplayern abspielbar ist.
- +Greene: Hearken unto me, ye holy Children
- Künstler: Susan Gritton, Alice Coote, Robin Blaze, Charles Daniels, The King's Consort & Choir, Robert King
- Label: Hyperion, DDD, 2001
- Bestellnummer: 4874193
- Erscheinungstermin: 26.4.2002
Product-Information:
Robert King follows up his recent, resplendent, critically acclaimed reconstruction of the Coronation of King George II (CDA67286) with some more Handel, this time in the form of his lesser-known one-act dramatic cantata, The Choice of Hercules.
When Handel introduced English oratorios to London in the 1730s, he did not confine himself to sacred subjects, exploring also Classical myths, with texts based on Roman and Greek literature. The Choice of Hercules marks Handel's last realisation of a Classical tale. It started life in 1749 as music for Alceste, but the Covent Garden production was cancelled, leaving Handel with an hour of superb music on his hands. By the summer of 1750 he had adapted several numbers and added new ones, and in 1751 it premiered as ›an additional New Act‹ concluding a performance of the ode Alexander's Feast. Much of the music from the original conception (the story of a loyal wife who dies to save her husband and is subsequently rescued from the Underworld by Hercules) transferred easily to its new guise, for example the noble opening Sinfonia, originally intended to mark Hercules' return from the Underworld, now entirely apt for the entrance of the young Hercules in the new drama.
Hercules' choice is thus: on the verge of manhood, he is contemplating his future when two women appear to him. One, Vice, eager and seductive, shows him a path which seems to offer easy progress to a life of indolent pleasure. The other, tall and beautiful and identified as Virtue, warns Hercules that what is truly good can only be obtained through hard effort; and only then can Hercules gain supreme glory.
Also on this disc is an anthem by Maurice Greene, a contemporary of Handel, and by all accounts an arch rival, particularly when Handel was chosen above Greene by George II to write the new anthems for his coronation.
Full marks to Robert King who has assembled yet again a formidably superb collection of artists to perform this particularly attractive repertoire.
Rezensionen
»This is a lovely performance. All the soloists are in exceptionally good voice … Robert King directs proceedings with his spry confidence« (Evening Standard)
»Another major release from one of our most accomplished Baroque outfits« (Organists' Review)
»a glowing and altogether irresistible sound« (Fanfare, USA)
»excellent soloists … nicely pointed playing and singing from orchestra and chorus« (Early Music News)
Rezensionen
R. Emans in FonoForum 10/02: »Die sehr stringente Interpretation dieser qualitativ durchaus überzeugende Komposition lässt keine Wünsche offen.«- Tracklisting
- Details
- Mitwirkende
Disk 1 von 1 (CD)
The Choice Of Hercules Hwv 69 (Gesamtaufnahme)
- 1 Sinfonia
- 2 See, Hercules! How smiles yon myrtle plain (Accompagnato Rezitativ)
- 3 Come, blooming boy (Arie)
- 4 There the brisk sparkling nectar drain (Arie)
- 5 While for thy arms that beatuy glows (Solo mit Chor)
- 6 Away, mistaken wretch, away! (Rezitativ)
- 7 This manly youth's exalted mind (Arie)
- 8 Rise, youth! Exalt thyself and me! (Rezitativ)
- 9 Go, assert thy heav'nly race (Arie)
- 10 In peace, in war (Rezitativ)
- 11 So shalt thou gain immortal praise (Solo mit Chor)
- 12 Hearst thou, what dangers then thou must engage? (Rezitativ)
- 13 Turn thee, youth, to joy and love (Solo mit Chor)
- 14 Short is my way, fair, easy, smooth and plain (Rezitativ)
- 15 Yet, can I hear that dulcet lay (Arie)
- 16 Enjoy the sweet Elysian grove (Arie)
- 17 Oh! Whither, reason, dost thou fly? (Rezitativ)
- 18 Where shall I go? (Terzett)
- 19 Mount, mount the steep ascent (Rezitativ)
- 20 Mount, mount the steep ascent (Arie)
- 21 Arise! Mount the steep ascent (Chor)
- 22 The sounds breathe fire (Rezitativ)
- 23 Lead, goddess, lead the way! (Arie)
- 24 Virtue will place thee in that blest abode (Chor)
hearken unto me, ye holy children (Gesamtaufnahme)
- 25 Hearken unto me, ye holy children (Solo)
- 26 Magnify His name (Chor)
- 27 And in praising Him you shall say (Chor)
- 28 To be a father (Solo)
- 29 Therefore shall he receive a glorious kingdom (Duett)
- 30 How is he numb'red (Rezitativ)
- 31 His name shall endure for ever (Solo)
- 32 Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers (Chor)
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