Product Overview
Händel: Jephtha - Ainsley, George, Denley, Oelze, Köhler, Gooding, RIAS-Kammerchor, Akademie Für Alte Musik Berlin, Marcus Creed / Berlin Classics 3x Audio CD 1994 / BC 1057-2
UPC 782124105723
Jephtha (HWV 70) is an oratorio (1751) by George Frideric Handel with an English language libretto by the Rev. Thomas Morell, based on the story of Jephtha in Judges (Chapter 11) and Jephthes, sive Votum (Jeptha, or the Vow) (1554) by George Buchanan. Whilst writing Jephtha, Handel was increasingly troubled by his gradual loss of sight, and this proved to be his last oratorio. In the autograph score, at the end of the chorus "How dark, O Lord, are thy decrees" he wrote "Reached here on 13 February 1751, unable to go on owing to weakening of the sight of my left eye."
The story revolves around Jephtha's rash promise to the Almighty that if he is victorious, he will sacrifice the first creature he meets on his return. He is met by his beloved daughter Iphis. However, an angel intervenes to stop the sacrifice, and Iphis only needs to dedicate her life to the Lord. This is an unusual interpretation of the Bible story, although one which has been current since the Middle Ages. The more common interpretation is that Jephthah chooses to sacrifice his daughter, but a short reprieve is arranged, after which Iphis dutifully returns and is killed.
Staged performance of material based on biblical subjects was forbidden in Great Britain at the time the work was premiered. Handel's final masterpiece was presented at Covent Garden Theatre on 26 February 1752, with the composer conducting, and with a cast that included John Beard as Jephtha and two divas of the opera stage, Giulia Frasi, Handel's prima donna since 1749, and Caterina Galli. It was presented without scenery or costumes and divided into three acts.
Today the work is recognised as one of Handel's most sublime masterpieces and is sometimes fully staged as an opera.
| Label: | Berlin Classics – BC 1057-2 |
|---|---|
| Format: |
3 x CD, Album
|
| Country: | Europe |
| Released: |
1994 |
| Genre: | Classical |
| Style: | Baroque, Oratorio |
Tracklist:
| Jephtha, Oratorio, HWV 70 | |||
| 1-1 | Overture | 5:30 | |
| 1-2 | Menuet | 1:37 | |
|
Act 1 |
|||
| 1-3 | Accompagnato (Zebul): It Must Be So | 1:30 | |
| 1-4 | Air (Zebul): Pour Forth No More | 4:58 | |
| 1-5 | Chorus: No More To Ammon's God And King | 2:39 | |
| 1-6 | Recitative (Zebul, Jephtha): But Jephtha Comes | 1:05 | |
| 1-7 | Air (Jephtha): Virtue On My Soul Shall Still Embrace | 4:07 | |
| 1-8 | Recitative (Storge): Twill Be A Painful Separation | 0:30 | |
| 1-9 | Air (Storge): In Getle Murmurs Will I Mourn | 5:10 | |
| 1-10 | Recitative (Hamor): Happy This Embassy | 0:51 | |
| 1-11 | Air (Hamor): Dull Delay, In Piercing Anguish | 3:05 | |
| 1-12 | Recitative (Iphis): Ill Suits The Voice Of Love | 0:30 | |
| 1-13 | Air (Iphis): Take The Heart You Fondly Gave | 3:57 | |
| 1-14 | Recitative (Hamor): I Go, My Soul | 0:31 | |
| 1-15 | Duet (Iphis, Hamor): These Labours Past, How Happy We | 5:47 | |
| 1-16 | Recitative (Jephtha): What Mean These Doubtful Fancies | 0:56 | |
| 1-17 | Accompagnetto (Jephtha): If, Lord, Sustained | 1:10 | |
| 1-18 | Chorus: O God, Behold Our Sore Distress | 4:10 | |
| 1-19 | Recitative (Storge): Some Dire Event | 0:28 | |
| 1-20 | Air (Storge): Scenes Of Horror, Scenes Of Woe | 4:17 | |
| 1-21 | Recitative (Iphis, Storge): Say, My Dear Mother | 0:59 | |
| 1-22 | Air (Iphis): The Smiling Dawn Of Happy Days | 3:18 | |
| 1-23 | Recitative (Zebul, Jephtha): Such, Jephtha, WAs The Haughty King's Reply | 0:29 | |
| 1-24 | Chorus: When His Loud Voice In Thunder Spoke | 4:20 | |
|
Act 2 |
|||
| 2-1 | Recitative (Hamor): Glad Things Of Great Joy | 1:19 | |
| 2-2 | Chorus: Cherub And Seraphim | 3:07 | |
| 2-3 | Air (Hamor): Up The Dreadful Steep Ascending | 4:33 | |
| 2-4 | Recitative (Iphis): Tis Well, Haste, Haste, Ye Maidens | 0:23 | |
| 2-5 | Air (Iphis): Tune The Soft Melodious Lute | 4:19 | |
| 2-6 | Recitative (Jephtha): Heav'n Smiles Once More | 0:33 | |
| 2-7 | Air (Jephtha): His Mighty Arm | 5:26 | |
| 2-8 | Chorus: In Glory High | 2:24 | |
| 2-9 | Symphony | 1:13 | |
| 2-10 | Recitative (Iphis): Hail, Glorious Conqueror | 0:24 | |
| 2-11 | Air (Iphis) And Chorus: Welcome, As The Cheerful Light | 3:57 | |
| 2-12 | Recitative (Jephtha): Horror! Confusion! | 0:26 | |
| 2-13 | Air (Jephtha): Open Thy Marble Jaws, O Tomb | 4:32 | |
| 2-14 | Recitative (Zebul, Jephtha): Why Is My Brother Thus Afflicted? | 1:06 | |
| 2-15 | Accompagnato And Arioso (Storge): First Perish Thou | 2:07 | |
| 2-16 | Recitative (Hamor): If Such Thy Cruel Purpose | 0:23 | |
| 2-17 | Air (Hamor): On Me Let Blind Mistaken Zeal | 1:36 | |
| 2-18 | Quartet (Storge, Hamor, Jephtha, Zebul): O Spare Your Daughter! | 2:47 | |
| 2-19 | Recitative (Iphis): Such News Flies Swift | 0:30 | |
| 2-20 | Accompagnato (Iphis): For Joys So Vast | 0:49 | |
| 2-21 | Air (Iphis): Happy They! | 3:40 | |
| 2-22 | Accompagnato (Jephtha): Deeper And Deeper Still | 3:37 | |
| 2-23 | Chorus: How Dark, O Lord, Are Thy Decrees! | 7:09 | |
|
Act 3 |
|||
| 3-1 | Arioso (Jephtha): Hide Thou Thy Hated Beams | 2:40 | |
| 3-2 | Accompagnato (Jephtha): A Father, Off'ring Up | 0:26 | |
| 3-3 | Air (Jephtha): Waft Her, Angels | 4:06 | |
| 3-4 | Accompagnato (Iphis): Ye Sacred Priests | 0:35 | |
| 3-5 | Air (Iphis): Farewell, Ye Limpid Springs | 5:02 | |
| 3-6 | Chorus (Priests): Doubtful Fear And Reverend Awe | 3:42 | |
| 3-7 | Symphony | 1:54 | |
| 3-8 | Recitative (Angel): Rise, Jephtha | 1:10 | |
| 3-9 | Air (Angel): Happy, Iphis, Shalt Thou Live | 4:42 | |
| 3-10 | Arioso (Jephtha): For Ever Blessed Be | 1:31 | |
| 3-11 | Chorus: Theme Sublime | 3:25 | |
| 3-12 | Recitative (Zebul): Let Me Congratulate | 0:30 | |
| 3-13 | Air (Zebul): Laud Her, All Ye Virgin Train | 2:16 | |
| 3-14 | Recitative (Storge): O Let Me Fold Thee | 0:20 | |
| 3-15 | Air (Storge): Sweet As Sight To The Blind | 1:56 | |
| 3-16 | Recitative (Hamor): With Transport, Iphis | 0:21 | |
| 3-17 | Recitative (Iphis): My Faithful Hamor | 0:15 | |
| 3-18 | Duet (Hamor, Iphis) And Quintet (Iphis, Hamor, Storge, Jephtha, Zebul): All That Is In Hamor Mine |
3:36 | |
| 3-19 | Chorus: Ye House Of Gilead | 3:21 |
- Bass Vocals [Zebul] – Michael George (3)
- Choir – RIAS-Kammerchor
- Composed By – George Frideric Handel
- Conductor – Marcus Creed
- Countertenor Vocals [Hamor] – Axel Köhler
- Liner Notes – Donald Teeters
- Mezzo-soprano Vocals [Storge] – Catherine Denley
- Orchestra – Akademie Für Alte Musik Berlin
- Soprano Vocals [Angel] – Julia Gooding
- Soprano Vocals [Iphis] – Christiane Oelze
- Tenor Vocals [Jephtha] – John Mark Ainsley
