The Handel Concert

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 22 October 2006 05:56:27

...was a huge success. We were competing with another choir who managed to schedule their concert on at the same date/time as ours but we still had a packed house. There were no vacant seats and the audience was very responsive. We were once again recorded by the local radio station and, once again, dear Ian drove all the way just to see the concert.

The choir and a chamber orchestra presented a 'guide to Handel's oratorios' which involved selections from each of the oratorios (in chronological order). The program was as follows:

1. Chorus: Wretched Lovers (Acis and Galatea)
2. Chorus: Ye Sons of Israel Mourn (Esther)
3. Recit and Chorus: Ye Sons of Israel, Cease Your Tears/O Blast, With Thy Tremendous Brow (Deborah)
4. Double Chorus and Solo - The Mighty Pow'r (Athalia)
5. Recit and Aria: He Chose A Mournful Muse/He sung Darius, Great and Good (Alexander's Feast)
6. Chorus: Behold, Darius Great and Good (Alexander's Feast)
7. Chorus: Envy, Eldest Born of Hell (Saul)
8. Recit and Chorus: Ye Men of Judah, Weep No More/Gird on thy Sword (Saul)
9. Double Chorus: He Gave Them Hailstones (Israel in Egypt)
10. Aria and Chorus: Haste Thee Nymph (L'Allegro, Il Penserioso, e il Moderato)
11. Duet: O Death, Where is Thy Sting? (Messiah)
12. Aria: Let the Bright Seraphim (Samson)
13. Chorus: Fixed in his Everlasting Seat (Samson)
14. Recit and Chorus: Again Auspicious Flames Arise/Cease, Cease your Vows (Semele)
15. Aria: O Lovely Youth (Joseph and His Brethren)
16. Chorus: Wanton God of Amorous Fire (Hercules)
INTERVAL
17. Chorus: Ye Tutelar Gods (Belshazzar)
18. Aria: O Lord, How Many Are My Foes (Occasional Oratorio)
19. Chorus: Fall'n is the Foe (Judas Maccabaeus)
20. Aria and Chorus: O thou Bright Orb (Joshua)
21. Aria: Thrice Happy the Monarch (Alexander Balus)
22. Chorus: The Cause is Decided (Susanna)
23. Chorus: From the East Unto the West (Solomon)
24. Duet: Whither, Princess, Do You Fly? (Theodora)
25. Aria and Chorus: While for thy Arms (The Choice of Hercules)
26. Chorus: How Dark, O Lord, Are Thy Decrees (Jephtha)
27 Chorus: No more to Ammon's God and King/Chemosh No More (Jephtha)
28. Chorus and Solo: Time is Supreme (Triumph of Time and Truth)
29. Aria: Like Clouds, Stormy Winds them Impelling (Triumph of Time and Truth)
30. Chorus: Hallelujah (Triumph of Time and Truth)

The next thing I have to prepare for is tomorrow's reception with HRH the Prince of Orange and HRH Princess Maxima of the Netherlands.

then.... my big trip overseas in a week and a half!