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Handel was 63 years old when he composed Solomon, one of his final masterpieces. This monumental oratorio depicts the
three highpoints of the biblical king's life: the building of the temple, the famous judgment, and the visit of the Queen of
Sheba. With a dramatic instinct keener than ever, the composer did not hesitate to combine political and patriotic reflections
with exaltation of carnal love and celebration of earthly riches. This 'perfect marriage of music and English words', as Winton
Dean has called it, caused the composer serious financial difficulties in 1749 on account of the exceptional forces it required -
but today, under the baton of Daniel Reuss, it finds performers totally devoted to its noble cause!
CD 1
George Frideric Handel
SOLOMON
1 ACT ONENo.1 Overture 6'55
2 Scene 1No.2 Chorus of Priests Your harps and cymbals sound 3'40
3 No.3 Air. Levite Praise ye the Lord for all his mercies past 4'58
4 No.4 Chorus of Priests With pious heart, and holy tongue 4'44
5 No.5 Accompagnato. Solomon Almighty pow'r 3'15
6 No.6 Recitative. Zadok Imperial Solomon 0'32
7 No.7 Air. Zadok Sacred raptures cheer my breast 4'33
8 No.8 Chorus of Israelites Throughout the land Jehovah's praise record 3'51
9 No.9 Recitative. Solomon Bless'd be the Lord 0'26
10 No.10 Air. Solomon What though I trace each herb and flow'r 5'59
11 Scene 2No.11 Recitative. Solomon And see my queen, my wedded love 0'41
12 No.12 Air. Queen Bless'd the day when first my eyes 4'52
13 No.13 Recitative. Solomon, Queen Thou fair inhabitant of Nile 0'43
14 No.14 Duet. Queen, Solomon Welcome as the dawn of the day 3'28
15 No.17 Recitative. Solomon My blooming fair 0'09
16 No.18 Air. Solomon Haste, haste to the cedar grove 2'45
17 No.19 Recitative. Queen When thou art absent from my sight 0'15
18 No.20 Air. Queen With thee th'unshelter'd moor I'd tread 2'25
19 No.21 Recitative. Zadok Search round the world 0'11
20 No.22 Chorus May no rash intruder disturb their soft hours 4'25
21 ACT TWOScene 1No.23 Chorus of Israelites From the censer curling rise 5'20
22 No.24 Recitative. Solomon Prais'd be the Lord 0'54
23 No.25 Air. Solomon When the sun o'er yonder hills 4'05
24 No.26 Recitative. Levite Great Prince, thy resolution's just 0'19
25 No.27 Air. Levite Thrice bless'd that wise discerning king 3'24
26 Scene 2No.28 Recitative. Attendant, Solomon My sovereign liegeScene 3First Harlot Thou son of David, hear a mother's grief 1'51
27 No.29 Trio. Solomon, two Harlots Words are weak to paint my fears 5'17
CD 2
1 No.30 Recitative. Solomon, 2nd Harlot What says the other to th'imputed charge? 1'11
2 No.31 Air. Second Harlot Thy sentence, great king 1'56
3 No.32 Recitative. First Harlot Withhold, withhold the executing hand 0'11
4 No.33 Air. First Harlot Can I see my enfant gor'd 4'33
5 No.34 Accompagnato. Solomon Israel, attend to what your king shall say 1'31
6 No.35 Duet. First Harlot, Solomon Thrice bless'd the king 3'06
7 No.36 Chorus of Israelites From the east unto the west 2'54
8 No.37 Recitative. Zadok From morn to eve I could enraptur'd sing 0'17
9 No.38 Air. Zadok See the tall palm that lifts the head 5'46
10 No.39 Recitative. First Harlot No more shall armed bands our hopes destroy 0'19
11 No.40 Air. First Harlot Beneath the vine, or fig-tree's shade 6'27
12 No.41 Chorus of Priests Swell, swell the full chorus to Solomon's praise 3'10
13 ACT THREENo.42 Symphony: arrival of the Queen of Sheba 2'52
14 No.43 Recitative. Queen of Sheba, Solomon From Arabia's spicy shores 1'10
15 No.44 Air. Queen of Sheba Ev'ry sight these eyes behold 4'42
16 No.45 Recitative. Solomon Sweep, sweep the string 0'13
17 No.46 Solo. Solomon and Israelites Music, spread thy voice around 2'31
18 No.47 Solo. Solomon and Israelites Now a diff'rent measure try 1'53
19 No.48 Recitative. Solomon Then at once from rage remove 0'31
20 No.49 Chorus of Israelites Draw the tear from hopeless love 2'51
21 No.50 Recitative. Solomon Next the tortur'd soul release 0'15
22 No.51 Solo. Solomon and Israelites Thus rolling surges rise 3'42
23 No.52 Recitative Queen of Sheba Thy harmony's divine, great king 1'01
24 No.53 Recitative. Zadok Thrice happy king, to have achiev'd 0'39
25 No.54 Air. Zadok Golden columns, fair and bright 3'17
26 No.55 Recitative. Solomon Gold now is common on our happy shore 0'25
27 No.56 Air. Solomon How green our fertile pastures look 2'39
28 No.57 Recitative. Queen of Sheba May peace in Salem ever dwell! 0'40
29 No.58 Air. Queen of Sheba Will the sun forget to streak 6'22
30 No.59 Recitative. Solomon Adieu, fair queen, and in thy breast 0'17
31 No.60 Duet. Queen of Sheba, Solomon Ev'ry joy that wisdom knows 2'52
32 No.61 Double Chorus Praise the Lord with harp and tongue! 4'21 |
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