G. F. Handel - HWV 75 - Alexander’s Feast

Ode in 2 parts: Part 1 0:00 - Overture 5:29 - Recitative: “T’was at the royal feast“ 6:24 - No. 1 Air: “Happy, happy, happy pair“ 10:40 - Recitative: “Timotheus, plac’d on high“ 12:20 - No. 2 Accompagnato: “The song began from Jove“ 13:13 - No. 3 Chorus: “The list’ning Crowd“ 15:37 - No. 4 Air: “With ravish’d ears“ 18:35 - Recitative: “The praise of Bacchus“ 19:12 - No. 5 Air and Chorus: “Bacchus, ever fair and young“ 23:51 - Recitative: “Sooth’d with the sound“ 24:29 - No. 6 Accompagnato: “He chose a mournful muse“ 25:28 - No. 7 Air: “He sung Darius great and good“ 27:46 - No. 8 Accompagnato: “With downcast looks“ 28:36 - No. 9 Chorus: “Behold Darius great and good“ 30:51 - Recitative: “The mighty master smil’d to see“ 32:22 - No. 10 Air: “Softly sweet“ 33:47 - No. 11 Air: “War, he sung, is toil and trouble“ 38:20 - No. 12 Chorus: “The many rend the skies“ 42:20 - No. 13 Air: “The Prince, unable to conceal his pain“ 47:47 - No. 14 Chorus: “The many rend the skies“ Part 2 51:51 - No. 15 Accompagnato: “Now strike the golden lyre“ 54:17 - No. 16 Air: “Revenge, revenge, Timotheus cries“ 1:01:56 - No. 17 Accompagnato: “Give the vengeance due“ 1:03:24 - No. 18 Air: “The princes applaud with a furious joy“ 1:05:26 - No. 19 Air and Chorus: “Thais led the way“ 1:10:25 - No. 20 Accompagnato and Chorus: “Thus, long ago“ 1:15:28 - Recitative: “Let old Timotheus yield the prize“ 1:15:51 - No. 21 Chorus: “Let old Timotheus yield the prize“ Composed in January 1736 to a libretto by Newburgh Hamilton, adapted from John Dryden’s ode “Alexander’s Feast, or The Power of Music“ from 1697. English composer Jeremiah Clarke set the original ode to music, but his score has been lost. It premiered at the Covent Garden Theatre on 19 February 1736, and included three concertos as orchestral interludes (HWV 294, 318 and 289). Performers: Gerlinde Sämann (soprano), Knut Schoch (tenor), Klaus Mertens (bass); Junge Kantorei, Frankfurt Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Joachim Carlos Martini.