HANDEL Israel in Egypt

Home , Israel in Egypt, Le Concert Spirituel, Occasional Oratorio

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The Grand River Baroque Festival Artistic Director Kevin Mallon HANDEL 2 CDs Israel in Egypt Albino • Brown • Enns Modolo • Mahon McLeod • Nedecky • Roach • Such • Watson

The Grand River flows 300 kilometres through southwestern Ontario from the highlands of Dufferin County to Port Maitland on Lake Erie. It lends its name to a region outside of the city of Kitchener, Ontario, where an annual Aradia Ensemble • Kevin Mallon Baroque Festival has taken place since 2002. Each summer in the small village of Ayr, Ontario, a series of concerts brings the rich heritage and diversity of the Baroque repertoire to audiences in the region. (Ayr’s other international claim to fame is as a location for the Kate Hudson / Matthew McConaughey movie “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”).

The Grand River Baroque Festival plays host to Baroque musicians of international stature as well as promising young talents. It began as an informal event, the brainchild of oboist James Mason and violinist Julie Baumgartel, the Festival’s founder directors. It was their vision to bring Baroque music to the beautiful Ontario countryside with performances taking place in a barn, which unlikely as it sounds has beautiful acoustics. Under the direction of “Jim and Julie”, the festival grew in size and stature, with notable performances of Bach’s B minor Mass and St Matthew Passion under their direction. Concerts recorded by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation have been a feature of the festival.

In 2006, Kevin Mallon was appointed Artistic Director of the Festival with the Aradia Ensemble acting as orchestra in residence. Under his guidance the festival continues to flourish, with creative programming and audience development. A Mozart celebration was one of the highlights of 2006 as well as a performance by Aradia of Handel’s Water Music (in part a celebration of their award winning Naxos recording: Naxos 8.557764). A large variety of styles from chamber music to choral, to contemporary music written for baroque instruments has been a feature of the concert program in the last few years. One notable concert in the 2007 Grand River Baroque Festival was of Handel’s Israel in Egypt – the start of larger project of performances leading to the present recording of the work.

The Aradia Ensemble is grateful to the Grand River Baroque Festival for its financial support of this recording.

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George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) Kevin Mallon Israel in Egypt The Irish musician Kevin Mallon, now resident in Canada, is quickly developing a world- CD 1 wide reputation. With an impressive background that includes conducting studies with John Eliot Gardiner, composition with Peter Maxwell Davies, with training at Chetham’s School Part I: The Lamentation of the Israelites Part II: The Exodus of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and at Dartington College for the death of Joseph $ Recitative: Now there arose a new king 0:26 of Arts, he learnt his craft as a violinist with such orchestras as the Hallé and the BBC 1 Symphony 2:20 over Egypt (Bud Roach, Tenor) Philharmonic, and later as concert-master with Le Concert Spirituel and Les Arts Florissants 2 Chorus: The sons of Israel do mourn 4:02 % Alto Solo and Chorus: 3:11 in Paris. With these groups he has recorded extensively and toured the world. He has 3 Chorus: How is the mighty fall’n I 1:47 And the children of Israel sighed performed concerts all over Europe, including Vienna, London, Berlin and Paris, with 4 Chorus: He put on righteousness 1:59 (Peter Mahon, Countertenor) appearances in Russia, the Baltic States, China, Japan, New Zealand, the United States and 5 Quartet: When the ear heard him 3:33 ^ Recitative: Then sent He Moses, His servant 0:25 Canada. (Jennie Such, Soprano; Jennifer Enns Modolo, Alto; (Bud Roach, Tenor) Before moving to Canada to take up positions with the University of Toronto and the Nils Brown, Tenor; Sean Watson, Bass) & Chorus: They loathed to drink of the river 1:52 Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Kevin Mallon was active in both his native Ireland and throughout Europe. He was 6 Chorus: How is the mighty fall’n II 0:44 * Air: Their land brought forth frogs 2:19 conductor of the Irish Baroque Orchestra as well as the Musical Director of the Harty Ensemble in Belfast. He also 7 Duet and Chorus: He deliver’d the 5:31 (Jennifer Enns Modolo, Alto) conducted numerous orchestras and opera companies in Ireland, including the Ulster Orchestra, Castleward Opera poor that cried ( Chorus: He spake the word 2:09 and the National Chamber Choir. (Laura Albino and Eve Rachel McLeod, Sopranos) ) Chorus: He gave them hailstones for rain 2:14 Kevin Mallon formed and became the Music Director of the Aradia Ensemble in 1996. This vocal and 8 Chorus: How is the mighty fall’n III 0:50 ¡ Chorus: He sent a thick darkness 2:40 instrumental group has achieved extraordinary successes. They have made numerous recordings for Naxos, all of 9 Quartet: The righteous shall be had 3:48 over all the land which have received international praise. The ensemble was featured in 2000 at the New Zealand International in everlasting remembrance ™ Chorus: He smote all the first-born of Egypt 2:22 Chamber Music Festival, and in 2003 at the Musica nel Chiostro festival in Tuscany. (Laura Albino, Soprano; £ Chorus: But as for his people, he led them 4:16 Although Kevin Mallon specialises in music of the Baroque period, he is in demand to conduct a wide Jennifer Enns Modolo, Alto; Nils Brown, Tenor; forth like sheep repertoire. As part of his recording contract with Naxos, he is Music Director of the Toronto Chamber Orchestra, a Sean Watson, Bass; Chorus) ¢ Chorus: Egypt was glad when they departed 2:10 group made up of some of Toronto's best orchestral musicians, with whom he has already made fifteen recordings. 0 Chorus: Their bodies are buried in peace 4:22 ∞ Chorus: He rebuked the Red Sea, 0:30 Having conducted Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress and Lucas et Cécile by the Canadian Joseph Quesnel with ! Chorus: The people will tell of their wisdom 1:54 and it was dried up the contemporary opera company Opera Anonymous, in recent years Mr. Mallon has formed an association with @ Quartet: They shall receive a 4:12 § Chorus: He led them through the deep 1:15 Toronto’s Opera in Concert having conducted Handel’s Semele, Rinaldo and Tamerlano, Vivaldi’s Griselda, glorious kingdom ¶ Chorus: But the waters overwhelmed 1:06 Rameau’s Castor et Pollux and Mozart’s Zaide with the company. He has also developed a speciality in Viennese (Jennie Such, Soprano; Jennifer Enns Modolo, Alto; their enemies Operetta, having conducting many productions for Toronto Operetta Theatre. Bud Roach, Tenor; Sean Watson, Bass) • Chorus: And Israel saw that great work 0:10 Engagements as a guest conductor have taken him to Finland, Sweden, Poland and the United States. He has # Chorus: The merciful goodness of the Lord 5:23 ª Chorus: And believed the Lord and 2:32 recently taken up the position of Music Director of Opera 2005 in Cork, Ireland, conducting a series of operas as endureth forever His servant Moses part of Cork's tenure as European Capital of Culture. This opera company has already achieved remarkable success and has twice been nominated for Best Opera Production in the prestigious Irish Times Theatre Awards. Also interested in Irish music, he is a member of the Toronto-based traditional group Dulaman. Kevin Mallon has made over forty recordings for Naxos in Baroque and Classical repertoire.

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Aradia Ensemble CD 2

One of the most exciting new groups to emerge in the early music Part III: Moses’ Song world, the Toronto-based Aradia Ensemble specialises in presenting an 1 Chorus: Moses and the children of Israel 0:54 ^ Duet: Thou in Thy mercy hast 4:05 eclectic blend of orchestral, operatic and chamber music played on sung this song led forth thy people original instruments.The group records for Naxos and has made more 2 Chorus: I will sing unto the Lord 2:30 (Jennifer Enns Modolo, Alto; Bud Roach, Tenor) than 30 recordings. They have made two music videos, one film 3 Duet: The Lord is my strength and my song 3:57 & Chorus: The people shall hear, and be afraid 4:32 soundtrack, have collaborated with Isadora Duncan and Baroque (Jennie Such and Eve Rachel McLeod, Sopranos) * Air: Thou shallt bring them in 3:19 dancers, have co-produced opera and worked with Balinese Gamelan. 4 Chorus: He is my God 0:42 (Jennifer Enns Modolo, Alto) While focusing heavily on the repertoire of seventeenth-century France 5 Chorus: And I will exalt Him 2:16 ( Chorus: The Lord shall reign 1:36 and England, Aradia also performs works by the Italian and German 6 Duet: The Lord is a man of war 6:06 for ever and ever I masters of the baroque, as well as contemporary pieces commissioned (Sean Watson and Jason Nedecky, Basses) Recitative: For the horse of Pharao went in by the group. In July 2000 Aradia was the featured ensemble in 7 Chorus: The depths have covered them 1:35 (Bud Roach, Tenor) residence at the New Zealand Chamber Music Festival and in July 8 Chorus: Thy right hand, O Lord, 1:31 Chorus: The Lord shall reign 2003 performed at Musica nel Chiostro in Tuscany. According to Robert Graves, Aradia was the daughter of Apollo’s is become glorious for ever and ever II twin sisters. She was sent by the gods to teach mankind to order the music of the natural world into song. 9 Chorus: And in the greatness 0:25 ) Recitative: And Miriam the prophetess 3:48 of thine excellency (Bud Roach, Tenor) Violin I Viola Harpsichord Trumpet 0 Chorus: Thou sentest forth thy wrath 1:41 Chorus and Soprano solo: Geneviève Gilardeau Marika Holmqvist Borys Medicky Norman Engel ! Chorus: And with the blast of thy nostrils 3:00 Sing ye to the Lord (Concertmistress) Eric Paetkau Andras Molnar @ Air: The enemy said, I will pursue 2:24 (Jennie Such, Soprano) R. Paul Zevenhuizen Oboe (Bud Roach, Tenor) Eilizabeth Loewen Cello Marco Cera Trombone # Air: Thou didst blow with the wind 2:22 Andrews Katie Rietman Kathryn Montoya Rupert Price (Jennie Such, Soprano) Dafna Ravid Kate Haynes Dominique Arsenau $ Chorus: Who is like unto Thee, O Lord 0:54 Bassoon Peter Wesmore % Chorus: The earth swallowed them 1:04 Violin II Bass Nadina Mackie Jackson Cristina Zacharias Dominic Girard Dominic Teresi Timpani Liz Johnston Edward Reifel Elyssa Lefurgey-Smith Organ Flute Patricia Ahern C. Paul Jenkins Mylene Guay Kailan Rubimoff

Soprano Alto Tenor Bass Laura Albino Linda Gallant Joseph Angelo Neil Aronoff Mireille Asselin Loralie Kirkpatrick Joseph Lévesque Matthew Grosfeld Joanne Chaplin Claudia Lemcke Michael Loewen Andrew Mahon Kirsten Fielding Peter Mahon Mitchell Pady Fabio Migotto Gillian Grossman Marion Newman Michael Sawarna Jason Nedecky Farah Hack Alison Roy Mark Rowsom Andrea Jeffrey Paula Wickberg Eve Rachel McLeod Cindy Won Carrie Wiebe 8.570966-67 10 3 8.570966-67 570966-67bk Handel US 18/3/08 18:14 Page 4

George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) Bud Roach Israel in Egypt Bud Roach began his musical career as an oboist, performing frequently with the orchestras of the National Ballet of Canada and the Canadian Opera Company, as well as holding Today it is hard to believe that George Frideric Handel’s Charles Jennens, Handel’s librettist for Saul and, most positions with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, Michigan Opera Theater, and the Buffalo oratorio Israel in Egypt, perhaps his most popular after famously, Messiah. The work is in three parts. For Part Philharmonic from 1997-2004. In 2005 he began singing tenor with the Elmer Iseler Singers Messiah, was considered a failure during the composer’s One, Handel reused his Funeral Anthem for Queen in Toronto, Ontario, and since that time has worked with such organizations as Opera Atelier, lifetime. One of the chief reasons for this is also the very Caroline, written ten months previously and first the Toronto Consort, the Tallis Choir, Arcady, the Amadeus Choir, Tryptych, Soundstreams same one responsible for its later success: a considered for recycling in Saul but rejected; the text, Canada, and the Aradia Ensemble. He has earned critical acclaim for his 2008 première preponderance of large-scale choruses and very few drawn from Old Testament books of Samuel, Job, performance of Trickster in Melissa Hui’s Cree opera The Journey. solos - perfect for all those nineteenth-century English Lamentations and Ecclesiastes, and the Epistle to the amateur choral societies, but fatal for its success with a Philippians from the New Testament, needed only some public who in many ways still enjoyed the colourful slight modifications. In this new incarnation, it thus drama and virtuosic arias of Italian opera. One need only served as ‘The Lamentation of the Israelites for the Jennie Such look at how Handel’s pseudo-operatic oratorio Saul, Death of Joseph’. Soprano Jennie Such has performed with orchestras across Canada and abroad. She made her completed just before Israel in Egypt, succeeded, where The texts for the remaining two parts, Exodus and German début with the MDR Choir in Leipzig and her performance of Judas Maccabeus at the latter failed. Dealing with the events surrounding the Moses’ Song, are derived from the Book of Exodus and the Handel Festival in Halle was broadcast live. She has performed principal rôles with relationship between the hero David, slayer of the giant three Psalms, again from the Old Testament of the Calgary Opera, Edmonton Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, Vancouver Opera, Opera Ontario, Goliath, and the doomed king of Israel, Saul was first Bible. Handel started working on Part Three on 1st Opera Atelier and the Canadian Opera Company. Other engagements include the rôles of performed on 16th January 1739 at the King’s Theatre in October 1738; the draft was finished on the 11th of that Fortuna/Melanto (Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria) with Opera Atelier, Handel’s Ode to St Cecilia London and revived often during the eighteenth century. month. He began Part Two on 15th October, finishing with the Victoria Symphony, Handel’s Messiah with the Kingston Symphony and The tragic and dramatic nature of the work, as well as the draft on the 20th. Both parts were filled out (Handel performances of Healy Willan’s Requiem and Vaughan Williams’s Serenade to Music at the some superb arias and choruses, ensured its popularity. habitually sketched the framework for his operas and Berkshire Choral Festival. How then did Handel come to write these ‘sacred oratorios first before fleshing them out) and completed dramas’ in the first place? Esther, not only Handel’s but by 1st November. The score is impressive in its the first English oratorio, started the ball rolling. grandeur, with a double chorus and an orchestra using Sean Watson Originally written for the composer’s former employer trombones, trumpets, timpani, woodwinds and strings Baritone Sean Watson has sung throughout North America, Europe and the Middle East. the Duke of Chandos, Esther was given an official with continuo. Recent engagements have included Dr Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia for Opera Lyra, private performance at the Crown and Anchor tavern in Israel in Egypt’s first complete performance took Masetto in Opera Ontario’s production of Don Giovanni, and the rôle of Osmin in Mozart’s the Strand in February 1732 – but was followed by an place on 4th April 1739 at the King’s Theatre, together Die Entführung aus dem Serail in Fidenza, Italy. He has also performed with Les Voix unauthorised public performance on 20th April. Handel with some organ concertos, also by Handel and featuring Baroques of Montreal, Early Music Vancouver, Toronto Operetta Theatre, the Windsor and was thus forced to mount his own public performance at the composer himself as soloist. Owing to the work’s Kingston Symphonies, and the Carmel Bach Festival. With Opera in Concert and Aradia he the King’s Theatre on 2nd May. It was an enormous less than enthusiastic reception, Handel realised he had has performed in Handel’s Rinaldo and in Vivaldi’s La Griselda, both of which were recorded success, and two further oratorios, Deborah and Athalia, misjudged matters, and in the subsequent two for Naxos (8.660165-67 and 8.660211-13 respectively). were written soon after. The rest is history. Handel’s performances that same month interspersed the choruses early biographers put the success of the oratorio in with four arias and cut down the choruses themselves. England down to a number of reasons, including their Apart from one other performance in 1740, Israel in being sung in English, their being less expensive to put Egypt was not to be revived until sixteen years later. on than opera (no sets or costumes being required), and Even then, there were many alterations, probably by the religious texts and subject matter being most Handel’s assistant John Christopher Smith. A different productive in bringing out the best of Handel’s talents. Part One was provided, comprising material from The text of Israel in Egypt is thought to have been Handel’s oratorio Solomon, his Occasional Oratorio compiled from the Old Testament of the Bible by and his Anthem on the Peace; there were also some 8.570966-67 4 9 8.570966-67 570966-67bk Handel US 18/3/08 18:14 Page 8

Peter Mahon changes made to the second and third parts. Whatever you think of the ethical implications of Countertenor Peter Mahon divides his time between singing and conducting. Over the past That Israel in Egypt is today considered a what today we should call plagiarism, Israel in Egypt thirty years he has appeared on concert stages across Canada with Tafelmusik, Toronto masterpiece is in no small way attributable to Handel’s contains some of Handel’s most majestic and inspiring Consort, Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal, the Aradia Ensemble, the Bach-Elgar lavish and sophisticated word-painting – all the more choruses. Handel’s fitting of the sound to the sense is Choir of Hamilton, and at the Montreal Early Music and Chamber Music Festivals. He has impressive given his extensive borrowing from his own masterly, even in matters as subtle as mirroring the recorded for CBC Records, Atma Classique, Marquis Classics and Naxos, and is a member and other composers’ music. Apart from the original grammatical parallelism of Hebrew of the Tafelmusik Consort and La Chapelle de Québec. In 2003 he became the Artistic borrowings from the Funeral Anthem used for Part versification, as in ‘He rebuked the Red Sea, and it was Director of the Tallis Choir of Toronto and is also Director of Music at Lorne Park Baptist One, Handel found it expedient to reuse music from his dried up’: the thundering chorus of the first half of the Church in Mississauga Ontario and a rehearsal conductor for St. Michael’s Choir School, keyboard works; a chorus from his Dixit Dominus and verse is balanced by the desiccated utterance of the Toronto. the aria The Lord is my light from one of his Chandos second. Anthems. He also borrowed much from Alessandro These moments provide a kind of backdrop to Stradella’s wedding cantata Qual prodigio and Dionigi those set pieces for which this oratorio is most famous. Eve Rachel McLeod Erba’s Magnificat, as well as making use of some Such as the swarming strings representing flies in ‘He Soprano Eve Rachel McLeod is quickly establishing herself both on the opera stage and in instrumental works by Strungk, Kerll and possibly spake the word’, or the furious brass and timpani in ‘He concert performance. She has appeared as a soloist with Bucharest Festival Chamber Giovanni Gabrieli. This was a common enough gave them hailstones for rain’. Then there are the Orchestra, the Istanbul Chamber Orchestra, the Calgary Chamber Orchestra, the Aldeburgh procedure in Handel’s time, and if we look at music as violent orchestral blows in ‘He smote all the first-born Connection Recital Series, the Banff Festival Orchestra, MountainView Connection Recital a language then it is easy to see how one can of Egypt’ and the turgid, creeping textures and Series, the Valley Festival near Ottawa, Opéra Lyra Ottawa, Toronto Masque Theatre, appropriate entire passages for one’s own use. Indeed a harmonies of ‘He sent a thick darkness’. Saskatoon Opera, Opera York and with the Aradia Ensemble. She studied at the University of similar process for centuries formed an essential Despite its failure during Handel’s lifetime, Israel Toronto, in Aldeburgh, the Banff Centre and in Castelmaggiore, Italy. component of rhetorical training. Seen in another light, in Egypt did have many admirers among the the meaning of these musical objets trouvés are altered cognoscenti, who no doubt immediately recognised its in their new context, yielding surprising results. many superior qualities. Given the work’s popularity today, we can all congratulate ourselves for having such unerringly good taste. Jason Nedecky Baritone Jason Nedecky has appeared in concert with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, the Toronto Consort, the Toronto Chamber Choir and at the Aldeburgh Connection Recital Series, the Mountain View Connection Recital Series of Calgary, the International Bach Synopsis Festival Toronto, and with Consort Caritatis in two European concert tours. On the operatic stage, he has performed rôles with the Canadian Opera Company, Saskatoon Opera, Opera Part One resolved to kill him. One of the brothers, however, NUOVA Edmonton, Toronto Masque Theatre, and with Opera Atelier, appearing in their In the Old Testament of the Bible, the Book of Genesis hoped to save his life, and therefore persuaded the EuroArts DVD of Lully’s Persée. He studied at the University of Toronto, in Baden bei Wien, ends with the story of Joseph, the son of Jacob and others to throw Joseph into an empty well. They Austria, in Aldeburgh, at L’Académie Musicale de Villecroze in Provence, and at the Banff Rachel. It is the death of this same Joseph that the eventually sold him to some passing Ishmaelites, Centre. Israelites lament in Part One of Israel in Egypt, and a besmearing his coat with goat’s blood and sending it to knowledge of the key events in his life are useful to an Jacob as proof of Joseph’s having been slain by wild understanding of Handel’s oratorio. These events are as beasts. The Ishmaelites carried Joseph to Egypt where follows: he was sold to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s captain of the guard. It came to pass that Joseph’s older brothers were Following a period of loyal service, Joseph was thrown envious of him owing to their father Jacob’s having into prison after being falsely accused of rape by given Joseph a splendid coat of many colours. When Potiphar’s wife. He soon earned his freedom by Joseph told his brothers of two dreams, in which it was correctly interpreting two of Pharaoh’s dreams. Seven foretold that he would become their superior, they years of plenty were to be followed by seven years of 8.570966-67 8 5 8.570966-67 570966-67bk Handel US 18/3/08 18:14 Page 6

famine. By advising Pharaoh to save one fifth of the visited ten plagues upon Egypt in order that Moses and Laura Albino prosperous years’ yield for the lean period, thus his brother Aaron should convince Pharaoh that he must Soprano Laura Albino graduated from the University of Toronto Opera School in 2006 and preserving the population from starvation, Joseph was let his people go. But each time Pharaoh agreed to do was awarded the Distinguished Graduate Award. Rôles performed include Susanna (Le nozze made second in rank only to Pharaoh and allowed to this, God hardened his heart against the Israelites, and he di Figaro), Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Semele (Semele) and Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi). marry Asenath, the daughter of the High Priest. Joseph refused. The ten plagues were as follows: all the waters She has performed throughout the Toronto area and abroad with the Aldeburgh Connection, made peace with his brothers after Jacob and his family turning to blood; frogs infesting the land; dust turning Aradia Ensemble, Queen of Puddings Music Theatre, with whom she appeared at the Royal came to settle in Egypt. Their descendants dwelt in the into lice; swarms of flies covering the land; disease Opera House, Covent Garden, the Amadeus Choir (Elijah), the Handel Society of Dartmouth land of the Pharaohs until one came who wished to being visited upon all the beasts; boils being made to College (Messiah) and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (St John Passion). She has worked enslave them. cover the skin of both man and beast; hail, rain and extensively with Helmuth Rilling at the Toronto and Oregon Bach Festivals, with the thunder ruining the crops; locusts eating everything that Gächinger Cantorei/Bach Collegium in Stuttgart and at the Europäisches Musikfest. Part Two remained; darkness covering the land for three days; Part Two of Handel’s oratorio relates the story of the and, finally, all the first-born in the land, human and plagues visited upon Pharaoh and the subsequent flight beast, dying mysteriously. It was this last that finally Nils Brown of the Israelites out of Egypt as detailed in the Old persuaded Pharaoh to let the Israelites go once and for Tenor Nils Brown sang the rôle of Don Ottavio in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with the company Testament Book of Exodus. all, but he pursued them to the Red Sea. Moses, with the Opera 2005 in Cork under the musical direction of Kevin Mallon. He learned baroque and It was Moses who delivered the children of Israel help of the Lord, stretched his hand over the waters, renaissance singing with the Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montréal and has performed in (the name given Jacob by God) out of Egypt and guided causing them to part. The Israelites then proceeded opera and concert repertoire with the American Bach Soloists (San Francisco), the Boston them to the Promised Land. Pharaoh had resolved to rid safely over the dry land. The Egyptians tried to follow, Handel and Haydn Society, L’Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Opéra de Montréal, Egypt of the Israelites, and so ordered that all their but God caused the wheels of their chariots to fall off Opéra de Québec, the Baltimore Symphony, the Smithsonian Chamber Players, Chicago’s babies should be drowned. Moses’ mother Miriam and Moses again stretched out his hand, closing the Music of the Baroque, the Portland Baroque Orchestra, the Vancouver and Edmonton therefore hid him in a basket among the reeds by the waters upon Pharaoh and his army, who perished. Symphonies, among many others, as well as with many choral societies and early music Nile, where he was found by Pharaoh’s daughter and chamber groups throughout North America. brought up as one of her own. As he grew older, Moses Part Three became aware of the true plight of his people. After The Israelites, now safe from danger, sing the Lord’s killing an Egyptian overseer who was beating an praises and give thanks for their delivery from Pharaoh’s Jennifer Enns Modolo Israelite, he fled to the desert and lived as a shepherd for army. Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Enns Modolo is making a name for herself in Canada and abroad. twenty years. However, God spoke to him from a With repertoire extending from Renaissance to contemporary, she continues to delight burning bush, commanding that he return. The Lord then William Yeoman audiences wherever she is heard. She has performed with numerous ensembles including the Vancouver Bach Choir, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, the Aradia Ensemble, the Grand Philharmonic Choir, the Elora Festival Singers and Opera in Concert. In 2005 she made her début in England at the Snape Proms as part of the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme, and toured Spain and France with Consort Caritatis. Her discography includes the rôle of Eustazio in Handel’s Rinaldo for Naxos (8.660165-67).

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Aradia Ensemble CD 2

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The Grand River Baroque Festival Artistic Director Kevin Mallon HANDEL 2 CDs Israel in Egypt Albino • Brown • Enns Modolo • Mahon McLeod • Nedecky • Roach • Such • Watson

The Aradia Ensemble is grateful to the Grand River Baroque Festival for its financial support of this recording.

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CMYK NAXOS NAXOS Handel’s oratorio Israel in Egypt was written three years before the Messiah and, like the Messiah, is somewhat atypical of the composer’s oratorios. Scored for double chorus and an orchestra using trombones, trumpets, timpani, woodwinds and strings with continuo, Israel in Egypt contains relatively little solo material but is dominated by large-scale virtuosic choruses that fully exploit Handel’s lavish and sophisticated word-painting. Set 8.570966-67 HANDEL: HANDEL: pieces for which the work is most famous include swarming strings representing flies in ‘He spake the word’, the furious brass and timpani in ‘He gave them hailstones for rain’ DDD and the famous depiction of frogs in the aria ‘Their land brought forth frogs’. Playing Time George Frideric 1:59:19 Israel inEgypt Israel in Egypt HANDEL (1685–1759) Israel in Egypt (Oratorio in Three Parts) CD 1 70:35 1-# Part I: The Lamentation of the Israelites 40:25 for the death of Joseph Disc MadeinCanada•Printed& Assembled inUSA www.naxos.com/libretti/570966.htm The librettoisavailable at: Booklet notesinEnglish $-ª Part II: The Exodus 30:09 www.naxos.com &

CD 2 48:44 1-) Part III: Moses’ Song 48:44 2008 NaxosRightsInternationalLtd. Laura Albino • Nils Brown • Jennifer Enns Modolo Peter Mahon • Eve Rachel McLeod • Jason Nedecky Bud Roach • Jennie Such • Sean Watson Aradia Ensemble • Kevin Mallon 8.570966-67 8.570966-67 Recorded in St Anne’s Anglican Church, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, from 3rd to 10th January, 2008 Producers: Norbert Kraft and Bonnie Silver • Engineer: Norbert Kraft • Editor: Bonnie Silver Performing Edition: Kevin Mallon • Please see the booklet for a detailed track and artist list Booklet Notes: William Yeoman • Cover Picture: The Israelites on the Bank of the Red Sea, 1621 by Frans Francken II The Younger (1581–1642) (Humburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany / Bridgeman Art Library)