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Other Sixteen Edition The Call of The Beloved recordings available on Coro Victoria COR16007 The Fairy Queen “...this is a beautifully Israel prepared and Purcell - 2 CDs rewarding recording COR16005 that deepens our “A performance like this appreciation of one of shows dimensions of Purcell's in Egypt the greatest masters genius that are all too rarely of the renaissance.” heard on disc.” GRAMOPHONE GRAMOPHONE

Samson The Flowering Handel - 3 CDs of Genius COR16008 Guerrero, Tallis, “Powerful choral singing from Byrd, Victoria The Sixteen and alert playing COR16001 The Sixteen by the period-instrument band “The Sixteen’s sound make this the most pleasurable is distilled, ethereal – The Symphony of yet recorded.” hard to imagine a more Harmony and Invention SUNDAY TIMES sublime performance.” BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE HARRY CHRISTOPHERS

“As time goes by, I find Harry Christophers’ music-making more and more captivating...” BBC RADIO 3, CD REVIEW THE VOICES OF

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PMS PMS 000 000 04 How things change - Israel in ince the late eighteenth century poorly patronised when it resumed in the new The Sixteen Edition Egypt was a flop back in 1739; too Handel’s has generally year. Plans for a further season the many choruses, not enough arias Sbeen thought of as an in two following winter collapsed because too few for the divas, not what the public parts. Handel did indeed compose those two subscribers came forward tot support it, and wanted at all and, in fact, only parts together in the autumn of 1738 but he handle therefore turned once again to Israel in Egypt saved by the inclusion of some never considered them to be complete in oratorio, deciding for the first time to offer a Highlights virtuosic organ concertos! Today, themselves. To him they were the second and season consisting only of and other it is well loved; large choral third parts of a three-part oratorio, the first choral works performed without stage action. THE SIXTEEN sequences forming a drama for part of which was a version of the The first new work of the season was to be THE SYMPHONY OF HARMONY nations, so just what the public magnificent and solemn anthem The ways of the oratorio , to a libretto by Handel’s AND INVENTION want! But of course some things don’t change: Zion do mourn, composed for the funeral of friend . This was drafted sentiments like “The Lord is a man of war” reflected Queen Caroline in 1737. Handel had had between 23 July and 15 August, and, as Conductor, the political mood of the time when government was some success with English Oratorio since the originally conceived, was to include in its HARRY CHRISTOPHERS pressing for war. first London performance of in 1732 – third act a substantial part of the Funeral Handel’s work vividly portrays the story of the followed in 1733, reached London in Anthem as an Elegy on the deaths of Saul plagues, the tribulations of a captive tribe and finally 1735 – but throughout the 1730s he was still and Jonathan. However, Handel (or Jennens) celebrates the deliverance of the chosen people. It is primarily a composer of Italian opera. A rival thought better of this idea and the anthem quite simply a grand choral spectacular and, company known as the “Opera of the was replaced with a new and entirely different undoubtedly, the ideal work to celebrate The Sixteen’s Nobility” challenged him in 1733, and in the Elegy when the oratorio was revised in 25th anniversary. The choir and orchestra are my pride following year Handel moved his operations September. Handel must nevertheless have and joy; exhilarating choral singing, inventive playing from the King’s Theatre in the Haymarket remained anxious to give the anthem a life and the ability to deliver solo arias with panache, (the usual venue for opera) to the new theatre beyond its single performance at the Queen’s epitomized on this highlights disc in the duet (The at Covent Garden. The absurdity and expense funeral, and soon he (or perhaps Jennens Lord is a man of war) sung by Robert Evans and Simon of two contending opera companies in again) had the idea of using it as the first part Birchall, who, for many years now, have exemplified that London soon became obvious, and in 1737 the of a new oratorio. A few verbal changes Sixteen spirit. Nobility Opera was abandoned. Handel was converted the anthem into The Lamentations To the choir, orchestra, office, board and all our able to return to the King’s Theatre, though of the Israelites for the Death of (the followers, thank you for your support. he shared the season with the Italian opening words became “The sons of Israel do composer Pescetti, the latter perhaps a mourn”), inviting a continuation dealing with nominee of the Nobility Opera supporters. the fate of the Israelites enslaved in Egypt and The operatic successes of former times their deliverance under the leadership of proved elusive, however: the season was . The scriptural text of the anthem interrupted by the Queen’s death and was prompted the use of biblical texts for the rest

2 3 of the oratorio, an unprecedented step which Israel in Egypt had a mixed reception. published the oratorio for the first time, reinforcing the more usual trumpets and Handel was to repeat only in . There were those who appreciated its novel printing only the newly-composed Parts 2 and drums, often gives splendid weight to the Composition of what was eventually to use of scriptural text and the “Sublimity of 3, and thus inadvertently giving the work the sound. There are several delightful touches, become Israel in Egypt proceeded quickly. the great Musical Poet’s Imagination”, but two-part form in which it was taken up in the such as the flutes briefly evoking a pastoral Between 1 and 11 October Handel drafted a others (no doubt those who preferred the nineteenth century. In that form it became the mood to the words “he led them forth like setting of verses 1-21 of chapter 15 of Exodus, Italian opera) found the long succession of invariable partner of Messiah in the massive sheep” and the “buzzing” of the violins to which, under the title of “Moses’ Song”, choral movements hard to take. For the Handel Festivals held in the Crystal Palace at illustrate the plague of flies. The depiction became the conclusion of the oratorio. Four second and third performances, on 11 and 17 Sydenham between 1857 and 1926 and has of the plague of darkness is especially days later he began the draft of what he called April, the work was advertised as “shortened remained a great favourite with choral memorable: eerie, unsettled harmonies “Part ye 2 of Exodus” (suggesting that and intermixed with Songs”, the “songs” societies and their audiences. The extent and coloured by the lugubrious tones of low “Exodus” was originally intended as the title being three Italian arias which handle had variety of its choruses, and its purely scriptural strings and bassoons, usher in the choral of the whole oratorio) and completed it on previously introduced into Esther and an text – the very features which had caused its voices, which soon break up into fragments the 20 October. (The words for this section English aria (“Through the land”) derived cool reception in 1739 – became the reasons of recitative as if blindly wandering away may have been compiled by Jennens.) The from the discarded aria “Bramo di trionfar” for its popularity. from each other. orchestration of the newly composed parts in . There was a single revival in 1740. This version begins with a tenor recitative The final part, “Moses’ Song”, celebrates was finished on 1 November. On 16 January In 1746 Handel drew upon Israel in Egypt for announcing a new ruler in Egypt in place of the Israelites’ miraculous crossing of the Red 1739 the new season at the King’s Theatre three choruses and an aria in his Occasional Joseph, and from then on it is mainly the Sea. The opening orchestral introduction, opened with Saul. After some revivals of Oratorio, adding another aria to the same chorus which has the burden of narrating the with a repeated phrase leaping unexpectedly earlier works, Israel in Egypt followed on 4 work in 1747, but he never revived it in its story of the ten plagues that fall on the from one tonality to another, is striking April. The original soloists (sho would also original form. At the time of the next revival, Egyptians and force them to release the enough, but is swiftly capped as it leads into have sung in the choruses) were the soprano at Covent Garden in 1756, Handel was Israelites from slavery. (Their land brought the superb chorus “I will sing unto the Lord”, Elisabeth du Parc (known as La Franchesina), prevented by blindness from directing his forth frogs”, with its wittily hopping violins, one of those truly great Handelian movements the counter-tenor , the tenor own concerts and had passed the job to the is the only aria in this part of the oratorio.) in which thematic material of the most and the basses Gustavus Waltz younger John Christopher Smith. For this, Handel draws an amazing range of dramatic elemental nature is extended and combined to and Henry Reinhold. The performance and for subsequent revivals in 1757 and 1758, effects from his choral and instrumental create a unified musical structure of included a new organ concerto, almost the funeral anthem was dropped and an forces. For the first time since a brief tremendous power. No less powerful in its certainly the one in F major now known as entirely new Part 1 substituted, largely experiment in his of 1707 he different way is the chorus “The people shall “The Cuckoo and the Nightingale” (Second compiled from the and writes several movements for a double chorus, hear”, first building successive climaxes over a Set no. 1, HWV 295) which Handel had . Parts 2 and 3 were heavily cut, one sometimes to increase the intensity of the persistent dotted rhythm in the bass line, and completed two days earlier. It was probably of the more damaging losses being “The counterpoint but more often to create then releasing the tension in rising phrases played as an introduction to Part 2, which, as people shall hear” in Part 3. Variants of this antiphonal exchanges, with one chorus over held bass notes as the chorus sing of we will see later, became the first part of the version continued to be performed in the two echoing or answering the other. The addition reaching the promised land. The return of oratorio on its publication in 1771. decades after Handel’s death. In 1771 Randall of three to the orchestra, “I will sing” makes a triumphant conclusion.

4 5 No discussion of Israel in Egypt can pass Francesco Urio (drawn on more substantially without mention of its status as the most in Saul and later in Handel’s own Dettingen Israel in Egypt remarkable exemplar of Handel’s so-called Ted Deum), supplies material for “The Lord “borrowing” – his re-use of musical material is a man of war”. Two of Handel’s own Highlights from earlier works of his own and, more keyboard fugues provide the bases for the controversially, the works of others. This choruses “They loathed to drink” and “He FLUTE was a habit to which Handel was addicted smote all the firstborn of Egypt”, the angular THE SIXTEEN THE SYMPHONY OF Rachel Beckett, throughout his life, but his recourse to other theme of the first being peculiarly appropriate SOPRANO HARMONY AND INVENTION Utako Ikeda composers’ music seems to have been to the words. The most puzzling borrowing, Fiona Clarke, Libby Crabtree, particularly intense in the 1730s and displays however, is the chorus “Egypt was glad when Ruth Dean, Sally Dunkley, VIOLIN OBOE an unusual emphasis on composers of earlier they departed” – a close transcription Lucinda Houghton, David Woodcock Sophia McKenna, generations. For Israel in Egypt Handel drew (slightly cut) of a keyboard canzona by Kerll NICOLA JENKYN, Carys Lane (Leader), Cherry Forbes mainly upon two late 17th century works, which was published in 1686. Its strictly ALTO William Thorp, BASSOON Stradella’s serenata Qual prodigio modal harmonies are sufficiently at odds with Jane Carwardine, Andrew Giles, Natania Hadda, Sally Jackson, è chi’io miri and a Magnificat by Dionigi Handel’s normal tonal style to suggest that it Theresa Caudle, Michael Lees, Philip Newton, Noel Rainbird Erba. Ideas from Stradella are used mainly may have been included as a private joke (in James Ellis, Christopher Royall, in the first part of this version, and, as the any case Handel always omitted it after the Stephen Jones, TRUMPET CAROLINE TREVOR original is for only three solo voices and a first performance), but the fact that it is not Helen Orsler, David Staff, small orchestra, they are usually re-worked the only “ancient” music employed in Israel TENOR Jean Paterson, Stephen Keavy and expanded to a considerable degree. “He in Egypt also suggests that Handel was Simon Berridge, Claire Sansom spake the word”, for example, is based on a deliberately seeking out early models, partly Andrew Carwood, sinfonia in the serenata, but Handel adds in homage to his forbears and partly to give VIOLA Susan Addison, Philip Daggett, such features as the “buzzing” strings and the the music an antique flavour suited to a tale David Brooker, Paul Nieman, NEIL MacKENZIE, thunderous bass line at the mention of the of remote antiquity related in the archaic Nicola Ackroyd Stephen Saunders David Roy, Matthew Vine locusts. Erba’s work, on the other hand, is language of the King James . Despite the CELLO TIMPANI actually written for a double chorus, allowing borrowings – and in some respects because of BASS Jane Coe, Benedict Hoffnung Handel to “quote” several passages with little them – Israel in Egypt remains an astonishingly SIMON BIRCHALL, Mark Caudle musical change in the final part: “He is my original work, its greatest moments always Roger Cleverdon, ORGAN/HARPSICHORD father’s God”, for example, is almost pure being those where Handel deftly enriches his ROBERT EVANS, Charles Gibbs, VIOLONE Paul Nicholson Erba, though its continuation (“And I will models or declares his independence from Timothy Jones, Michael McCarthy Timothy Lyons exalt him”) is based on a Ricercare attributed them. ORGAN THEORBO to Giovanni Gabrieli. A Te Deum by Laurence Cummings ADAPTED FROM NOTES BY ANTHONY HICKS Robin Jeffrey FOR TRANSLATION PLEASE CONTACT [email protected] 6 7 CHORUS CHORUS CHORUS Israel in Egypt 4 They loathed to drink of the river. 8 He sent a thick darkness over the land, bo He led them through the deep He turned their waters into blood. even darkness which might be felt. as through a wilderness. Exodus vii. 18, 19 Exodus x. 21 cvi. 9 RECITATIVE –– TenorTenor, (Neil MacKenzie) ARIA – Alto (Caroline Trevor) CHORUS CHORUS 1 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, 5 Their land brought forth frogs, 9 He smote all the first-born of Egypt, bp But the waters overwhelmed which knew not Joseph; and he set over yea even in their king’s chambers. the chief of all their strength. their enemies, there was not Israel taskmasters to afflict them with Psalms cv. 30 Psalms cv. 36, 37 one of them left. burthens, and they made them serve He gave their cattle over to the Psalms cvi. 11 with rigour. pestilence; blotches and blains broke CHORUS Exodus i. 8, 11, 13 forth on man and beast. bl But as for his people, he led them CHORUS bq And Israel saw that great work CHORUS Exodus xi. 9, 10 forth like sheep: He brought them out with silver and gold; there was not one that the Lord did upon the 2 And the children of Israel sighed by CHORUS feeble person among their tribes. Egyptians; and the people reason of the bondage, and their cry 6 He spake the word, and there came Psalms lxxviii. 53; cv. 37 feared the Lord, came up unto God. They oppressed all manner of flies and lice in all their them with burthens, and made them quarters. CHORUS CHORUS serve with rigour; and their cry came up He spake; and the locusts came bm Egypt was glad when they departed, br And believed the Lord and unto God. without number, and devoured the or the fear of them fell upon them. His servant Moses. Exodus ii. 23 fruits of Exodus xiv. 31 the ground. CHORUS RECITATIVE – Tenor, RECITATIVE – Tenor Psalms cv. 31, 34, 35 bn He rebuked the Red Sea, and it was bs Larghetto from Organ Concerto (Neil MacKenzie) dried up. in F HWV 295 3 Then sent He Moses, His servant, CHORUS Psalms cvi. 9 “The Cuckoo and the Nightingale” and Aaron whom He had chosen; 7 He gave them hailstones for rain; fire Organ Paul Nicholson these shewed His signs among them, mingled with the hail ran along upon and wonders in the land of Ham. the ground. He turned their waters into blood. Psalms cv. 32; Exodus ix. 23, 24 Psalms cv. 26, 27, 29

8 9 CHORUS CHORUS RECITATIVE – Tenor Part Two co The depths have covered them; ct The people shall hear, and be afraid; (Neil MacKenzie) they sank into the bottom as a stone. sorrow shall take hold on them; all the do And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of CHORUS Exodus xv. 5 inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away; Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and by the greatness of Thy arm they shall bt Moses and the children of Israel all the women went out after her with CHORUS be as still as a stone; till Thy people sung this song unto the Lord, timbrels and with dances. And Miriam cp Thy right hand, O Lord, is become pass over, O Lord, which Thou hast and spake, saying: answered them: glorious in power; Thy right hand, purchased. Exodus xv. 20, 21 CHORUS O Lord, hath dashed in pieces Exodus xv. 14, 15, 16 the enemy. bu I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath SOLO Treble Exodus xv. 6 triumphed gloriously; the horse and cu Largo from Organ Concerto in F (Nicola Jenkyn) and CHORUS HWV 295 dp Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed his rider hath He thrown into the sea. CHORUS Exodus xv. 1 “The Cuckoo and the Nightingale” gloriously; the horse and cq And in the greatness of Thine Organ Paul Nicholson his rider hath He thrown into the sea. CHORUS excellency Thou hast overthrown Exodus xv. 21, 18 them that rose up against Thee. cl He is my God, and I will prepare CHORUS Exodus xv. 7 Him an habitation; my father’s God, dl The Lord shall reign for ever and ever. Exodus xv. 18 Recording Producer: Mark Brown CHORUS CHORUS cr Thou sentest forth Thy wrath, which Recording Engineer:Producer: AntonyMark Brown Howell cm and I will exalt Him. RECITATIVE – Tenor Recorded at St. Jude’s on the Hill, consumed them as stubble. Recording Engineer: Antony Howell Exodus xv. 2 (Neil MacKenzie) RecordedHampstead, at St.March Jude's 1993 on the Hill, Exodus xv. 7 dm For the horse of Pharaoh went in with Hampstead,Pitch A=415 MarchOrgan supplied993 by DUET – Two Basses his chariots and with his horsemen PitchKen Smith A=45 Services Organ suppliedLimited by CHORUS Ken Smith Services Limited (Simon Birchall, Robert Evans) into the sea, and the Lord brought Design: Richard Boxall Design Associates cs And with the blast of Thy nostrils CD mastering by Mike Hatch cn again the waters of the sea upon them; Design: Richard Boxall Design Associates The Lord is a man of war: Lord is the waters were gathered together, CDComplete mastering version by Mikeoriginally Hatch his name. Pharaoh’s chariots and but the children of Israel went on dry Completereleased on version Collins originally Classics the floods stood upright as an heap, land in the midst of the sea. his host hath he cast into the sea; and the depths were congealed in releasedCORO The on CollinsSixteen ClassicsEdition Exodus xv. 19 The Sixteen Productions Ltd 2003 his chosen captains also are the heart of the sea. CORO The Sixteen Edition © The The Sixteen Sixteen Productions Productions Ltd Ltd 2003 2006 drowned in the Red Sea. Exodus xv. 8 Exodus xv. 3, 4 CHORUS ©HYPERLINK The Sixteen “http://www.thesixteen.com” Productions Ltd 2006 dn The Lord shall reign for ever and ever. www.thesixteen.com Exodus xv. 18 for translations please contact [email protected] or telephone 0044 1869 331 544 10 11 N