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Home , Esther (Handel), Hercules (Handel), Ian Partridge, Samson (Handel)

CORO Edition CORO The Sixteen Edition Other Sixteen Edition recordings available on Coro Alexander’s Heroes and Heroines New disc of Handel arias from , Feast , , COR16025 SARAH CONNOLLY Handel The Symphony of Harmony and Invention “It’s simply an outstanding disc from start to finish.” N ANCY A RGENTA BBC RADIO 3 CD REVIEW

I AN P ARTRIDGE - 3 CDs COR16008 George Frideric Handel - 2 CDs COR16019 M ICHAEL G EORGE Russell, Argenta, “Powerful choral singing Chance, Randle, from The Sixteen and alert Padmore, George playing by the period- "...a new golden instrument band make The Sixteen age of Handel this the most pleasurable interpretation.” The Symphony Of Samson yet recorded.” CLASSICAL MUSIC SUNDAY TIMES (CANADA) Harmony And Invention THE VOICES OF HARRY CHRISTOPHERS

To find out more about The Sixteen, concert tours, or to buy CDs, visit www.thesixteen.com C O R 1 6 0 2 8 Although I had performed Alexander’s Feast many times before we Alexander’s Feast bs Behold Darius Great and Good 2.13 recorded it, I always felt that the work was lacking in substance, or bt The Mighty Master smil’d to see 0.31 rather that the listener felt unfulfilled. However, having pondered George Frideric Handel bu Softly sweet 3.35 this for some time, I decided to look at the work not as a series of cl War, he sung, is Toil and Trouble 4.38 episodes where the chorus depicts Alexander’s court and the soloists Nancy Argenta, Ian Partridge, Michael George cm The Many rend the Skies 3.58 interpret the minstrel Timotheus and the King himself, but as what The Sixteen Handel pens as the subtitle to the work; The Power of Music: An Ode, cn The Prince, unable to conceal 6.27 The Symphony of Harmony and Invention in Honour of St. Cecilia’s Day. co The Many rend the Skies 4.03 I think this was really Handel’s perception of the piece; after all, Conductor HARRY CHRISTOPHERS Total Timing 69.42 in performance, Handel added the delightful harp concerto at the very point Dryden wrote Timotheus....with flying fingers touch’d the CD1 lyre..., and then inserted an organ concerto after Dryden’s final chorus, prior to the duet and 1 Overture 6.23 CD2 chorus Your voices tune and raise them high, which Handel added as a finale. When heard like 2 ‘Twas at the Royal Feast 0.58 1 Now strike the Golden Lyre 2.40 this, in its entirety, it really does become a feast of music that is not only in praise of the great 3 2 king, Alexander, but also in honour of the patron saint of music, blest Cecilia. Happy, Happy, Happy Pair 4.45 Revenge, Revenge, Timotheus cries 7.52 It is very unfair of me to single out one particular artist that encapsulates this recording but 4 Timotheus plac’d on high 0.26 3 Give the Vengeance due 1.25 I do so with great affection and a sense of privilege; privileged that I was taught by him and Harp Concerto Op.4, No.6 in B flat 4 The Princes applaud with a furious Joy 2’23 privileged to conduct him. He is Ian Partridge. When I was a choral scholar at Oxford, I would 5 Allegro 6.23 5 Thais led the way 5.13 take the train down to South to have singing lessons with Ian; the lessons went well over 6 Thus long ago 2.21 the allotted hour, such is Ian’s generosity, and I would return to Oxford inspired yet humbled! 6 Larghetto 4.15 Ian’s mastery of language is second to none and in particular that of our native tongue. You 7 Allegro moderato 2.43 7 At last Divine Cecilia came 2.29 need only listen to Thus long ago (track 6 on CD 2) to witness his inflections that colour and 8 Let old Timotheus yield the Prize 0.22 8 The song began from Jove 1.01 shape every word he sings. This is Ian at his best and a lesson to us all. 9 Let old Timotheus yield the Prize 3.27 9 The list’ning Crowd 2.09 bl With ravish’d Ears 3.35 Organ Concerto Op.4, No.1 in G minor bl bm The praise of Bacchus 0.36 Larghetto e staccato 4.49 bm bn Bacchus, ever fair and young 5.09 Allegro 4.50 bn bo Sooth’d with the sound 0.46 Adagio 1.14 bo bp He chose a mournful Muse 1.25 Andante 3.59 bq He sung Darius Great and Good 2.48 bp Your Voices tune 3.00 br With downcast Looks 0.55 Total Timing 46.04 2 3 andel’s setting of Dryden’s ode of Samson and the Occasional ) who banquet held by Alexander the Great to nature of Timotheus’s art. For him the poem Alexander’s Feast was composed in the drew the composer’s attention to Dryden’s celebrate his conquest of Persia (the notional presented the challenge of depicting in sound a Hfirst three weeks of January 1736 and poem, his aim being (as he declared in a date is 331 or 330 BC). The conqueror appears dramatic scene from a classical legend and first performed at Theatre on preface to the word-book issued for the first with his mistress Thais and is entertained by expressing the emotions described in the text; 19 February. It was the fourth wholly English performance) “not to lose this favourable the playing and singing of the musician and he meets it with a prodigality of original choral work which Handel had presented to his Opportunity of its being set to Musick by that Timotheus. Simply through the power of effects. The vast assembly at Alexander’s London audiences by way of an alternative to great Master… who only is capable of doing it Timotheus’s music – with some co-operation banquet is evoked in The list’ning crowd with Italian (the first being a revised version Justice”. The poem was originally written for from Thais – Alexander is by turns charmed, and eight-part chorus accompanied by of the oratorio Esther in 1732) and it received a particular occasion, as its full title reveals: intoxicated, saddened and made love-sick. At cascading string figures over an insistently great popular acclaim. The original soloists Alexander’s Feast, or The Power of Music: An last he is roused to avenge the Greeks slain in rising . At the end of Part 1 the sense of were the soprano Anna Strada del Po and the Ode, in Honour of St. Cecilia’s Day. Cecilia is earlier Persian wars by setting fire to Persepolis, grandeur is conveyed even more solidly in the young – both reliable singers the patron saint of music, and between 1683 the Persian capital. This seems to have little to opening section of The many rend the skies, a – together with a bass named Erard who is and 1703 her name-day (22 November) was do with St. Cecilia; but Dryden introduces her chaconne on 5-bar ground bass taken from one otherwise unknown and seems to have made a celebrated annually with a festival in the City in a reflective conclusion, suggesting that her of the French songs Handel wrote in Italy in poor impression. A second soprano, Cecilia of London. In most years the performances coming and her invention of the organ (“the 1707 (it is a major-key version of the bass used Young (later to become the wife of Thomas included an ode in honour of Cecilia and her Vocal Frame”) brought a new dimension to by Purcell in his G minor Chacony). Between Arne), sang the aria War, he sung, is toil and art, newly written and set to music for the music, adding “Length to solemn sounds, with these choruses there are several well-contrasted trouble. Handel gave four more performances occasion. Dryden wrote the odes for the Nature’s Mother-Wit and Arts unknown episodes: the swaggering bass song and chorus in 1736 and another five in 1737. In March 1738 festivals of 1687 and 1697, the first (A Song for before”. What Dryden meant by this phrase is in praise of Bacchus, with ringing horn solos; the London publisher John Walsh took the St. Cecilia’s Day) being originally set by G. B. not quite clear, and the final lines of the ode the great lament for Darius, skilfully mingling unusual step of issuing a full score of the work Draghi (whose music survives) and the second are curiously equivocal; but we may notice that accompanied , aria and chorus, and on Handel’s behalf, with an engraved portrait (Alexander’s Feast) by Jeremiah Clarke (whose the effects of Timotheus’s art on Alexander, full noble pathos; the soothing soprano aria of the composer and a lengthy subscription list music is lost). though described with great eloquence, are Softly sweet in Lydian measures, with its headed by seven members of the royal family. Handel eventually set both odes (his setting almost wholly pernicious and consistently haunting cello solo. Part 2 begins with the most The favourable reception of the ode helped to of A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day was composed in show the conqueror in a poor light. In pagan exciting of all the many accompanied convince Handel that English choral works 1739), but it is easy to see why Alexander’s Feast times, Dryden seems to be saying, music could , gradually gaining in power as each could gain a following in their own right, would have had more immediate appeal for only arouse the cruder emotions: Timotheus section of the orchestra is brought into play and thus paved the way to his eventual a composer with a strong dramatic instinct. may have been able to “swell the Soul to rage, and culminating with the earth-shaking chorus abandonment of Italian opera in favour of It departs strikingly from the conventional or kindle soft Desire”, but only the “sacred” art Break his bands of sleep asunder, composed on or other English works in similar formula of general praise of music coupled of the Christian Cecilia can inspire noble deeds a sullen 4-bar ostinato played by trumpets and style. with descriptions of the qualities of the various or spiritual well-being. drums. The famous aria Revenge, Timotheus It seems to have been Handel’s friend musical instruments. Instead Dryden devotes Handel’s music inevitably pays little heed to cries follows: the brilliant opening section, with Newburgh Hamilton (later to be the librettist most of the poem to a vivid account of a Dryden’s tacit reservations concerning the solo trumpet, gives way to eerie harmonies and

4 5 the dark tones of bassoons and low strings as and he had written only half that amount. THE SIXTEEN THE SYMPHONY OBOE Sophia McKenna Timotheus conjures up the ghosts of the slain Handel dealt with this problem in different SOPRANO OF HARMONY Cherry Forbes Greek warriors. ways on different occasions, but for the first Fiona Clarke AND INVENTION In Handel’s setting the final stanza becomes performances at Covent Garden he solved it Ruth Dean VIOLIN BASSOON a fitting climax to the ode. The first lines (Thus by providing and additional chorus based on Sally Dunkley David Woodcock (leader) Sally Jackson long ago, e’er heaving bellows Learnt to blow – words which Newburgh Hamilton took from Nicola-Jane Kemp William Thorp Andrew Watts i.e. before the organ was invented) are set as an earlier Cecilian ode of his own (The Power Lynne Hirst Theresa Caudle Michael Brain fragments of recitative amid ritornellos played of Music, set by Galliard in 1720). One of the Carys Lane Marc Ashley Cooper HORN by recorders and violas: the veiled sound concertos (the C major concerto grosso, HWV Stefanie Heichelheim David Cox suggests a zone of timelessness in which the 318) and the cantata (Cecilia, volgi unsguardo) ALTO Stephen Jones Roger Montgomery vision of Alexander, Timotheus and Thais fades were played between two parts of the ode by Robin Barda Andrew Giles Helen Orsler TRUMPET into the mist of antiquity. St. Cecilia is way of interludes, and are not integral to it; Pauline Smith introduced in a solemn chorus resembling a they are therefore omitted from this recording, Philip Newton Crispian Steele-Perkins VIOLA great organ voluntary: a thrilling chord of the which otherwise follows the version of the first Christopher Royall TIMPANI ninth illustrates the enlargement of the “former performance. The other additions (included TENOR Jane Compton Benedict Hoffnung David Brooker narrow bounds” of music, and a formal fugue here) are more closely integrated. In Part 1 Philip Daggett THEORBO displays “Nature’s Mother-Wit and Arts Handel inserted the harp concerto in B flat Duncan MacKenzie CELLO Robin Jeffrey unknown before”. (The fugue subject is taken (published in 1738 as the organ concerto, op.4 Mark Padmore Jane Coe from a Passion cantata by Graun, but the no.6) to imitate Timotheus playing on his lyre, David Roy Helen Verney HARPSICHORD Paul Nicholson working is Handel’s own.) Timotheus, we may and after the chorus Let old Timotheus he BASS DOUBLE BASS infer, knew little counterpoint; and Handel added the organ concerto in G (published as Simon Birchall Amanda MacNamara ORGAN presses this hint home by setting the final op.4 no.1) to display the art of St. Cecilia’s own Nicholas Parle Roger Cleverdon RECORDER quatrain (Let old Timotheus yield the prize) as instrument. The extra chorus on Hamilton’s Timothy Jones Rachel Beckett an extraordinarily fugal tour-de-force in which words follows the organ concerto: its second Christopher Purves Marion Scott four independent musical subjects (three taken section (Let’s imitate her notes above), based on from the early vocal trio Quel fior che alba ride) the lilting tune of an aria in the early Italian are combined in every possible way; if this is cantata Tu fedel? Tu costante?, makes a graceful Concertino in the new art of “divine Cecilia”, then Timotheus ending to the entertainment. Harp Concerto Op.4, No.6 in B flat Organ Concerto Op.4, No.1 must indeed “yield the prize”. ANTHONY HICKS When Handel completed his setting of TRIPLE HARP LIRONE in G minor Dryden’s text he found that he had not Andrew Lawrence-King Erin Headley ORGAN composed enough music to fill an evening. His ARCHLUTE Paul Nicholson audiences expected about three hours of music, Stephen Stubbs

6 7 Alexander’s Feast 3 Air, Duet (Tenor, Soprano) 8 Recitative (Soprano) bm Recitative (Tenor) or The Power of Musick & Chorus The song began from Jove, The praise of Bacchus, then, the sweet Who left his blissful seat above; Happy, Happy, Happy Pair! Musician sung; Wrote in honour of (such is the Pow’r of mighty Love) None but the Brave, Of Bacchus, ever fair, and ever young: A Dragon’s fiery Form bely’d the God; St. Cecilia by Mr Dryden None but the Brave, The jolly God in triumph comes; Sublime, on radiant Spires he rode, Set to Musick by Mr. Handel None but the Brave deserves the Fair. Sound the Trumpets, beat the Drums: When he to fair Olympia press’d, Flush’d with a purple Grace, And while he sought her snowy Breast He shews his honest Face; CD 1 – PART ONE 4 Recitative (Tenor) Then, round her slender waist he curl’d, Now give the Hautboys breath; And stamp’d an image of Himself, He comes ! he comes ! 1 Overture Timotheus plac’d on high, A sov’reign of the World. Amid the tuneful Quire, Allegro - Andante With flying Fingers touch’d the Lyre: bn Air (Bass) & Chorus The trembling Notes ascend the Sky, 9 Chorus And heav’nly Joys inspire Bacchus, ever fair and Young, 2 Recitative (Tenor) The list’ning Crowd admire the lofty sound, Drinking Joys did first ordain; A present Deity! they shout around; Bacchus’ blessings are a Treasure, ‘Twas at the Royal Feast, for Persia won Harp Concerto Op.4, A present Deity! the vaulted roofs rebound. Drinking is the soldier’s Pleasure: By Philip’s warlike son: No.6 in B flat Rich the Treasure, Aloft, in awful State, Sweet the Pleasure, The God-like Hero sate bl (Soprano) 5 Allegro Air Sweet is the pleasure after Pain. On his Imperial Throne: With ravish’d Ears His valiant Peers were plac’d around; 6 the Monarch hears; Their brows with Roses and with Myrtles Larghetto Assumes the God, bound: 7 Affects to nod: So shou’d Desert in Arms be crown’d. Allegro moderato And seems to shake the Spheres. The lovely Thais by his side State like a blooming Eastern Bride, In Flow’r of Youth, and Beauty’s Pride.

8 9 bo Recitative (Tenor) br Recitative (Soprano) bu Air (Soprano) cn Air (Soprano) Sooth’d with the sound, the King grew vain; With downcast Looks the joyless Victor sate, Softly sweet, in Lydian Measures, The Prince, unable to conceal his Pain, Fought all his Battles o’er again; Revolving in his alter’d Soul, Soon he sooth’d the soul to Pleasures. Gaz’d on the Fair, And thrice he routed all his Foes, The various Turn of Chance below, Who caused his Care; And Thrice he slew the Slain! And, now and then, a Sigh he stole, And sigh’d and look’d, sigh’d and look’d, The Master saw the Madness rise, And Tears began to flow cl Air (Soprano) sigh’d and look’d and sigh’d again: His glowing Cheeks, his ardent Eyes; At length with Love and Wine at once War, he sung, is Toil and Trouble, and while he Heav’n and Earth defy’d, oppress’d, bs Honour but an empty Bubble: Chang’d his Hand and check’d his Pride. Chorus the vanquish’d Victor sunk upon her Breast. Never ending, still beginning, The Prince unable… (da capo) Behold Darius Great and Good, Fighting still, and still destroying; By too severe a Fate, bp If the World be worth thy winning, Recitative (Soprano) Fall’n, Fall’n, Fall’n, Fall’n, Think, O think it worth enjoying: co Chorus He chose a mournful Muse, Fall’n from his high Estate, Lovely Thais sits beside thee, Soft Pity to infuse. and welt’ring in his Blood: Take the Good the Gods provide thee. The Many rend the Skies with loud Applause; On the bare Earth expos’d he lies, War, he sung… (da capo) So Love was crown’d, but Musick won the With not a Friend to close his Eyes. Cause. bq Air (Soprano) cm Chorus He sung Darius Great and Good, bt Recitative (Tenor) By too severe a Fate, The Many rend the Skies with loud Applause; Fall’n, Fall’n, Fall’n, Fall’n, The Mighty Master smil’d to see So Love was crown’d, but Musick won the Fall’n from his high Estate, that Love was in the next Degree; Cause. and welt’ring in his Blood: ‘t was but a kindred sound to move, Deserted at his utmost Need, For Pity melts the Mind to Love. By those his former Bounty fed, On the bare Earth expos’d he lies, With not a Friend to close his Eyes.

10 11 CD 2 – PART TWO

1 Recitative (Tenor) 2 Air (Bass) 4 Air (Tenor) 6 Recitative (Tenor) Now strike the Golden Lyre again; Revenge, Revenge, Timotheus cries, The Princes applaud with a furious Joy; Thus long ago, A louder yet - and yet a louder Strain: See the Furies arise, And the King seiz’d a Flambeau, with Zeal to Ere heaving Bellows learn’d to blow, Break his Bands of Sleep asunder, See the Snakes that they rear, destroy. While Organs yet were mute, And rouze him, like a rattling Peal of How they hiss in their Hair, Timotheus to his breathing Flute, Thunder. And the Sparkles that flash from their Eyes! And sounding Lyre, Behold a ghastly Band, 5 Air (Soprano) Cou’d swell the Soul to Rage, Each a Torch in his Hand! Or kindle soft Desire Chorus Those are Grecian Ghosts, that in Battle were Thais led the way, slain, To light him to his Prey; Break his Bands of Sleep asunder, And unbury’d, remain, And like another Helen, fir’d another Troy. 7 Grand Chorus And rouze him, like a rattling Peal of Inglorious on the Plain. Thunder. Revenge, Revenge… (da capo) At last Divine Cecilia came, Chorus Inventress of the Vocal Frame; The sweet Enthusiast from her sacred Store, The Princes applaud with a furious Joy; Recitative (Tenor) 3 Enlarg’d the former narrow Bounds, Recitative (Tenor) And the King seiz’d a Flambeau, with Zeal to And added Length to solemn Sounds, Hark, Hark, - the horrid Sound destroy. Give the Vengeance due With Nature’s Mother-Wit Has rais’d up his Head, Thais led the way, To the valiant Crew: And Arts unknown before. As awak’d from the Dead: Behold how they toss their Torches on high, To light him to his Prey; And amaz’d he stares around. How they point to the Persian Abodes, And like another Helen, fir’d another Troy. And glitt’ring Temples of their hostile Gods!

12 13 8 Recitative (Tenor and Bass) Organ Concerto Op.4, The Sixteen Let old Timotheus yield the Prize, No.1 in G minor HARRY CHRISTOPHERS Or both divide the Crown; bl Larghetto e staccato After twenty-five years of world-wide performance He rais’d a Mortal to the Skies, and recording, The Sixteen is recognised as one She drew an Angel down. bm of the world’s greatest vocal ensembles. Its special Allegro reputation for performing early English polyphony, masterpieces of the Renaissance and 9 Chorus bn Adagio a diversity of 20th century music is drawn from the passions of conductor and founder, Harry Let old Timotheus yield the Prize, bo Andante Christophers. Over eighty recordings, many prize- Or both divide the Crown; winning, reflect The Sixteen’s quality in a range He rais’d a Mortal to the Skies, of work spanning the music of six hundred years. Recording Producer: Mark Brown Recording Engineer: Anthony Howell She drew an Angel down. bp The Sixteen has toured throughout Europe, Additional Chorus Japan, Australia and the Americas and has given CD mastering: Julian Millard Recorded at All Hallows Church, Your Voices tune, and raise them high, regular performances at major concert halls and Gospel Oak, London Till th’echo from the vaulted Sky festivals worldwide, including the Barbican Centre, Originally released on the Collins label Sydney Opera House, and Vienna Musikverein; The blest Cecilia’s Name; Cover Image: Victoria & Albert Museum also the BBC Proms, and the festivals of Salzburg, (© V&A Images) Musick to Heav’n and Her we owe, Granada, Lucerne and Istanbul. The vigour and Design: Richard Boxall Design Associates The greatest Blessing that’s below; passion of its performance win new fans wherever 2005 The Sixteen Productions Ltd. Sound loudly then her Fame: it performs. At home in the UK, the group © 2005 The Sixteen Productions Ltd. Let’s imitate her Notes above, promotes A Choral Pilgrimage, a tour of our For further information about The Sixteen And may this Evening ever prove, finest cathedrals bringing music back to the and The Symphony of Harmony and Invention Sacred to Harmony and Love. buildings it was written for. recordings on Coro, call +44 (0) 1865 793 999 The choir is enhanced by the existence of its or email [email protected] own period instrument orchestra, The Symphony www.thesixteen.com of Harmony and Invention, and through it Harry Christophers brings fresh insights to music THE VOICES OF including Purcell, Monteverdi, JS Bach and Handel. 2004 witnessed the launch of the group‘s Handel in Oxford Festival, a weekend of concerts and events dedicated to the life of this great composer. N 14 15