Handel - The Masterworks 30 CDs [2009]

I do think that this Decca set is arguably the best compilation reissue of such a bulk of Handel work which has been released in a long time, just in time to commemorate the two hundred fiftieth anniversary of the passing of il caro Sassone. There is a lot in this box, absence of libretti notwithstanding. The enclosed booklet is essential to navigate you through the track listings and timings and little else but a small general essay on GFH.
There are many who love classical music, baroque in particular, Handel still more particularly, who never get much further in their collections in most of their lives than acquiring Messiah, and that is a shame, beautiful and spiritually uplifting as Messiah is. It was one of the first things I purchased back when I was collecting records long ago. I think that there are very few Handel fans who would stop with buying just one Messiah. The added bonus to this set is that there is a Messiah here. Even before I purchased this Handel box I had six on CD, including the Shaw-ASO on Telarc, Pinnock and McCreesh on Arkiv, Somary on Vanguard, and a Mackerras conducting it in German, as re orchestrated by Mozart himself. There is more in this box set which can be purchased for such a relatively small sum than the Handel with which most people grow familiar in their whole lifetime, and the box set is a generous sampling of early through latter Handel.
Half of the box is digitally recorded, about a little more than half remastered from analog recordings. The first eleven disks in the box contains the instrumental Handel: Water Music, Fireworks, the Concerti Grossi Op. 3 and Op. 6, the eighteen Organ Concertos, three Oboe Concertos Op. 3, three Concerti a dui cori, an instrumental excerpt from the oratorio Solomon, six Trio Sonatas Op. 2, and Flute Sonatas. The rest of the set are the vocal works: Messiah, Marriner conducting a good analog version; Israel in Egypt; Coronation Anthems; Dixit Dominus; what for me was a previously unheard Nisi Dominus and Salve Regina; Dettingen Te Deum; Ode to St. Cecilia's Day; the music drama Hercules; an analog Judas Maccabeus, which was excellently done and comparable in quality to the Somary Vanguard recording I have; an almost perfect digital Solomon; and the only opera in the set, a relative recently performed Giulio Cesare. Handel opera lovers will be disappointed with the lack of depth here with inclusion of but one of the forty operas. Maybe Decca might have or ought to have included their Bartoli Rinaldo here as well. A Radamisto, or an Agrippina, a Deidamea to see the master in his operatic oblivion prior to his resurrection with oratorio, then it could have been a set of more operatic substance, a snack anyway. If you want a Handel operatic meal, you'll have to satisfy that appetite elsewhere apart from this set and a la carte to the tune of thirty or forty dollars apiece for the remainder of Handel`s oeurve. Aside from Messiah, Judas, Hercules, and Solomon, others who have deep and wide Handel collections would love to see still more works included here. A Saul, perhaps; a Samson, written the same year as Messiah; Theodora, Handel's next to last oratorio, and a very good one; definitely Jeptha, if but to get a glimpse at the composer in his decline but still being capable of composing sublime work nonetheless. Others will argue for a Joshua, an Esther, Athalia or a Deborah with reasons equally convincing. If Decca had included all of these suggestions here alone, there would have been another thirty disks included as a sprawling appendix doubly priced to what I am reviewing, and we would not have scratched the surface of the rest of Handel's work, which amounts to the girth of both J.S. Bach and Beethoven combined.
But as I don't think that there will be a Brilliant Complete Handel Edition with what might have been, a two hundred fifty disk megalith put out and issued any time soon, much less in my lifetime, this box set is the next best thing. The Handel which I had in my collection previous to it was rather extensive, much more than Messiah and Water Music, and with this set, about a third of it was new material for my collection, so the investment was well worth it.

By John Van Note

Performer:
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Conductor - Sir Neville Marriner
Tracklisting:
01. Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV351: I. Ouverture
02. II. Bourree
03. III. La Paix
04. IV. La Rejouissance
05. V. Minuet
06. Water Music Suite in G major, HWV348: I. Minuet
07. II. Rigaudon I and II
08. III. Gigue
09. Water Music Suite in D major, HWV349: I. Prelude
10. II. Hornpipe
11. III. Minuet
12. IV. Lentement
13. V. Bourree
14. Water Music Suite in F major, HWV350: I. Ouverture
15. II. Adagio e staccato
16. III. Hornpipe and Andante
17. IV. Jig
18. V. Air
19. VI. Minuet
20. VII. Bourree and Hornpipe
21. VIII. Gavotte


Performer:
Thurston Dart, harpsichord
Andrew Davis, organ
George Malcolm, organ and harpsichord
Stanislav Heller, organ (HWV 317)
Roger Lord, Michael Dobson, oboes
Richard Adeney, Richard Taylor, flutes
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Conductor - Sir Neville Marriner
Tracklisting:
CD2
01. No. 1 in G major, HWV 319
02. No. 2 in F major, HWV 320
03. No. 3 in E minor, HWV 321
04. No. 4 in A minor, HWV 322
05. No. 5 in D major, HWV 323
06. No. 6 in G minor, HWV 324
CD3
01. No. 7 in B flat major, HWV 325
02. No. 8 in C minor, HWV 326
03. No. 9 in F major, HWV 327
04. No. 10 in D minor, HWV 328
05. No. 11 in A major, HWV 329
CD4
01. Concerto grosso op.6, No. 12 in B minor, HWV 330
02. Concerto grosso op.3, No.1 in B flat major, HWV 312
03. Concerto grosso op.3 No.2 in B flat major, HWV 313
04. Concerto grosso op.3 No.3 in G major, HWV 314
05. Concerto grosso op.3 No.4 in F major, HWV 315
06. Concerto grosso op.3 No.5 in D minor, HWV 316
07. Concerto grosso op.3 No.6 in D major, HWV 317


Performer:
George Malcolm, organ and harpsichord
Roger Lord, oboe
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Conductor - Sir Neville Marriner
Thurston Dart, harpsichord
Philomusica of London
Conductor – Granville Jones
The Academy of Ancient Music
Conductor - Christopher Hogwood
Tracklisting:
CD5
01. No.1 in B flat major, HWV 306: I. Andante
02. II. Passacaglia: Andante
03. III. Largo e piano
04. IV. Bourree: Allegro
05. No.2 in A major, HWV 307: I. Ouverture
06. II. A tempo ordinario
07. III. Adagio (organo ad libitum)
08. IV. Allegro
09. No.3 in B flat major, HWV 308: I. Allegro
10. II. Adagio e fuga (organo ad libitum)
11. III. Spiritoso
12. IV. Menuett
13. No.4 in D minor, HWV 309: I. Adagio
14. II. Allegro
15. III. Adagio (organo ad libitum)
16. IV. Allegro
17. No.5 in G minor, HWV 310: I. Allegro, ma non troppo, e staccato
18. II. Andante larghetto, e staccato
19. III. Menuett
CD6
01. Op.7 No.6 in B flat major, HWV 311: I. Pomposo
02. II. A tempo ordinario
03. Op.4 No.1 in G minor, HWV 289: I. Larghetto e staccato
04. II. Allegro
05. III. Adagio - Andante
06. Op.4 No.2 in B flat major, HWV 290: I. A tempo ordinario e staccato - Allegro
07. II. Adagio e staccato - Allegro ma non presto
08. Op.4 No.3 in G minor, HWV 291: I. Adagio
09. II. Allegro
10. III. Adagio - Gavotte - Allegro
11. Op.4 No.4 in F major, HWV 292: I. Introduction
12. II. Allegro
13. III. Andante
14. IV. Adagio - Allegro
15. Op.4 No.5 in F major, HWV 293: I. Larghetto
16. II. Allegro
17. III. Alla siciliana
18. IV. Presto
19. Op.4 No.6 in B flat major, HWV 294: I. Andante - Allegro
20. II. Larghetto
21. III. Allegro moderato
CD7
01 Sonata: Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno
02 Organ Concerto No. 13 in F major, HWV 295: I. Larghetto
03 II. Allegro
04 III. Organ ad libitum
05 IV. Larghetto
06 V. Allegro
07 Organ Concerto No. 14 in A major, HWV 296: I. Largo e staccato
08 II. Organo ad libitum
09 III. Andante
10 IV. Grave
11 V. Allegro
12 Organ Concerto No. 15 in D minor, HWV 304: I. Andante
13 II. (Organ adagio e fuga allegro)
14 III. Allegro
15 Organ Concerto No. 16 in F major, HWV 305: I. Ouverture
16 II. Allegro
17 III. Allegro ma non troppo
18 IV. Adagio
19 V. Andante
20 VI. Allegro
21 Oboe Concerto Op. 3 No. 1 in B flat major, HWV 301
22 Oboe Concerto Op. 3 No. 2a in B flat major, HWV 302a
23 Largo in F major, HWV 302b
CD8
01 Oboe Concerto No. 3 in G minor, HWV 287
02 Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (from Solomon)
03 Concerto grosso in C major, HWV 318 'Alexander's Feast': I. Allegro
04 II. Adagio
05 III. Allegro
06 IV. Andante non presto
07 Concerto a due cori No. 1 in B flat major, HWV 332: I. Ouverture
08 II. Allegro ma non troppo
09 III. Allegro
10 IV. Largo
11 V. A tempo ordinario
12 VI. Alla breve moderato
13 VII. Minuet
14 Concerto a due cori No. 2 in F major, HWV 333: I. Pomposo
15 II. Allegro
16 III. A tempo giusto
17 IV. Largo
18 V. Allegro ma non troppo
19 VI. A tempo ordinario
20 Concerto a due cori No. 3 in F major, HWV 334: I. Ouverture
21 II. Allegro
22 III. Allegro ma non troppo
23 IV. Adagio
24 V. Andante larghetto
25 VI. Allegro


Performer:
William Bennett, Trevor Wye - flutes
Kenneth Sillito, Malcolm Latchem - violin
George Malcolm, Alan Cuckston - harpsichord
Denis Vigay, cello
Tracklisting:
CD9
01. No.1 in B minor, HWV 386b: I. Andante - Adagio
02. II. Allegro ma non troppo
03. III. Largo
04. IV. Allegro
05. No.2 in G minor, HWV 387: I. Andante
06. II. Allegro
07. III. Largo
08. IV. Allegro
09. No.3 in B flat major, HWV 388: I. Andante - Adagio
10. II. Allegro
11. III. Larghetto
12. IV. Allegro
13. No.4 in F major, HWV 389: I. Larghetto
14. II. Allegro
15. III. Adagio
16. IV. Allegro
17. V. Allegro
CD10
01. No.5 in G minor, HWV 390a: I. Larghetto - Adagio
02. II. Allegro
03. III. Adagio
04. IV. Allegro
05. No.6 in G minor, HWV 391: I. Andante - Allegro
06. II. Arioso
07. III. Allegro
08. Trio Sonata in F major, HWV 392: I. Andante
09. II. Allegro
10. III. Adagio
11. IV. Allegro
12. Trio Sonata in G minor, HWV 393: I. Andante
13. II. Allegro
14. III. Largo
15. IV. Allegro
CD11
01. Flute Sonata in A minor, HWV 374 'Halle' No.1: I. Adagio
02. II. Allegro
03. III. Adagio
04. IV. Allegro
05. Flute Sonata in E minor, HWV 375 'Halle' No.2: I. Adagio
06. II. Allegro
07. III. Grave
08. IV. Minuet
09. Flute Sonata in B minor, HWV 376 'Halle' No.3: I. Adagio
10. II. Allegro
11. III. Largo
12. IV. Allegro
13. Flute Sonata in E minor, HWV 379: I. Larghetto - Adagio
14. II. Andante
15. III. Largo
16. IV. Allegro
17. V. Presto
18. Flute Sonata in D major, HWV 378: I. Adagio
19. II. Allegro
20. III. Adagio
21. IV. Allegro


Performer:
Elly Ameling – soprano
Anna Reynolds – mezzo-soprano
Philip Langridge – tenor
Gwynne Howell – bass
Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chorus
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Conductor - Sir Neville Marriner

Tracklisting:
CD12
01. Part I. Symphony
02. Recitative & Air: Comfort ye My people… Ever valley shall be exalted
03. Chorus: And the glory of the Lord
04. Recitative & Air: Thus saith the Lord… But who may abide
05. Chorus: And he shall purify
06. Recitative & Air: Behold, a virgin shall conceive…
07. Recitative & Air: For behold, darkness shall cover the earth
08. Chorus: For unto us a child is born
09. Pifa
10. Recitative: There were shepherds..
11. Chorus: Glory to God in the Highest
12. Air: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion
13. Recitative & Aria: Then shall the eyes of the blind…
14. Chorus: His yoke is easy
15. Part II. Chorus: Behold the Lamb of God
16. Air: He was despised
CD13
01. Chorus: Surely he hath borne our griefs
02. Chorus: And with His stripes we are healed
03. Chorus: All we like sheep
04. Recitative & Chorus: All they that see Him… He trusted in God
05. Recitative & Arioso: Thy rebuke hath broken His heart
06. Recitative & Air: He was cut off out of the land of the living
07. Chorus: Lift up your heads
08. Recitative & Chorus: Let all the angels of God worship him
09. Air: Thou art gone up on high
10. Chorus: The Lord gave the word
11. Duet: How beautiful are the feet
12. Arioso: Their sound is gone out
13. Air & Chorus: Why do the nations… Let us break their bonds
14. Recitative & Air: He that dwelleth in heaven
15. Chorus: Hallelujah!
16. Part III. Air: I know taht my Redeemer liveth
17. Chorus: Since by man came death
18. Recitative & Air: Behold, I tell you a mystery
19. Recitative, Duet & Chorus: Then shall be brought to pass
20. Air: If God be for us
21. Chorus: Worthy is the Lamb… Amen


Performer:
Susan Gritton – soprano I
Libby Crabtree – soprano II
Michael Chance – alto I
Robert Ogden – alto II
Ian Bostridge – tenor
Stephen Varcoe – bass I
Henry Herford – bass II
The Choit of King’s College, Cambridge
The Brandenburg Consort
Stephen Cleobury

Tracklisting:
CD14
01. Part I. Prelude
02. Chorus: The sons of Israel do mourn
03. Chorus: He put on righteousness
04. Quartet: When the ear heard him
05. Chorus: How is the mighty fall’n
06. Chorus: He deliver’d the poor
07. Chorus: How is the mighty fall'n
08. Quartet - Chorus: The righteous shall be had
09. Chorus: Their bidies are buried in peace
10. Chorus: The people will thell of their wisdom
11. Quartet: They shall receive a glorious kingdom
12. Chorus: The merciful goodness of the Lord
13. Part II. Recitative: Now there arose a new king over Egypt
14. Chorus: And the children of Israel sighed with
15. Recitative: Then sent he Moses
16. Chorus: They loathed to drink of the river
17. Air: Their land brought forth frogs
18. Chorus: He spake the word
19 .Chorus: He gave them hailstones for rain
20. Chorus: He sent a thick darkness
21. Chorus: He smote all the first-born of Egypt
22. Chorus: But as for his people
23. Chorus: Egypt was glad
24. Chorus: He rebuked the Red Sea
25. Chorus: Ge led them through the deep
26. Chorus: Bet the waters overwhelmed their enemies
27. Chorus: And Israel saw that great work
28. Chorus: And believed the Lord
CD15
01. Part III. Introitus (Chorus): Moses and the children of Israel
02. Chorus: I will sing unto the Lord
03. Duet: The Lord is my strength
04. Chorus: He is my God
05. Duet: The Lord is a man of war
06. Chorus: The depths have covered them
07. Chorus: Thy right hand, o Lord
08. Chorus: Thou sentest forth thy wrath
09. Chorus: And with the blast of thy nostrils
10. Air: The enemy said
11. Air: Thou didst blow with the wind
12. Chorus: Who is like unto thee
13. Duet: Thou in thy mercy
14. Chorus: The people shall hear and be afraid
15. Air: Thou shalt bring them
16. Chorus: The Lord shall reign for ever and ever
17. Recitative: For the horse of Pharaoh
18. Chorus: The Lord shall reign for ever and ever
19. Recitative: And Miriam the prophetess
20. Chorus: Sing ye to the Lord


Performer:
Arleen Auger, Lynne Dawson, Felicity Lott – sopranos
Diana Montague – contralto
Christopher Tipping - alto
Leigh Nixon, John Mark Ainsley, Harry Christophers, Anthony Rolfe Johnson – tenors
Simon Birchall, Stephen Varcoe, Michael Pearce - basses
Choir of Westminster Abbey
The English Concert
Simon Preston & Trevor Pinnock

Tracklisting:
CD16
01. Zadok the priest, HWV 258
02. The king shall rejoice, HWV 260
03. My heart is inditing, HWV 261
04. Let thy hand be strengthened, HWV 259
CD17
01. Dixit Dominus, HWV 232: I. Dixit Dominus
02. II. Virgam virtutis tuae
03. III. Tecum principium
04. IV. Juravit Dominus
05. V. Tu es sacerdos
06. VI. Judicabit in nationibus
07. VII. Dominus a dextris tuis
08. VIII. De torrente ini via bibet
09. IX. Gloria Patri et Filio
10. Nisi Dominus, HWV 238: I. Nisi Dominus
11. II. Vanum est vobis
12. III. Cum dederit dilectis suis somnum
13. IV. Sicut sagittae in manu potentis
14. V. Beatus vir
15. VI. Gloria Patri
16. Salve Regine, HWV 241: I. Salve Regina
17. II. Ad te clamamus
18. III. Eia ergo, advocata nostra
19. IV. O clemens, o pia, o dulcis
CD18
01. Dettingen Te Deum, HWV 283: I. We praise Thee, O God
02. II. All the earth doth worship thee
03. III. To Thee all angels cry aloud
04. IV. To Thee Cherubim and Seraphim
05. V. The glorious company of th'apostels
06. VI. Thine honourable, true, and only Son
07. VII. Thou art the King of glory
08. VIII. When Thou tookest upon Thee
09. IX. When Thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death
10. X. Thou didst open the kingdom of heaven
11. XI. Thou sittest at the right hand of God
12. XII. Adagio
13. XIII. We therefore pray Thee
14. XIV. Make them to be number'd
15. XV. Day by day we magnify Thee
16. XVI. And we worship Thy name
17. XVII. Vouchsafe, O Lord
18. XVIII. O Lord, in Thee have I trusted
19. Dettingen Anthem, HWV 265: I. The King shall rejoice
20. II. His honour is great
21. III. Thou shalt give Him everlasting felicity
22. IV. And why? Because the King putteth his trust in the Lord
23. V. We shall rejoice in Thy salvaition
CD19
01. Overture
02. Recitative/Accompagnato: From harmony, from heav'nly harmony (tenor)
03. Chorus: From harmony, from heav'nly harmony
04. Aria: What passion cannot music raise and quell (soprano)
05. Aria & Chorus: The trumpet's loud clangor (tenor)
06. March
07. Aria: The soft complaining flute (soprano)
08. Aria: Sharp violins proclaim (tenor)
09. Aria: But oh! what art can teach (soprano)
10. Aria: Orpheus could lead the savage race (soprano)
11. Accompagnato: But bright Cecilia (soprano)
12. Soprano & Chorus: As from the powr of sacred lays



Performer:
Hercules – John Tomlinson
Dejanira – Sarah Walker
Hyllus – Anthony Rolfe Johnson
Iole – Jennifer Smith
Lichas – Catherine Denley
The Monteverdi Choir
The English Baroque Soloists
Conductor – John Eliot Gardiner

Tracklisting:
CD1
1. Act I. Overtura
2. Recitativo accompagnato: See with what sad dejection (Lichas)
3. Aria: No longer, Fate, relentless frown (Lichas)
4. Recitativo accompagnato & Aria: O Hercules! why art thou absent from me? (Dejanira)
5. Recitativo: Princess! be comforted, and hope the best (Lichas, Dejanira, Hyllus)
6. Aria: I feel, i feel the god (Hyllus)
7. Recitativo & Aria: Then i am lost! O dreadful oracle! (Dejanira)
8. Recitativo & Aria: Despair not! but let rising hope suspend (Hyllus)
9. Chorus: O Filial piety! O generous love!
10. Recitativo & Aria: Banish your fears! The noble Hercules (Lichas, Dejanira)
11. Recitativo: A train of captives, red with honest wounds (Lichas, Hyllus, Dejanira)
12. March
13. Recitativo: Thanks to the powers above (Hercules, Iole)
14. Aria: My father! Ah! methinks i see (Iole)
15. Recitativo & Aria: Now farewell, arms! From hence the tide of time (Hercules)
16. Chorus: Cross with festal pomp the day
17. Act II. Aria: How blest the maid ordained to dwell (Iole)
18. Recitativo & Aria: It must be so! Fame speaks aloud my wrongs (Dejanira, Iole)
19. Recitativo: Whence this unjust suspicion? (Iole, Dejanira)
20. Aria: Ah! think what ills the jealous prove (Iole)
21. Recitativo: It is too sure that Hercules is false (Dejanira, Lichas)
22. Chorus: Jealousy! Infernal pest
CD2
1. Recitativo: She knows my passion, and has heard me breathe (Hyllus, Iole)
2. Aria: From celestial seats descending (Hyllus)
3. Chorus: Wanton god of amorous fires
4. Recitativo & Aria: Yes, I congratulate your titles, swelled (Dejanira, Hercules)
5. Recitativo & Aria: O glorious pattern of heroic deeds! (Dejanira)
6. Recitativo: You are deceived! Some villain has belied (Hercules, Dejanira)
7. Aria: Cease, ruler of the day, to rise (Dejanira)
8. Recitativo: Some kinder power inspire me to regain (Dejanira, Lichas, Iole)
9. Duet: Joys of freedom, joys of power (Dejanira, Iole)
10. Recitativo & Chorus: Father of Hercules, great Jove, O help (Dejanira)
11. Act III. Sinfonia
12. Recitativo: Ye sons of Trachin, mourn your valiant chief (Lichas)
13. Aria: O scene of unexampled woe (Lichas)
14. Chorus: Tyrants now no more shall dread
15. Recitativo accompagnato: O Jove! what land is this, what clime accurst (Hercules)
16. Recitativo: Great Jove! relieve his pains! (Hyllus, Hercules)
17. Aria: Let not fame the tidings spread (Hyllus)
18. Recitativo accompagnato: Where shall I fly? Where hide this guilty head? (Dejanira)
19. Recitativo: Lo! the fair fatal cause of all this ruin! (Dejanira, Iole)
20. Aria: My breast with tender pity swells (Iole)
21. Recitativo: Princess, rejoice! whose heaven-directed hand (Priest, Dejanira)
22. Recitativo: Words are too faint to speak the warring passions (Dejanira, Priest, Iole)
23. Duet: O prince, whose virtues all admire (Iole, Hyllus)
24. Resitativo (Priest) & Chorus: Ye sons of freedom, now, in every clime


Performer:
Judas Maccabaeus - Ryland Davies
Israelitish Woman - Felicity Palmer
Israelitish Man - Janet Baker
Simon - John Shirley-Quirk
Eupolemus - Christopher Keyte
Messenger - Paul Esswood
Wandsworth School Choir
English Chamber Orchestra
Conductor – Sir Charles Mackerras

Tracklisting:
CD22
01. Overture
02. Act I. Chorus: Mourn, ye afflicted children
03. Recitative: Well, may your sorrows, brethren, flow
04. Duet: From this dread scene, these advers pow'rs (Israelitish Woman & Man)
05. Chorus: For Sion lamentation make
06. Recitative: Not vain is all this storm of grief
07. Aria: Pious orgies, pious airs (Israelitish Man)
08. Chorus: Oh Father, whose Almighty pow'r
09. Recitative: I feel, I feel the Deity within
10. Aria: Arm, arm, ye brave! (Simon)
11. Chorus: We come, we come, in bright array
12. Recitative: Tis well, my friends
13. Aria: Call forth thy pow'rs, my soul (Judas Maccabaeus)
14. Recitative: To Heav'n's Almighty king we kneel
15. Aria: Oh liberty, thou choicest treasure (Israelitish Woman)
16. Aria: Come, ever-smiling liberty (Israelitish Woman)
17. Recitative: Oh Judas, may these noble views inspire
18. Aria: Tis liberty, dear liberty alone (Israelitish Man)
19. Duet: Come, ever-smiling liberty (Israelitish Woman & Man)
20. Chorus: Lead on, lead on! Judah disdains
21. Recitative: So will'd my father, now at rest
22. Semi-chorus: Disdainful of danger, we'll rush on the foe
23. Recitative: Ambition! if e'er honour was thine aim
24. Aria: No unhallow'd desire (Judas Maccabaeus)
25. Recitative: Haste we, my brethren, haste we to the field
26. Chorus: Hear us, oh Lord, on Thee we call
CD23
01. Act II. Chorus: Fall'n is the foe; so fall Thy foes, oh Lord!
02. Recitative: Victorious hero! Fame shall tell!
03. Aria: So rapid thy course is (Israelitish Man)
04. Recitative: Well may we hope our freedom to receive
05. Duet: Sion now her head shall raise (Israelitish Woman & Man)
06. Recitative: Oh let eternal honours crown his name
07. Aria: From mighty knights he took the spoil (Israelitish Woman)
08. Duet: Hail, hail, Judea, happy land (Israelitish Woman & Man)
09. Recitative: Thanks to my brethren; but look up to Heav'n
10. Aria: How vain is man, who boasts in fight (Judas Maccabaeus)
11. Recitative: Oh Judas, oh my brethren!
12. Aria: Ah! wretched, wretched Israel! (Israelitish Woman)
13. Recitative: Be comforted, - nor think these plagues are sent
14. Aria: The Lord worketh wonders (Simon)
15. Recitative: My arms! - against this Gorgias will I go
16. Aria: Sound an alarm! your silver trumpets sound (Judas Maccabaeus)
17. Recitative: Enough! To Heav'n we leave the rest
18. Aria: With pious hearts, and brave as pious (Simon)
19. Recitative: Ye worshippers of God
20. Aria: Wise men, flatt'ring, may deceive us (Israelitish Woman)
21. Duet & chorus: Oh! never, never bow we down (Israelitish Woman & Man)
CD24
01. Act III. Aria: Father of Heav'n! from Thy eternal throne (Israelitish Man)
02. Recitative: See, see yon flames, that from the alter broke
03. Recitative: Oh grant it, Heav'n, that our long woes may cease
04. Aria: So shall the lute and harp awake (Israelitish Woman)
05. Recitative: From Capharsalama, on eagle wings I fly
06. Chorus: See, the conqu'ring hero comes!
07. March
08. Chorus: Sing unto God, and high affections raise
09. Recitative: Sweet flow the strains, that strike my feasted ear
10. Aria: With honour let desert be crown'd (Judas Maccabaeus)
11. Recitative: Peace to my countrymen; peace, and liberty
12. Chorus: To our great God be all the honour giv'n
13. Recitative: Again to earth let gratitude descend
14. Aria, Duet: Oh lovely peace, with plenty crown'd (Israelitish Woman & Man)
15. Aria: Rejoice, oh Judah! and in songs divine (Simon)
16. Chorus: Hallelujah! Amen


Performer:
Solomon - Andreas Scholl
Solomon’s Queen - Inger Dam-Jensen
Queen of Sheba - Susan Gritton
1st Harlot - Alison Hagley
2nd Harlot - Susan Bickley
Zadok – Paul Agnew
A Levite – Peter Harvey
Gabrieli Consort and Players
Conductor - Paul McCreesh

Tracklisting:
CD 1
01. Overture
02. Act I. Chorus: Your harps and cymbals
03. Air: Praise ye the Lord
04. Chorus: With pious heart
05. Air: Almighty Power (Solomon)
06. Accompagnato: Imperial Solomon (Zadok)
07. Air: Sacred raptures (Zadok)
08. Chorus: Throughout the Land
09. Recitative: Bless'd bet the Lord (Solomon)
10. Air: What though I trace (Solomon)
11. Recitative: And see my Queen (Solomon)
12. Air: Bless'd the day (Queen)
13. Recitative: Thou fair inhabitant of Nile (Solomon, Queen)
14. Duet: Welcome as the dawn of day (Solomon, Queen)
15. Recitative: Vain are the transient beauties (Zadok)
16. Air: Indulge thy faith (Zadok)
17. Recitative: My blooming fair (Solomon)
18. Air: Haste to the cedar grove (Solomon)
19. Recitative: When thou art absent (Queen)
20. Air: With thee th'unshelter'd moor (Queen)
21. Recitative: Search round the world (Zadok)
22. Chorus: May no rash intruder
CD 2
01. Act II. Chorus: From The Censer Curling Rise
02. Recitative: Prais'd Be The Lord (Solomon)
03. Air: When The Sun O'er Yonder Hills (Solomon)
04. Recitative: Great Prince (Levite)
05. Air: Thrice Bless'd That Wise Discerning King (Levite)
06. Recitative: My Sovereign Leige (Solomon, 1st Harlot)
07. Words Are Weak (1st & 2nd Harlot, Solomon)
08. Recitative: What Says The Other (2nd Harlot)
09. Air: Thy Sentence, Great King (2nd Harlot)
10. Recitative: Withhold, Withhold The Executing Hand!
11. Air: Can I See My Infant Gor'd (1st Harlot)
12. Accompagnato: Israel, Attend (Solomon)
13. Duet: Thrice Bless'd Be The King (1st Harlot, Solomon)
14. Chorus: From The East Unto The West
15. Recitative: From Morn To Eve (Zadok)
16. Air: See The Tall Palm (Zadok)
17. Recitative: No More Shall Armed Bands (1st Harlot)
18. Air: Beneath The Vine (1st Harlot)
19. Chorus: Swell, Swell The Full Chorus
CD 3
01. Act III. Sinfony: The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
02. Recitative: From Arabia's spicy shores (Queen of Sheba, Solomon)
03. Air: Ev'ry sight these eyes behold (Queen of Sheba)
04. Recitative: Sweep, sweep the string (Solomon)
05. Air and Chorus: Music, spread thy voice around (Solomon)
06. Air and Chorus: Now a diff'rent measure try (Solomon)
07. Recitative: Then at once from rage remove (Solomon)
08. Chorus: Draw the tear from hopeless love
09. Recitative: Next the tortur'd soul release (Solomon)
10. Air and Chorus: Thus rolling surges rise (Solomon)
11. Recitative: Thy harmony's divine (Queen of Sheba)
12. Air: Pious king (Levite)
13. Recitative: Thrice happy king (Zadok)
14. Air: Golden Columns (Zadok)
15. Chorus: Praise the Lord
16. Recitative: Gold now is common (Solomon)
17. Air: How green our fertile pastures look! (Solomon)
18. Recitative: May peace in Salem (Queen of Sheba)
19. Air: Will the sun forget to streak (Queen of Sheba)
20. Recitative: Adieu, fair queen
21. Duet: Ev'ry joy that wisdom knows (Queen of Sheba, Solomon)
22. Chorus: The name of the wicked



Performer:
Giulio Cesare - Marijana Mijanović
Cleopatra - Magdalena Kožená
Cornelia - Charlotte Hellekant
Sesto Pompeo - Anne Sofie von Otter
Tolomeo - Bejun Mehta
Achilla - Alan Ewing
Nireno - Pascal Bertin
Curio - Jean-Michel Ankaoua
Les Musiciens du Louvre
Director - Marc Minkowski

Tracklisting:
CD28
1. Ouverture
2. Atto I. Scena 1. Coro: Viva, viva il nostro Alcide! (Egyptians)
3. Aria: Presti omai l'egizia terra (Cesare)
4. Recitativo: Curio, Cesare venne, e vide e vinse (Cesare, Curio)
5. Scena 2. Recitativo: Questa è Cornelia (Cesare, Curio, Cornelia, Sesto)
6. Scena 3. Recitativo: La reggia Tolomeo t'offre in albergo (Achilla, Cesare, Sesto, Cornelia, Curio)
7. Aria: Empio, dirò, tu sei (Cesare)
8. Scena 4. Recitativo: Già torna in se (Curio, Sesto, Cornelia)
9. Aria: Priva son d'ogni conforto (Cornelia)
10. Recitativo: Vani sono i lamenti (Sesto)
11. Aria: Svegliatevi nel core (Sesto)
12. Scena 5. Recitativo: Regni Cleopatra (Cleopatra, Nireno, Tolomeo)
13. Aria: Non disperar, chi sa? (Cleopatra)
14. Scena 6. Recitativo: Sire, Signor! (Achilla, Tolomeo)
15. Aria: L'empio, sleale, indegno (Tolomeo)
16. Accompagnato: Alma del gran Pompeo (Cesare)
17. Recitativo: Qui nobile donzella chiede chinarsi (Curio, Cesare, Cleopatra)
18. Scena 7. Aria: Non è sì vago e bello il fior nel prato (Cesare)
19. Recitativo: Cleopatra, vincesti (Nireno, Cleopatra)
20. Aria: Tutto può donna vezzosa (Cleopatra)
21. Scena 8. Arioso: Nel tuo seno, amico sasso (Cornelia)
22. Recitativo: Ma che! Vile e negletta (Cornelia, Cleopatra, Sesto, Nireno)
23. Aria: Cara speme, questo core (Sesto)
24. Scena 9. Recitativo: Cesare, alla tua destra (Tolomeo, Cesare, Achilla)
25. Aria: Va tacito e nascosto (Cesare)
26. Scena 10. Recitativo: Sire, con Sesto, il figlio (Achilla, Tolomeo, Cornelia, Sesto)
27. Scena 11. Recitativo: Cornelia, in quei tuoi lumi (Achilla, Cornelia, Sesto)
28. Aria: Tu sei il cor di questo core (Achilla)
CD29
1. Recitativo: Madre! (Sesto, Cornelia)
2. Duetto: Son nata a lagrimar (Cornelia, Sesto)
3. Atto II. Scena 1. Recitativo: Eseguisti, o Niren (Cleopatra, Nireno)
4. Scena 2. Recitativo: Da Cleopatra apprenda (Nireno, Cesare)
5. Sinfonia e Recitativo: Taci! … Cieli (Cesare, Nireno)
6. Sinfonia e Recitativo: Giulio, che miri? (Cesare)
7. Aria e Recitativo: V'adoro, pupille … Non ha in cielo il Tonante (Cesare, Cleopatra)
8. Recitativo: Vola, mio cor (Cesare, Nireno)
9. Aria: Se in fiorito ameno prato (Cesare)
10. Scena 3. Arioso: Deh, piangete, oh mesti lumi (Cornelia)
11. Recitativo: Bella, non lagrimare! (Achilla, Cornelia)
12. Scena 4. Recitativo: Bella, placa lo sdegno! (Tolomeo, Cornelia, Achilla)
13. Aria: Se a me non sei crudele (Achilla)
14. Recitativo: Bella, cotanto aborri chi ti prega d'amar? (Tolomeo, Cornelia)
15. Aria: Sì spietata, il tuo rigore (Tolomeo)
16. Scena 5. Recitativo: Su, che si tarda? (Cornelia, Sesto)
17. Recitativo: Cornelia, infauste nove (Nireno, Cornelia, Sesto)
18. Scena 6. Aria: Cessa omai di sospirare! (Cornelia)
19. Recitativo: Figlio non è chi vendicar non cura (Sesto)
20. Aria: Langue offeso mai riposa (Sesto)
21. Scena 7. Aria: Venere bella (Cleopatra)
22. Recitativo: Che veggio, o numi? (Cesare, Cleopatra)
23. Scena 8. Recitativo: Cesare, sei tradito (Curio, Cesare, Cleopatra)
24. Aria e Coro: Al lampo dell’armi (Cesare, Congiurati)
25. Accompagnato: Che sento? Oh Dio! (Cleopatra)
26. Aria: Se pietà di me non senti (Cleopatra)
27. Scena 9. Arioso: Belle dee di questo core (Tolomeo, Cornelia)
28. Recitativo:…di quel ch’ avete (Tolomeo, Cornelia, Sesto)
29. Scena 10. Recitativo: Sire, prendi! (Achilla, Tolomeo, Sesto, Cornelia)
30. Scena 11. Recitativo: Ecco in tutto perduta (Sesto, Cornelia)
31. Aria: L’aure che spira tiranno e fiero (Sesto)
CD30
1. Atto III. Scena 1. Recitativo: In tal modi si premia (Achilla)
2. Aria: Dal fulgor di questa spada (Achilla)
3. Scena 2. Sinfonia
4. Recitativo: Vinta cadesti (Tolomeo, Cleopatra)
5. Aria: Domerò la tua fierezza (Tolomeo)
6. Scena 3. Recitativo: E pur così in un giorno perdo fasti (Cleopatra)
7. Aria: Piangerò la sorte mia (Cleopatra)
8. Scena 4. Accompagnato ed Aria: Dall'ondoso periglio (Cesare)
9. Recitativo: Cerco invan (Sesto, Achilla, Cesare, Nireno)
10. Scena 5. Recitativo: Lascia questo sigillo! (Cesare, Sesto)
11. Aria: Quel torrente, che cade dal monte (Cesare)
12. Scena 6. Recitativo: Tutto lice sperar (Sesto, Nireno)
13. Aria: La giustizia ha già sull'arco (Sesto)
14. Scena 7. Accompagnato: Voi, che mie fide ancelle (Cleopatra)
15. Recitativo: Forzai l'ingresso (Cesare, Cleopatra)
16. Aria: Da tempeste il legno infranto (Cleopatra)
17. Scena 8. Recitativo: Cornelia, è tempo omai (Tolomeo, Cleopatra)
18. Scena 9. Recitativo: T'arresta, oh genitrice! (Sesto, Tolomeo, Cornelia)
19. Aria: Non ha più che temere (Cornelia)
20. Scena ultima. Sinfonia
21. Recitativo: Qui Curio vincitor (Nireno, Cesare, Sesto, Cornelia, Cleopatra)
22. Duetto: Caro! Più amabile beltà (Cleopatra, Cesare)
23. Recitativo: Goda pur or l'Egitto (Cesare)
24. Coro e Duetto: Ritorni omai nel nostro core (Egyptians, Cleopatra, Cesare)