Handel Alexander's Feast (HWV 75, 1736)

Original libretto source: http://opera.stanford.edu/iu/libretti/alfeast.htm

George Frideric Handel

Alexander’s Feast

(1736)

HWV 75

An ode with music

Libretto by Newburgh Hamilton

Published on Oct 19, 2012 by radio4nl
Radio Kamer Filharmonie
Groot Omroepkoor
Kenneth Montgomery [dirigent]
Yulia Van Doren [sopraan]
Paula Murrihy [mezzosopraan]
Ed Lyon [tenor]
Matthew Brook [bas]
Gwyneth Wentink [harp]
Pieter-Jan Belder [orgel]


Haendel 1736 Alexander's Feast Oratorio Concentus Musicus Wien N Harnoncourt
Published on 2016-05-06 by Felices Cantus, 1h26m51s

https://youtu.be/Hu_l7mpKgfQ

Uploaded on Mar 10, 2011 by UCtelevision
Jeffrey Thomas conducts the UC Davis University Chorus.
The story describes a banquet held by Alexander the Great and his mistress Thais
in the captured Persian city of Persepolis.
The success of this piece encouraged Handel to make the transition
from writing Italian-language operas to English choral works.
Also on the program, Handel coronation anthems, including Zadok the Priest.
Uploaded on Mar 10, 2011 by UCtelevision, 1h24m11s

George Frideric Handel, Alexander’s Feast (1736)

@Wikipedia, @IMSLP, YouTube playlist
Performance and video information
Conductor		Kenneth Montgomery
Orchestra		Radio Kamer Filharmonie
Chorus		Groot Omroepkoor
Venue
Performance date		2012-10
Subtitles		Dutch
Performance duration		1h53m28s
Video type		16:9 720pHD
YouTube uploader		radio4nl
YouTube upload date		2012-10-19
YouTube deletion date
Dramatis Personæ
Soprano		Yulia Van Doren
Alto		Paula Murrihy
Tenor		Ed Lyon
Bass		Matthew Brook
Libretto and links
Wikipedia #	- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	Montgomery
PART ONE
1/1	1. Overture	1/1/Slow-Montgomery 1/1/Fast-Montgomery 1/1/Slow-Montgomery
1/2	2. Recitative Tenor ‘Twas at the royal feast, for Persia won By Philip’s warlike son: Aloft in awful state The god-like hero sate On his imperial throne: His valiant peers were plac’d around; Their brows with roses and with myrtles bound. So should desert in arms be crown’d. The lovely Thais by his side Sate like a blooming Eastern bride, In flow’r of youth, and beauty’s pride.	1/2-Montgomery
1/3	3. Air (tenor) and Chorus Happy, happy, happy pair! None but the brave, None but the brave, None but the brave deserves the fair.	(1/3/Tenor-Montgomery) 1/3/Tenor-Montgomery (1/3/Tenor-Montgomery) 1/3/Tenor-Montgomery 1/3/Chorus-Montgomery
1/4	4. Recitative Tenor Timotheus plac’d on high, Amid the tuneful quire, With flying fingers touch’d the lyre. The trembling notes ascend the sky, And heav’nly joys inspire.	1/4-Montgomery
1/5	Harp Concerto, Opus 4, Number 6 in B Flat	1/5-Montgomery 1/5/more-Montgomery 1/5/more-Montgomery 1/5/end-Montgomery
1/6	5. Accompagnato Soprano The song began from Jove, Who left his blissful seats above; (Such is the pow’r of mighty love) A dragon’s fiery form bely’d the God; Sublime, on radiant spires he rode, When he to fair Olympia press’d, And while he sought her snowy breast: Then, round her slender waist he curl’d, And stamp’d an image of himself, a sov’reign of the world.	(1/6-Montgomery) 1/6-Montgomery
1/7	6. Chorus The list’ning crowd admire the lofty sound, "A present deity!" they shout around; "A present deity!" the vaulted roofs rebound.	1/7-Montgomery) 1/7-Montgomery (1/7/riternello-Montgomery)
1/8	7. Air Soprano With ravish’d ears The monarch hears, Assumes the God, Affects to nod, And seems to shake the spheres.	(1/8-Montgomery) 1/8-Montgomery 1/8/With-Montgomery 1/8/With-Montgomery 1/8/Riternello-Montgomery
1/9	8. Recitative Tenor The praise of Bacchus, then, the sweet musician sung; Of Bacchus, ever fair, and ever young: The jolly God in triumph comes; Sound the trumpets, beat the drums: Flush’d with a purple grace, He shows his honest face; Now give the hautboys breath; he comes, he comes!	1/9-Montgomery
1/10	9. Air and Chorus Bass Bacchus, ever fair and young, Drinking joys did first ordain; Bacchus’ blessings are a treasure, Drinking is the soldier’s pleasure: Rich the treasure, Sweet the pleasure, Sweet is pleasure after pain. Chorus Bacchus’ blessings are a treasure, Drinking is the soldier’s pleasure: Rich the treasure, Sweet the pleasure, Sweet is pleasure after pain.	-Montgomery
1/11	10. Recitative Tenor Sooth’d with the sound, the king grew vain; Fought all his battles o’er again; And thrice he routed all his foes, and thrice he slew the slain! The master saw the madness rise, His glowing cheeks, his ardent eyes; And while he Heav’n and earth defy’d, Chang’d his hand, and check’d his pride.	1/11-Montgomery
1/12	11. Accompagnato Soprano He chose a mournful muse, Soft pity to infuse.	1/12-Montgomery
1/13	12. Air Soprano He sung Darius great and good, By too severe a fate, Fall’n from his high estate, And welt’ring in his blood: Deserted at his utmost need, By those his former bounty fed, On the bare earth expos’d he lies, Without a friend to close his eyes.	(1/13-Montgomery) 1/13-Montgomery
1/14	13. Accompagnato Soprano With downcast looks the joyless victor sate, Revolving in his alter’d soul, The various turns of chance below, And, now and then, a sigh he stole, And tears began to flow.	1/14-Montgomery
1/15	14. Chorus Behold Darius, great and good, Fall’n, fall’n, fall’n, fall’n, welt’ring in his blood; On the bare earth expos’d he lies, Without a friend to close his eyes.	1/15-Montgomery
1/16	15. Recitative Tenor The mighty master smil’d to see That love was in the next degree; ‘Twas but a kindred sound to move, For pity melts the mind to love:	1/16-Montgomery
1/17	16. Arioso Soprano Softly sweet, in Lydian measures, Soon he sooth’d his soul to pleasures.	(1/17-Montgomery) 1/17-Montgomery
1/18	17. Air Soprano War, he sung, is toil and trouble, Honour but an empty bubble, Never ending, still beginning, Fighting still, and still destroying; If the world be worth thy winning, Think, oh think it worth enjoying, Lovely Thais sits beside thee, Take the good the Gods provide thee. War he sung. . . da capo	(1/18-Montgomery) 1/18-Montgomery (1/18/Lovely-Montgomery) 1/18/Lovely-Montgomery (1/18/War-Montgomery) 1/18/War-Montgomery (1/18/riternello-Montgomery)
1/19	18a. Chorus The many rend the skies, with loud applause; So love was crown’d, but music won the cause.	(1/19-Montgomery) 1/19-Montgomery 1/19/So-Montgomery 1/19/The-Montgomery
1/20	19. Air Soprano The Prince, unable to conceal his pain, Gaz’d on the fair, Who caus’d his care; And sigh’d and look’d, sigh’d and look’d, Sigh’d and look’d, and sigh’d again: At length with love and wine at once oppress’d, The vanquish’d victor sunk upon her breast. The Prince. . . da capo	(1/20-Montgomery) 1/20-Montgomery (1/20/At-Montgomery) 1/20/At-Montgomery (1/20/The-Montgomery) 1/20/The-Montgomery (1/20/riternello-Montgomery)
1/21	18b. Chorus The many rend the skies, with loud applause; So love was crown’d, but music won the cause.	(1/21-Montgomery) 1/21-Montgomery 1/21/So-Montgomery 1/21/The-Montgomery 1/End-Montgomery
PART TWO
2/1	20. Accompagnato and Chorus Tenor Now strike the golden lyre again, A louder yet — and yet a louder strain! Break his bands of sleep asunder, And rouse him, like a rattling peal of thunder. Hark, hark! — the horrid sound Has rais’d up his head, As awak’d from the dead, And amaz’d, he stares around. Chorus Break his bands of sleep asunder, And rouse him, like a rattling peal of thunder. Tenor Hark, hark! — the horrid sound Has rais’d up his head, As awak’d from the dead, And amaz’d, he stares around.	(2/1-Montgomery) 2/1-Montgomery (2/1/Break-Montgomery) 2/1/Break-Montgomery 2/1/Hark-Montgomery
2/2	21. Air Bass Revenge, revenge, Timotheus cries, See the furies arise, See the snakes that they rear, How they hiss in their hair, And the sparkles that flash from their eyes! Behold a ghastly band, Each a torch in his hand! Those are Grecian ghosts, that in battle were slain, And unbury’d, remain Inglorious on the plain. Revenge. . . da capo	(2/2/Revenge-Montgomery) 2/2/Revenge-Montgomery (2/2/Revenge/ritornello-Montgomery) (2/2/Behold-Montgomery) 2/2/Behold-Montgomery (2/2/Behold/riternello-Montgomery) (2/2/Revenge-Montgomery) 2/2/Revenge-Montgomery (2/2/Revenge/riternello-Montgomery)
2/3	22. Accompagnato Tenor Give the vengeance due To the valiant crew: Behold how they toss their torches on high, How they point to the Persian abodes, And glitt’ring temples of their hostile gods!	(2/3-Montgomery) 2/3-Montgomery
2/4	23. Air Tenor The princes applaud with a furious joy; And the king seiz’d a flambeau, with zeal to destroy.	(2/4-Montgomery) 2/4-Montgomery
2/5	24. Air and Chorus Soprano Thais led the way, To light him to his prey; And like another Helen, fir’d another Troy. The princes applaud with a furious joy; And the king seiz’d a flambeau, with zeal to destroy. Chorus The princes applaud with a furious joy; And the king seiz’d a flambeau, with zeal to destroy.	2/5-Montgomery 2/5/Chorus-Montgomery
2/6	25. Accompagnato and Chorus [see below] Tenor Thus long ago, Ere heaving bellows learn’d to blow, While organs yet were mute, Timotheus to his breathing flute, And sounding lyre, Could swell the soul to rage, or kindle soft desire.	(2/6-Montgomery) 2/6-Montgomery
2/7	25(cont.) Chorus At last divine Cecilia came, Inventress of the vocal frame; The sweet enthusiasts from her sacred store, Enlarg’d the former narrow bounds, And added length to solemn sounds, With Nature’s mother-wit, and arts unknown before.	(2/7-Montgomery) 2/7-Montgomery 2/7/With-Montgomery
2/11	[Additional number in the Montgomery performance.] Your voices tune, and raise them high, Till th’echo from the vaulted sky The blest Cecilia’s name; Music to Heav’n and her we owe, The greatest blessing that’s below; Sound loudly then her fame: Let’s imitate her notes above, And may this evening ever prove, Sacred to harmony and love.	(2/11-Montgomery) 2/11-Montgomery
2/8	26. Recitative Tenor Let old Timotheus yield the prize, Bass Or both divide the crown; He rais’d a mortal to the skies, Tenor She drew an angel down.	2/8-Montgomery
2/9	27. Soli and Chorus Let old Timotheus yield the prize, Or both divide the crown; He rais’d a mortal to the skies, She drew an angel down.	2/9-Montgomery
2/10	Organ concerto, Opus 4 Number 1	2/10-Montgomery
2/11	[Additional Chorus] Your voices tune, and raise them high, Till th’echo from the vaulted sky The blest Cecilia’s name; Music to Heav’n and her we owe, The greatest blessing that’s below; Sound loudly then her fame: Let’s imitate her notes above, And may this evening ever prove, Sacred to harmony and love.	2/11-Montgomery

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