Alexander's Feast
Alexander's Feast
Artists: The Bach Sinfonia, The Handel Choir of Baltimore, Daniel Abraham (director)
Composers: Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel
Format: 2 CDs
DSL-20604
This recording contains a beautiful mingling of Handel’s lush cantata with a recently rediscovered, unique Bach aria. The Bach Sinfonia and the Handel Choir of Baltimore capture the triumphant splendor of Handel’s setting of John Dryden’s ode to Alexander the Great. Discovered in the spring of 2005 by musicologist Michael Maul, the ensembles had the honor of performing Alles mit Gott und nichts ohn’ ihn for the American Musicological Society. Daniel Abraham and Melinda O’Neal’s ensemble collaboration is one of the first to record and disseminate this exciting newfound work of J. S. Bach.
Based out of Maryland, The Bach Sinfonia is a non-pro t organization dedicated to the exposure and portrayal of eighteenth-century music. Well into its eleventh season, Sinfonia has become known not only for their incredible performance prowess, but also for their emphasis on public education of early music. Striving for the perfect unity of these two ideas, The Bach Sinfonia endeavors to create a different production than the standard classical concert, granting each audience member wonderful entertainment, as well as a uniquely invigorating learning experience.
Track List
Disc One:
George Frideric Handel
Alexander's Feast
1. Overture: Maestoso—Allegro non troppo; Andante
2. Recitative: ‘Twas at the royal feast
3. Air, Duet & Chorus: Happy, happy, happy pair
4. Recitative: Timotheus plac’d on high
5. Recitative, accompanied: The song began from Jove
6. Chorus: The list’ning croud
7. Air: With ravish’d ears
8. Chorus, repeated: The list’ning croud
9. Recitative: The praise of Bacchus then the sweet musician sung
10. Air & Chorus: Bacchus, ever fair and young
11. Recitative: Sooth’d with the sound
12. Recitative, accompanied: He chose a mournful muse
13. Air: He sung Darius great and good
14. Recitative, accompanied: With downcast looks the joyless victor sate
15. Chorus: Behold Darius great and good
16. Recitative: The mighty master smil’d to see
17. Recitative, accompanied: Softly sweet in lydian Measures
18. Air: War, he sung, is toil and trouble
19. Chorus: The many rend the skies
20. Air: The Prince, unable to conceal his pain
21. Chorus, repeated: The many rend the skies
Disc Two:
1. Recitative, accompanied: Now Strike the golden Lyre again
Chorus: Break his bands of sleep asunder
2. Air: Revenge, Revenge, Timotheus cries
3. Accompanied Recitative: Give the vengeance due to the valiant crew
4. Air: The princes applaud with a furious joy
5. Air & Chorus: Thais led the way
6. Recitative, accompanied: Thus long ago, ere heaving bellows learn’d to blow
7. Grand Chorus: At last Devine Cecilia came
8. Air-duett: Let old Timotheus yield the prize
9. Chorus: Let old Timotheus yield the prize
10. Additional Chorus: Your voices tune and raise them high
Johann Sebastian Bach
11. BWV 1127: Alles mit Gott und nichts ohn’ ihn
Disc 1 time: 58:14
Disc 2 time: 43:16
Release date: 2006
UPC: 053479060426