Peter Neumann - Handel: Saul (1998)
Classic | Author: SELMER | 8-03-2019, 08:16
Artist: Peter Neumann
Title Of Album: Handel: Saul
Year Of Release: 1998
Label: MDG
Country: Germany
Genre: Classical
Quality: FLAC (*image + .cue, log, scans)
Bitrate: Lossless
Time: 1:47:25
Full Size: 907 MB
CD1
01. Symphonie - Allegro [0:03:46.62]
02. Symphonie - Larghetto [0:01:58.40]
03. Symphonie - Allegro [0:02:38.20]
04. Symphonie - Andante larghetto [0:03:17.55]
05. Chorus - How excellent thy Name [0:02:45.05]
06. Air Soprano - An infant rais'd [0:01:38.63]
07. Trio - Along the Monster Atheist strode [0:00:57.27]
08. Chorus - The Youth inspir'd by Three [0:01:52.35]
09. Chorus - How excellent thy Name - Hallelujah [0:02:23.05]
10. Air / Larghetto - He comes! [0:03:14.08]
11. Recitative - Behold, O King [0:00:54.30]
12. Air - O King your favours with Delight [0:01:44.15]
13. Recitative - O early Piety! [0:00:29.40]
14. Air - What abject Thoughts a Prince can have [0:02:16.45]
15. Recitative - Yet think, on whom this honour… [0:00:22.40]
16. Air - Birth and Fortune I despise [0:04:23.27]
17. Recitative - Go on, illustrious Pair! [0:00:22.00]
18. Air - While yet thy Tide of Blood runs high [0:02:21.40]
19. Thou, Merab, first birth [0:00:24.53]
20. Air - My soul rejects the thought with scom [0:01:14.47]
21. Air - See, see with what a scornful air [0:01:07.03]
22. Air - Ah Lovely Youth [0:00:50.30]
23. Symphonie pour les carillons [0:01:02.37]
24. Recitative - Already see, the Daughters of the Land [0:00:17.38]
25. Chorus - Welcome, welcome, mighty King [0:01:30.07]
26. Accompagnato - What do I hear [0:00:20.45]
27. Chorus - David his Ten Thousands slew [0:00:29.45]
28. Accompagnato - To him Ten thousends [0:00:14.60]
29. Air - With Rage I shall burst his Praises to hear [0:01:17.65]
30. Recitative - Imprudent Women [0:00:50.10]
31. Air - Fair Rage and black Despair possest [0:02:53.30]
32. Recitative - Rack'd with Infernal Pains [0:00:15.35]
33. Air - O Lord, whose Mercies [0:03:36.10]
34. Symphonie [0:01:30.58]
35. Recitaive - T'is all in vain [0:00:14.45]
36. Air - A Serpent in my Bosom warm'd [0:01:50.40]
37. Recitative - Has he escap'd my Rage? [0:00:20.52]
38. Air - Capricious Man [0:03:46.43]
39. Accompagnato - O Filial Piety [0:01:40.10]
40. Air - No, no cruel father, no [0:01:38.22]
41. Air - O Lord, whose Providence [0:01:35.73]
42. Chorus - Preserve him for the Glory of thy Name [0:03:04.07]
43. Recitative - This but the smallest Part of Harmony [0:00:27.33]
44. By thee This Universal Frame [0:02:19.52]
CD2
01. Chorus - Envy! Eldest born off Hell! [0:02:32.52]
02. Recitative -Ah, dearest Friend [0:00:38.58]
03. Air - But sooner Jordan's Stream [0:02:23.60]
04. Recitative- Hast thou obey'd my Orders [0:00:40.00]
05. Air - Sin not, O king, agaibst the Youth [0:02:24.60]
06. Air - As great Jehovah lives [0:01:24.52]
07. Air - From cities storm'd, and Battles won [0:02:18.35]
08. Recitative - Appear, my Friend [0:00:30.45]
09. Air - Your Words, O King, my loyal heart [0:01:06.55]
10. Recitative - Yes, heshall wed my Daughter! [0:00:24.10]
11. Recitative - A Fasther's Will has autoriz'd my Love [0:00:37.43]
12. Duet - O Fairest of ten thousand Fair [0:02:18.67]
13. Chorus - Is there a Man, who all his Ways [0:01:19.48]
14. Symphonie - Largo [0:01:39.02]
15. Symphonie - Allegro [0:04:36.13]
16. Recitative - The Fasther is as cruel [0:00:30.02]
17. Duet - At Persecution I can laugh [0:01:11.15]
18. Recitative - Whom dost thou seek? [0:00:36.15]
19. Air - No, no, let the Guilly tremble [0:01:25.45]
20. Recitative - Mean as he was, he is my Brother now [0:01:05.33]
21. Air - Author of Peace, who canst controul [0:03:41.72]
22. Symphonie [0:01:12.05]
23. Accompagnato - The Time at length [0:00:39.23]
24. Recitative - Where is the Son of Jesse? [0:01:08.42]
25. Chorus - O fatal Consequence [0:04:47.45]
CD3
01. Accompagnato - Wretch that I am [0:02:16.42]
02. Recitative - Tis said, here lives a Woman [0:00:43.60]
03. Recitative - With me what would'st thou? [0:00:35.05]
04. Air - Infernal spirits, by whose Pow'r [0:01:54.73]
05. Accompagnato - Why hast thou forc'd me [0:03:32.40]
06. Symphonie [0:00:37.62]
07. Recitative - Whence comest thou? [0:01:14.53]
08. Air - Impious Wretch, of Race accurst? [0:01:56.12]
09. March. Grave [0:03:16.00]
10. Chorus - Mourn, Israel, mourn thy Beauty lost [0:03:39.13]
11. Air - O let it not in Gath be heard [0:02:15.42]
12. Air - Brave Johnathan his Bow ne'er drew [0:03:11.40]
13. Chorus - Eagles were not so swift as they [0:02:24.50]
14. Air - In sweetest Harmony they liv'd [0:00:22.48]
15. Solo and Chorus [0:04:28.30]
16. O fatal day How low the Mighty lie [0:04:14.20]
17. Recitative - Ye Men of Judah, weep no more! [0:00:31.40]
18. Corus - Gird on thy Sword, thou Man of Might [0:05:22.55]
When Handel had a difficult time as opera manager, in the 1730s, he turned to oratorios, which required neither the expensive Italian soloists nor complicated sets. Saul, based on the First Book of Samuel, written in 1738, and first performed in 1739, was relatively popular, with Handel reviving it several times through 1754. With all of the dramatic features of Handel’s oratorios, this work, featuring a bass in the starring role, opens with a festive four-movement instrumental Symphony.
As for the other Handel oratorios that Peter Neumann has recorded for MDG, this is a live recording, capturing the energy and the defects of live performances. His soloists are all excellent, and the sound, as for the other MDG recordings, is impeccable. However, one could comment on the crispness of the sound, recorded in a church, whereas the work was written to be played in a theatre with a warmer, softer character.
Nevertheless, there is a great deal of pleasure in this performance. From the opening Symphony, the tone is set - this is a tense, grandiose work, with many high points. However, it is a very fragmented work, with many short sections: recitatives, brief choral movements, short arias, many less than two minutes long. There are a total of 87 parts to this work - compared to two of Neumann’s other Handel oratorios, Belshazzar has 57 parts, and Susanna 65.
This brevity of parts means that none of the arias match the intensity of Handel’s long, strophic pieces, where a soloist dialogues with an obbligato instrument. The soloists are very good, especially bass Gregory Reinhart in the lead role. The choir, as in all of Neumann’s Handel oratorio recordings, is also first-rate, though it is not greatly used in this work.
Peter Neumann again presents a fine recording of a Handel oratorio. While this is perhaps not one of Handel’s most interesting works, the quality of the musicians and singers is as good as it gets. ~ Kirk McElhearn, MusicWeb-International

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