Handel - Semele / Battle, Horne, Ramey, Aler, McNair, Chance, ECO, Nelson

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
This magnificent performance is without a doubt among the top two or three Handel opera recordings in the catalog. John Nelson outdoes even the period instrument competition, conducting with a vitality and freshness that sweeps all before it. Kathleen Battle is a great Semele (if listening to this woman sing "Myself I Will Adore" isn't a classic example of typecasting, then what is?). But the real palm must go to Marilyn Horne as the jealous Juno, who simply stops the show with her two arias (she sings Ino as well). A very great recording. --David Hurwitz

Handel - Semele / Battle, Horne, Ramey, Aler, McNair, Chance, ECO, Nelson, Music, George Fridric Handel, John Nelson, Kathleen Battle, Marilyn Horne, English Chamber Orchestra, Samuel Ramey, John Aler, Sylvia McNair, Choral, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Oratorio
Handel - Semele / Battle, Horne, Ramey, Aler, McNair, Chance, ECO, Nelson
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • perfect in every way
  • Superior English Arias
  • A voice teacher and early music fan
  • STAGGERINGLY BEAUTIFUL! Battle is SUBLIME!
  • "Divine Perfection"
 Handel - Semele / Battle, Horne, Ramey, Aler, McNair, Chance, ECO, Nelson
George Fridric Handel , John Nelson , Kathleen Battle , Marilyn Horne , English Chamber Orchestra , Samuel Ramey , John Aler , and Sylvia McNair
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by HandelAll Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
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Battle, KathleenBattle, Kathleen | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Horne, MarilynHorne, Marilyn | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000001GGP
Release Date: 1993-08-10

Tracks:

  1. Semele: Ouverture-Gavotte
  2. Semele: Act I - Scene 1 - Accompagnato: Behold! Auspicious Flashes Rise! (Priest)
  3. Semele: Act I - Scene 1 - Chorus: Lucky Omens Bless Our Rites
  4. Semele: Act I - Scene 1 - Recitative and Arioso: Daughter, Obey, Hear And Obey! (Cadmus, Athamas)
  5. Semele: Act I - Scene 1 - Accompagnato: Ah Me! What Refuge Now Is Left Me? - Air: O Jove! In Pity Teach Me Which To Choose (Semele)
  6. Semele: Act I - Scene 1 - Air: The Morning Lark To Mine Accords His Note (Semele)
  7. Semele: Act I - Scene 1 - Recitative: See, She Blushing Turns Her Eyes (Athamas)
  8. Semele: Act I - Scene 1 - Air: Hymen, Haste, Thy Torch Prepare (Athamas)
  9. Semele: Act I - Scene 1 - Recitative: Alas! She Yields, And Has Undone Me (Ino, Athamas, Semele)
  10. Semele: Act I - Scene 1 - Quartetto: Why Dost Thou Thus Untimely Grieve (Cadmus, Ino, Athamas, Semele)
  11. Semele: Act I - Scene 1 - Chorus: Avert These Omens, All Ye Pow'rs! (Priests)
  12. Semele: Act I - Scene 1 - Accompagnato: Again Auspicious Flashes Rise (Cadmus)
  13. Semele: Act I - Scene 1 - Recitative: Thy Aid, Pronubial Juno, Athamas Implores! (Athamas, Semele)
  14. Semele: Act I - Scene 1 - Chorus: Cease, Cease Your Vows, 'Tis Impious To Proceed (Priests)
  15. Semele: Act I - Scene 2 - Recitative: O Athamas, What Tortue Hast Thou Borne! (Athamas)
  16. Semele: Act I - Scene 2 - Air: Turn, Hopeless Lover, Turn Thy Eyes (Ino)
  17. Semele: Act I - Scene 2 - Recitative: She Weeps! (Athamas)
  18. Semele: Act I - Scene 2 - Air: Your Tuneful Voice My Tale Would Tell (Athamas)
  19. Semele: Act I - Scene 2 - Recitative: Too Well I See, Thou Wilt Not Understand Me (Ino, Athamas)
  20. Semele: Act I - Scene 2 - Duetto: You've Undone Me - With My Life I Would Atone (Ino, Athamas)
  21. Semele: Act I - Scene 3 - Recitative: Ah, Wretched Prince, Doom'd To Disastrous Love! (Cadmus, Athamas) - Accompagnato: Wing'd With Our Fears And Pious Haste (Cadmus) - Recitative: O Prodigy, To Me Of Dire Protent! (Athamas, Ino)
  22. Semele: Act I - Scene 4 - Chorus: Hail Cadmus, Hail! (Priests, Augurs)
  23. Semele: Act I - Scene 4 - Air and Chorus: Endless Pleasure, Endless Love (Semele, Chorus)

Tracks:

  1. Semele: Act II - Sinfonia
  2. Semele: Act II - Scene 1 - Recitative: Iris, Impatient Of Thy Stay (Juno, Iris)
  3. Semele: Act II - Scene 1 - Air: There From Mortal Cares Retiring (Iris)
  4. Semele: Act II - Scene 1 - Recitative: No More - I'll Hear No More! (Juno) - Accompagnato: Awake Saturnia From Thy Lethargy! (Juno, Iris)
  5. Semele: Act II - Scene 1 - Air: Hence, Iris, Hence Away (Juno)
  6. Semele: Act II - Scene 2 - Air: O Sleep, Why Dost Thou Leave Me? (Semele)
  7. Semele: Act II - Scene 3 - Recitative: Let Me Not Another Moment Bear The Pangs Of Absence (Semele)
  8. Semele: Act II - Scene 3 - Air: Lay Your Doubts And Fears Aside (Jupiter)
  9. Semele: Act II - Scene 3 - Recitative: You Are Mortal And Require Time To Rest (Jupiter)
  10. Semele: Act II - Scene 3 - Air: With Fond Desiring (Semele)
  11. Semele: Act II - Scene 3 - Chorus: How Engaging, How Endearing (Loves, Zephyrs)
  12. Semele: Act II - Scene 3 - Recitative: Ah Me! - Why Sighs My Semele? (Semele, Jupiter)
  13. Semele: Act II - Scene 3 - Air: I Must With Speed Amuse Her (Jupiter)
  14. Semele: Act II - Scene 3 - Chorus: Now Love That Everlasting Boy Invites (Loves, Zephyrs)
  15. Semele: Act II - Scene 3 - Recitative: By My Command (Jupiter, Semele)
  16. Semele: Act II - Scene 3 - Air: Where'er You Walk (Jupiter)
  17. Semele: Act II - Scene 4 - Recitative: Dear Sister, How Was Your Passage Hither? (Semele, Ino)
  18. Semele: Act II - Scene 4 - Air: But Hark! The Heav'nly Sphere Turns Round (Ino)
  19. Semele: Act II - Scene 4 - Duetto: Prepare Then, Ye Immortal Choir (Semele, Ino)
  20. Semele: Act II - Scene 4 - Chorus: Bless The Glad Earth With Heav'nly Lays (Nymphs, Swains)

Tracks:

  1. Semele: Act III - Scene 1 - (Symphony) Larghetto e piano per tutto
  2. Semele: Act III - Scene 1 - Accompagnato: Somnus, Awake, Raise Thy Reclining Head! (Juno, Iris)
  3. Semele: Act III - Scene 1 - Air: Leave Me, Loathsome Light (Somnus)
  4. Semele: Act III - Scene 1 - Recitative: Dull God, Canst Thou Attend The Water's Fall (Iris, Juno)
  5. Semele: Act III - Scene 1 - Air: More Sweet Is That Name (Somnus)
  6. Semele: Act III - Scene 1 - Recitative: My Will Obey, She Shall Be Thine (Juno, Somnus)
  7. Semele: Act III - Scene 1 - Duetto: Obey My Will - All I Must Grant (Juno, Somnus)
  8. Semele: Act III - Scene 2 - Air: My Racking Thoughts By No Kind Slumbers Freed (Semele)
  9. Semele: Act III - Scene 3 - Recitative: Thus Shap'd Like Ino (Juno, Semele)
  10. Semele: Act III - Scene 3 - Air: Behold In This Mirror (Juno)
  11. Semele: Act III - Scene 3 - Recitative: O Ecstasy Of Happiness (Semele)
  12. Semele: Act III - Scene 3 - Air: Myself I Shall Adore (Semele)
  13. Semele: Act III - Scene 3 - Recitative: Be Wise, As You Are Beautiful (Juno, Semele)
  14. Semele: Act III - Scene 3 - Accompagnato: Conjure Him By His Oath (Juno)
  15. Semele: Act III - Scene 3 - Air: Thus Let My Thanks Be Paid (Semele)
  16. Semele: Act III - Scene 3 - Recitative: Rich Odours Fill The Fragrant Air (Juno, Semele)
  17. Semele: Act III - Scene 4 - Air: Come To My Arms, My Lovely Fair (Jupiter)
  18. Semele: Act III - Scene 4 - Recitative: O Semele! Why Art Thous Thus Insensible? - Air: I Ever Am Granting, You Always Complain (Semele)
  19. Semele: Act III - Scene 4 - Recitative: Speak, Speak Your Desire (Jupiter, Semele)
  20. Semele: Act III - Scene 4 - Accompagnato: By That Tremendous Flood, I Swear (Jupiter)
  21. Semele: Act III - Scene 4 - Recitative: You'll Grant What I Require? (Semele, Jupiter) - Accompagnato: Then Cast Off This Human Shape (Semele)
  22. Semele: Act III - Scene 4 - Air: Ah, Take Heed What You Press (Jupiter)
  23. Semele: Act III - Scene 4 - Air: No, No! I'll Take No Less (Semele)
  24. Semele: Act III - Scene 5 - Accompagnato: Ah! Whither Is She Gone! (Jupiter)
  25. Semele: Act III - Scene 6 - Air: Above Measure Is The Pleasure, Which My Revenge Supplies (Juno)
  26. Semele: Act III - Scene 7 - Accompagnato: Ah Me! Too Late I Now Repent (Semele)
  27. Semele: Act III - Scene 8 - Recitative: Of My Ill-Boding Dream (Ino)
  28. Semele: Act III - Scene 8 - Chorus: Oh, Terror And Astonishment! (Chorus)
  29. Semele: Act III - Scene 8 - Recitative: How I Was Hence Remov'd (Ino, Cadmus, Athamas)
  30. Semele: Act III - Scene 8 - Air: Despair No More Shall Wound Me (Athamas)
  31. Semele: Act III - Scene 8 - Recitative: See From Above The Bellying Clouds Descend (Cadmus)
  32. Semele: Act III - Scene the last - Sinfonia
  33. Semele: Act III - Scene the last - Accompagnato: Apollo Comes, To Relieve Your Care (Apollo)
  34. Semele: Act III - Scene the last - Chorus: Happy, Happy Shall We Be (Chorus)

Amazon.com essential recording

This magnificent performance is without a doubt among the top two or three Handel opera recordings in the catalog. John Nelson outdoes even the period instrument competition, conducting with a vitality and freshness that sweeps all before it. Kathleen Battle is a great Semele (if listening to this woman sing "Myself I Will Adore" isn't a classic example of typecasting, then what is?). But the real palm must go to Marilyn Horne as the jealous Juno, who simply stops the show with her two arias (she sings Ino as well). A very great recording. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars perfect in every way.......2007-02-05

It was going to take a massive earthquake or food poisoning to derail this lineup of Nelson, Battle, Horne, Ramey, Aler, Chance, Mackie, the inimitable Sylvia McNair, Doss, the Ambrosian Opera Chorus, and the English Chamber Orchestra.

Alas, the seismic meters were calm and the seafood impeccably washed.

The result is a sterling performance of the 'other' George Frideric Handel, the one who applied his gift for oratorio to pagan as well as Christian themes.

Nelson conducts a flawless and energetic performance that leaves one almost to conclude that there is nothing in this score's potentiality that has not been brought out and made to glimmer.

Lovers of Handel need not know Semele to appreciate its virtuosity. Deutsche Grammophon has encased it all in the kind of presentation that does justice to the quality within.

5 out of 5 stars Superior English Arias.......2006-12-12

'Semele' is an unusual George Fredric Handel opera in that it is in English (based on a libretto by famous dramatist, Congreve) like his Oratorios rather than being in Italian or German like many of his other operas. It is also based on a Greek mythological plot rather than a story from Christian or Hebrew sacred texts.

To the casual listener like me, what this means is that these English arias are much better than the arias and rather dull recitivs from the Oratorios, and the 'all star' cast doesn't hurt this high quality solo vocal quality one bit.

I listen to Handel's oratorios for the high level of choral music. This piece I listen to for the very high level of solo vocal performance. Here, it seems that Handel and his cast even outperform Mozart on a bad day (but only on a bad day).

5 out of 5 stars A voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-05-08

'Semele' is often considered something of an anomaly in Handel's career: an English-language work with a secular text, composed in the midst of the 1740's, when Handel devoted himself to the sacred oratorio, and thus performed "in the manner of an oratorio" and never staged'. It was written around 1740(in one month), and was derived from a drama by the English playwright William Congreve. The story is based on Ovid's "Metamorphoses" and tells of the ill-fated love of Semele and Jupiter. If you want to know what happens when a half-dozen of the worlds' greatest singers are performing in one opera all together,this recording will tell you. The results are fantastic!!!!!Kathleen Battle as Semele sails up and down scales and arpeggios effortlessly. Two of her outstanding arias are:"With Fond Desiring"in which she takes on the whole violin section performing scales in 3rds; in the aria:"Myself I Shall Adore" she stuns with phenominal virtuosity!!!!!Then there is Marilyn Horne who plays 2 roles that of Juno (the goddess) and Ino ,Semele's sister. Her voice with it's mellow rich timbre is a striking contrast to Battle's high soprano. And the voice of Samuel Ramey has never sounded better; he is so Basso!!!!!..Sylvia MCNair does a great job of portraying the somewhat "flip" character of the Goddess "Iris". Some of my personal favorite arias are sung by that ever talented countertenor :Michael Chance,who has several "meaty" selections in this opera my favorite being:"Despair No More Shall Wound me", which is the last aria in the opera. How could you possibly go wrong by having this disc!!!!!!

5 out of 5 stars STAGGERINGLY BEAUTIFUL! Battle is SUBLIME!.......2005-11-03

I checked this out on a whim from the library and it BLEW me away. I'd never heard a Handel opera before and had no idea it could be this beautiful. The arias sung by Kathleen Battle are BEYOND SUBLIME. Just listen to track 6 on either disc 1 or 2 and you WILL be KNOCKED OUT. I'm now in love with Battle and plan to purchase this set very soon. You can't deny yourself the intense pleasure of this recording. And yes, it's BETTER THAN THE MESSIAH.

4 out of 5 stars "Divine Perfection".......2004-01-03

I have listened to this recording many times and each time I am amazed, thrilled and impressed by the beauty of the opera and by the performing forces which teamed together to create such a perfect thing. The libretto and Handel's music go hand in hand and reflect the great artistry that the composer posessed. With respect to the performers, Battle, Ramey and Horne are excellent; they really bring out all the emotions and expressions that Handel would have wanted to create. I, however, got a little tired of the way Battle ended her arias. I would have preferred some more creativity there. She makes up for it though within the aria with her virtuostic, effortless passages.
This recording presents a wonderful music experience- especially for the listener with an ear for music from the Baroque period- and I strongly recommend it!

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