Handel - Samson / Tear · J. Baker · Watts · Shirley-Quirk · Luxon · Langridge · A. Oliver · Burrowes · Lott · ECO · Leppard

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This is a great example of the "old school" of English oratorio performance. Actually, it's not that "old" because although it uses modern instruments, Raymond Leppard is as fully informed about Baroque performance practice as any period instrument guy. Beyond that, he has a stunning line-up of soloists, lead by Dame Janet Baker, who sing their roles with appropriately operatic fervor. At mid-price, this is one of the most important Handel recordings in the catalog. --David Hurwitz

Handel - Samson / Tear · J. Baker · Watts · Shirley-Quirk · Luxon · Langridge · A. Oliver · Burrowes · Lott · ECO · Leppard, Music, George Frideric Handel, Raymond Leppard, Robert Tear, Janet Baker, English Chamber Orchestra, London Voices, John Shirley-Quirk, Benjamin Luxon, Philip Langridge, Helen Watts, Alexander Oliver, Choral, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Oratorio
Handel - Samson / Tear · J. Baker · Watts · Shirley-Quirk · Luxon · Langridge · A. Oliver · Burrowes · Lott · ECO · Leppard
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Samson - fine composition, dated performance
  • How did this recording make it to the market??
  • the definitive samson
  • Supreme Handel by a true Handelian
  • Supreme Handel by a true Handelian
 Handel - Samson / Tear · J. Baker · Watts · Shirley-Quirk · Luxon · Langridge · A. Oliver · Burrowes · Lott · ECO · Leppard
George Frideric Handel , Raymond Leppard , Robert Tear , Janet Baker , English Chamber Orchestra , London Voices , John Shirley-Quirk , Benjamin Luxon , Philip Langridge , Helen Watts , and Alexander Oliver
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000005EA9
Release Date: 1993-05-11

Tracks:

  1. Sinfonia - English Chamber Orchestra
  2. This Day, A Solemn Feast - Robert Tear
  3. Awake The Trumpet's Lofty Sound - London Voices
  4. Ye Men Of Gaza - Janet Baker
  5. Awake The Trumpet's Lofty Sound - London Voices
  6. Loud As The Thunder's Awful Voice - Robert Tear
  7. Then Free From Sorrow - Janet Baker
  8. Awake The Trumpet's Lofty Sound - London Voices
  9. Why By An Angel - Robert Tear
  10. Torments, Alas! Are Not Confin'd - Robert Tear
  11. Oh Change Beyond Report - Helen Watts
  12. Oh Mirror Of Our Fickle State - Helen Watts
  13. Whom Have I To Complain Of/Matchless In Might!/Welcome My Friends/Which Shall We First Bewail/Oh Loss Of Sight! - Robert Tear
  14. Total Eclipse - Robert Tear
  15. Since Light So Necessary - Helen Watts
  16. Oh First Created Beam - London Voices
  17. Ye See, My Friends/The Wisest Men Have Err'd/Oh That I Had - Robert Tear
  18. Brethren And Men Of Dan/Oh Miserable Change - John Shirley-Quirk
  19. God Of Our Fathers - Alexander Oliver
  20. The Good We Wish For - John Shirley-Quirk
  21. Thy Glorious Deeds Inspir'd - John Shirley-Quirk
  22. Justly These Evils Have Befall'n/Worse Yet Remains/This Have I Done - John Shirley-Quirk
  23. My Griefs For This - Robert Tear
  24. Why Does The God Of Israel Sleep - Robert Tear
  25. There Lies Our Hope - Helen Watts
  26. Then Shall They Know - London Voices

Tracks:

  1. For Thee My Dearest Son/It Should Be So - To Expiate My Crime/Be For Thy Fate Contrite/Why Should I Live - John Shirley-Quirk
  2. Then Long Eternity Shall Greet Your Bliss - Helen Watts
  3. Joys That Are Pure - Helen Watts
  4. Then Round About The Starry Throne - London Voices
  5. Despair Not Thus!/Where'er The Liquid Brook Or Fountian Flow'd - John Shirley-Quirk
  6. Just Are The Way Of God To Man/Trust Yet In God - John Shirley-Quirk
  7. My Evils Hopeless Are/Relieve Thy Champion - Robert Tear
  8. Return, Oh God Of Hosts - Helen Watts
  9. To Dust His Glory They Would Tread - London Voices
  10. But Who Is This/My Wife? My Traitress!/She Stands, And Eyes Thee Fix'd/With Doubtful Feet/Out Thou Hyaena!/I Would Not Lessen My Offense/How Cunningly The Sorceress Displays - Robert Tear
  11. With Plaintive Notes - Janet Baker
  12. Did Love Constrain Thee - Robert Tear
  13. Your Charms To Ruin Led The Way - Robert Tear
  14. Forgive What's Done - Janet Baker
  15. My Faith And Truth/Her Faith And Truth - Janet Baker
  16. Her Faith And Truth - London Voices
  17. To Fleeting Pleasures Make Your Court - Janet Baker
  18. Her Faith And Truth - London Voices
  19. How Charming Is Domestic Ease - Janet Baker
  20. Her Faith And Truth - London Voices
  21. Ne'er Think Of That/Let Me Approach/Not For Thy Life/Thou Art More Deaf To Pray'rs Than Winds Or Seas - Robert Tear
  22. Traitor To Love! I'll Sue No More/Traitress To Love! I'll Hear No More - Robert Tear
  23. She's Gone! A Serpent Manifest/It Is Not Virtue - Helen Watts
  24. Favour'd Of Heaven Is He - Robert Tear
  25. To Man God's Universal Law - London Voices
  26. No Words Of Peace/I Come Not, Samson/The Way To Know/Ha! Dost Thou Then Already Single Me/Boast Not Of What Thou Would'st Of Have Done/The Honour Certain To Have Won From Thee - Robert Tear
  27. Honour And Arms Scorn Such A Foe - Benjamin Luxon

Tracks:

  1. Put On Your Arms/My Strength Is From The Living God - Robert Tear
  2. With Thee!/Cam'st Thou For This - Robert Tear
  3. Go, Baffled Coward, Go/Presume Not On Thy God - Robert Tear
  4. Here Lies The Proof - Helen Watts
  5. Hear, Jacob's God - London Voices
  6. Dagon, Arise - Benjamin Luxon
  7. To Song And Dance We Give The Day - Philip Langridge
  8. To Song And Dance - London Voices
  9. Fix'd In His Everlasting Seat - London Voices
  10. More Trouble Is Behind/I Fear Him Not/Samson, To Thee Our Lords/I Am An Hebrew/This Answer Will Offend/Myself!/My Message, Given With Speed - Robert Tear
  11. Presuming Slave - Benjamin Luxon
  12. Reflect Then, Samson/Shall I Abuse - Robert Tear
  13. With Thunder Arm'd - London Voices
  14. Be Of Good Courage - Robert Tear
  15. Thus When The Sun From's Wat'ry Bed - Robert Tear
  16. With Might Endued - Helen Watts
  17. The Holy One Of Israel Be Thy Guide/To Fame Immortal Go - London Voices
  18. Old Manoa, With Youthful Steps/I Come, My Brethren - John Shirley-Quirk
  19. Great Dagon Has Subdued Our Foe - London Voices
  20. What Noise Of Joy Was That - John Shirley-Quirk
  21. How Willing My Paternal Love - John Shirley-Quirk
  22. Your Hopes Of His Deliv'ry/I Know Your Friendly Mind, And Heav'n! What Noise!/Hear Us, Our God - John Shirley-Quirk
  23. Noise Call You This/Ruin Indeed/Thy Son Is Rather Slaying Them/Where Shall I Run/The Accident Was Loud/Let Me Recover Breath/Suspense In News Is Torture/Unwounded Of His Enemies He Fell - John Shirley-Quirk
  24. Ye Sons Of Israel, Now Lament/Weep, Israel Weep - London Voices
  25. Proceed We Hence - John Shirley-Quirk
  26. Dead March - English Chamber Orchestra
  27. The Body Comes - Helen Watts
  28. Glorious Hero - London Voices
  29. Come, Come! No Time Lamentation - John Shirley-Quirk
  30. Let The Bright Seraphim - Felicity Lott
  31. Let Their Celestial Concerts All Unite - London Voices

Amazon.com

This is a great example of the "old school" of English oratorio performance. Actually, it's not that "old" because although it uses modern instruments, Raymond Leppard is as fully informed about Baroque performance practice as any period instrument guy. Beyond that, he has a stunning line-up of soloists, lead by Dame Janet Baker, who sing their roles with appropriately operatic fervor. At mid-price, this is one of the most important Handel recordings in the catalog. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Samson - fine composition, dated performance.......2002-04-12

There are not many full-length recordings of this Handel Oratorio out there, and even fewer live performances these days in this irreligious age, so I committed to this version, simply due to the reknown of the performers, people like Tear, Baker, Langridge, Watts, most of whom I had heard perform live in the 70s and 80s. I was not disappointed - under the direction of the incomparable Raymond Leppard, one of my student icons, the work unfolded in glorious procession. Tracing the Old Testament narrative of Samson in more operatic style than Oratorio, Handel makes use of all his mature skills, to treat the ears to a feast of polyphonic sound which will give Baroque afficcionados years of lasting pleasure. The rightly-feted contralto "Return, O God of Hosts," with its never-played choral conclusion will be played many, many times once you have bought this work - you will find yourself singing it to yourself on many occasions. The only reservation I had was that the performance standard is decades old, and some people may find it old-fashioned. That having been taken into consideration, I find myself listening to it every day, and will soon be as familiar with it as I am with "Messiah."

1 out of 5 stars How did this recording make it to the market??.......2002-04-06

Samson is not one of my favourite Handel oratorios (probably because I haven't heard a truly 'wonderful' version yet), but does contain some great music nevertheless (Total Eclipse, With Plaintive Notes, Thy Glorious Deeds, and of course, the justifiably famous Let The Bright Seraphim).
This particular version is painful to say the least, sounding as though it is performed by residents of a rest-home on their last legs!! The tempi are painfully slow and clumsily played with little attention to expression and clarity or musicality, also the soloists fit this description - typically 'old school' as another reviewer commented. The one exception is Felicity Lott whose bright, clear and strong voice was a welcome relief at the end - like a cold shower, or bolt of lightning before being slowly tortured to death by music, terribly performed, in the final chorus (FAR FAR FARRRRR too slow!!)
For 'old school' enthusiasts you will probably love it, but if you appreciate clear, precise, musical, expressive performances with attention to detail and bright, stunning singing, go for the 16 recording with Christophers. Unfortunately his choice of Samson I find is not at all to my taste (Thos Randle) and I'm fast tiring of Lynne Dawson's rather heavy voice with strained upper range, but Lynda Russell does a commendable job (With Plaintive Notes is performed exquisitely) and the playing of the ensemble and choral singing is virtually faultless. Compare the two choirs, and this alone will sway you! Awake The Trumpets Lofty Sound is fantastic with Christophers, and will certainly wake you up! (rather than put you to sleep as with Leppard!) and the same can be said for the other choral interludes.
I would MUCH rather have Anthony Rolfe Johnson as Samson, (he IS wonderful) but the Harnoncourt just cannot compete with Christophers for the playing and choral singing, although his soloists are all very nice.
I would have to recommend Christophers over the others for the reasons stated, but listen for yourself!

2 out of 5 stars the definitive samson.......1999-10-23

This is a powerful performance-very dramatic-led by an assertive Robert Tear in the title role. The performance is ably complemented by the other stellar soloists. I prefer the lighter more agile Seraphim as performed by Felicity Lott. The orchestral playing has the heft needed for the drama which would not be provided by period instruments. This is the Samson to have.

5 out of 5 stars Supreme Handel by a true Handelian.......1999-09-29

This is sublime Handel with a roster of singers than can hardly be improvedupon. Granted this is not a period instrument performance and I, for one, amgrateful for that. Personally, I've grown weary of the anemic, metallic sound that is often associated with period instrument ensemble recordings. This recording is, however, relatively a "period" performance in the sense that both orchestra (English Chamber Orchestra) and chorus (London Voices, directed by Terry Edwards) are of moderate size, brilliantly and passionately conducted by a true Baroque authority, the great Raymond Leppard. There is simply no finer recording of this masterpiece currently available and, frankly, I doubt there will be one for some time to come. The Harry Christophers recording on Collins with his ensemble, The Sixteen, is more in keeping with contemporary views and attitudes regarding the performance of baroque music (read authentic, period instrument) and it definitely has it's merits, but it hardly topples Leppard's recording from it's lofty perch.

5 out of 5 stars Supreme Handel by a true Handelian.......1999-09-29

No offense to the gentleman from Milan who's review follows mine, but there is a GREAT, GREAT deal more to SAMSON than "Let The Bright Seraphim." Judging this important, extensive recording by one aria is as ridiculous and short-sighted as dismissing Lawrence of Arabia or Bridge Over The River Kwai in their entirety because one scene was not as thrilling or masterful as the others. This is sublime Handel with a roster of singers than can hardly be improved upon. Granted this is not a period instrument performance and I, for one, am grateful for that. Personally, I've grown weary of the anemic, metallic sound that is often associated with period instrument ensemble recordings. This recording is, however, relatively a "period" performance in the sense that both orchestra (English Chamber Orchestra) and chorus (London Voices, directed by Terry Edwards) are of moderate size, brilliantly and passionately conducted by a true Baroque authority, the great Raymond Leppard. There is simply no finer recording of this masterpiece currently available and, frankly, I doubt there will be one for some time to come. The Harry Christophers recording on Collins with his ensemble, The Sixteen, is more in keeping with contemporary views and attitudes regarding the performance of baroque music (read authentic, period instrument) and it definitely has it's merits, but it hardly topples Leppard's recording from it's lofty perch. By go the Hanoncourt recording at all costs; it is a dull reading and truncated, to boot.

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