Handel - Samson / Dawson · L. Russell · Wyn-Rogers · Padmore · Randle · Matthew Vine · Jonathan Best · Michael George · The Sixteen · Christophers

On this CD:

1. Samson, oratorio, HWV 57
Composed by George Frideric Handel
Performed by Symphony of Harmony & Invention with Jonathan Best , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Mark Padmore , Thomas Randle , Lynda Russell , Matthew Vine , Catherine Wyn-Rogers
Conducted by Harry Christophers

Product Description

Amazon.com
Samson is, along with Semele, the only Handel oratorio to have gotten a toe-hold in the modern operatic repertory. The seduction-and-destruction story of Samson and Delilah is certainly dramatic; the libretto is better than many Handel had to work with. How odd that it took until 1997 for Samson to get a period-instrument recording--fortunately, Harry Christophers's account was worth the wait, energetic and musical enough to hold attention throughout the oratorio's three and a half hours. Among the soloists, soprano Lynda Russell tames her sometimes-unruly vibrato to make a truly alluring Delilah, Thomas Randle is a brawny Samson, and Lynne Dawson is delightful as the Israelitish Woman and Philistine Woman, giving a gleaming performance of Samson's most famous aria, "Let the Bright Seraphim." --Matthew Westphal

Handel - Samson / Dawson · L. Russell · Wyn-Rogers · Padmore · Randle · Matthew Vine · Jonathan Best · Michael George · The Sixteen · Christophers,George Frideric Handel,Harry Christophers,Lynda Russell, Catherine Wyn-Rogers, Mark Padmore, Thomas Randle Lynne Dawson,Collins Classics,Classical,Classical Music,Opera / Operetta / Oratorio
Handel - Samson / Dawson · L. Russell · Wyn-Rogers · Padmore · Randle · Matthew Vine · Jonathan Best · Michael George · The Sixteen · Christophers
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Well sung
 Handel - Samson / Dawson · L. Russell · Wyn-Rogers · Padmore · Randle · Matthew Vine · Jonathan Best · Michael George · The Sixteen · Christophers
George Frideric Handel , Harry Christophers , and Lynda Russell, Catherine Wyn-Rogers, Mark Padmore, Thomas Randle Lynne Dawson
Manufacturer: Collins Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003W1M
Release Date: 1997-05-27

Tracks:

  1. 1. Overture: Andante/Adagio/Allegro/Minuetto - The Symphony Of Harmony And Invention
  2. 2. Recitative: 'This Day A Solemn Feast' - Thomas Randle
  3. 3. Chorus Of Philistines: 'Awake The Trumpet's Lofty Sound' - The Sixteen
  4. 4. Air: 'Ye Men Of Gaza' - Lynne Dawson
  5. 5. Chorus Of Philistines: 'Awake The Trumpet's Lofty Sound!' - The Sixteen
  6. 6. Air: 'Loud As The Thunder's Awful Sound' - Mark Padmore
  7. 7. Air: 'Then Free From Sorrow' - Lynne Dawson
  8. 5. Chorus Of Philistines: 'Awake The Trumpet's Lofty Sound' - The Sixteen
  9. 8. Recitative: 'Why By An Angel' - Thomas Randle
  10. 9. Air: 'Torments, Alas! Are Not Confin'd' - Thomas Randle
  11. 10. Recitative: 'O Change Beyond Report' - Catherine Wyn-Rogers
  12. 11. Air: 'Oh Mirror Of Our Fickle State!' - Catherine Wyn-Rogers
  13. 12. Recitative: 'Whom Have I To Complain Of But Myself'?' - Thomas Randle Catherine Wyn-Rogers
  14. 13a. Air: 'Total Eclipse!' - Thomas Randle
  15. 13b. Recitative: 'Since Light So Necessary Is To Life,' - Catherine Wyn-Rogers
  16. 14. Chorus Of Israelites: 'O First Created Beam!!' - The Sixteen
  17. 15. Recitative: 'Ye See My Friends,' - Thomas Randle Catherine Wyn-Rogers
  18. 16. Recitative: 'Brethren And Men Of Dan,' - Michael George Catherine Wyn-Rogers
  19. 17. Recitative: 'O Miserable Change!' - Michael George
  20. 18. Recitative: 'O Ever Failing Trust In Mortal Strength!' - Mark Padmore
  21. 19. Air: 'God Of Our Fathers, What Is Man?' - Michael George
  22. 20. Recitative: 'The Good We Wish For,' - Michael George
  23. 21. Air: 'Thy Glorious Deeds' - Michael George
  24. 22. Recitative: 'Justly These Evils' - Thomas Randle Michael George
  25. 23. Recitative: 'My Griefs For This Forbid Mine Eye To Close,' - Thomas Randle
  26. 24. Air: 'Why Does The God Of Israel Sleep?' - Thomas Randle
  27. 25. Recitative: 'There Lies Our Hope!' - Catherine Wyn-Rogers
  28. 26. Chorus: 'Then Shall They Know,' - The Sixteen
  29. 27. Recitative: 'For Thee, My Dearest Son/28. Recitative: 'My Genial Spirits Droop,' - Michael George Thomas Randle
  30. 29. Air: 'Then Long Eternity' - Catherine Wyn-Rogers
  31. 30. Chorus Of Israelites: 'Then Round About The Starry Throne' - The Sixteen

Tracks:

  1. 31. Recitative: 'Despair Not Thus!' - Michael George Thomas Randle
  2. 32. Air: 'Just Are The Ways Of God To Man,' - Michael George
  3. 33. Recitative: 'My Evils Hopeless Are!' - Thomas Randle Catherine Wyn-Rogers
  4. 34. Air: 'Return O God Of Hosts!'/35. Chorus And Micah: 'To Dust His Glory They Would Tread,' - The Sixteen Catherine Wyn-Rogers
  5. 36. Recitative: 'But Who Is This,' - Catherine Wyn-Rogers Thomas Randle Lynda Russell
  6. 37. Air: 'With Plaintive Notes' - Lynda Russell
  7. 38. Recitative: 'Alas! Th'Event Was Worse Than I Foresaw,' - Lynda Russell Thomas Randle
  8. 39. Air: 'Your Charms To Ruin Led The Way,' - Thomas Randle
  9. 40. Recitative: 'Forgive What's Done,' - Lynda Russell
  10. 41. Duet: 'My Faith And Truth, O Samson, Prove,'/42. Chorus Of Virgins: 'Her Faith And Truth, O Samson, Prove,' - The Sixteen
  11. 43. Air: 'To Fleeting Pleasures'/42. Chorus: 'Her Faith And Truth, O Samson, Prove,'/43. Air: 'How Charming Is Domestic Ease!'/42. Chorus: 'Her Fiath And Truth, Oh Samson, Prove,' - Lynda Russell The Sixteen
  12. 44. Recitative: 'Ne'er Think Of That!' - Thomas Randle Lynda Russell
  13. 45. Duet: 'Traitor To Love!'/46. Recitative: 'She's Gone!' - Lynda Russell Thomas Randle Catherine Wyn-Rogers
  14. 47. Air: 'It Is Not Virtue, Valor, Wit,' - Catherine Wyn-Rogers
  15. 48. Recitative: 'Favour'd Of Heav'n Is He,' - Thomas Randle
  16. 49. Chorus: 'To Man God's Universal Law' - The Sixteen
  17. 50. Recitative: 'No Words Of Peace,' - Catherine Wyn-Rogers Jonathan Best Thomas Randle
  18. 51. Air: 'Honour And Arms' - Jonathan Best
  19. 52. Recitative: 'Put On Your Arms' - Thomas Randle
  20. 53. Air: 'My Strength Is From The Living God' - Thomas Randle
  21. 54. Recitative: 'With Thee! A Man Condemn'd' - Jonathan Best
  22. 55. Duet: 'Go Baffled Coward' - Thomas Randle Jonathan Best
  23. 56. Recitative: 'Here Lie The Proof - Catherine Wyn-Rogers
  24. 57. Chorus: 'Hear, Jacob's God, Jehovah Hear!' - The Sixteen
  25. 58. Recitative: 'Dagon, Arise!' - Jonathan Best
  26. 59a. Air: 'To Song And Dance We Give This Day,' - Mark Padmore
  27. 59b. Chorus: 'To Song And Dance We Give The Day,' - The Sixteen
  28. 60. Chorus: 'Fix'd In His Everlasting Seat,' - The Sixteen Lynda Russell Thomas Randle Jonathan Best Michael George

Tracks:

  1. 61. Recitative: 'More Trouble Is Behind;' - Catherine Wyn-Rogers Thomas Randle Jonathan Best
  2. 62. Air: 'Presuming Slave,' - Jonathan Best
  3. 63. Recitative: 'Reflect Then, Samson,' - Catherine Wyn-Rogers Thomas Randle
  4. 64. Chorus: 'With Thunder Arm'd, Great God, Arise!' - The Sixteen
  5. 65. Recitative: 'Be Of Good Courage;' - Thomas Randle Catherine Wyn-Rogers Jonathan Best
  6. 66. Air: 'Thus When The Sun From's Wat'ry Bed,' - Thomas Randle
  7. 67. Recitative: 'With Might Endure' - Catherine Wyn-Rogers
  8. 68. Air: 'The Holy One Of Israel'/69. Chorus: 'To Fame Immortal Go,' - Catherine Wyn-Rogers The Sixteen
  9. 70. Recitative: 'Old Monoa With Youthful Steps - Catherine Wyn-Rogers Michael George
  10. 71. Air: 'Great Dragon'/72. Chorus: 'Great Dragon' - Mark Padmore The Sixteen
  11. 73. Recitative: 'What Noise Of Joy Was That? - Michael George Catherine Wyn-Rogers
  12. 74. Air: 'How Willing My Paternal Love' - Michael George
  13. 75. Recitative: 'Your Hopes Of His Deliv'ry'/76. Sinfonia (A Symphony Of Horror And Confusion)/77. Recitative: 'Heav'n! What Noise!'/78. Chorus: 'Hear Us, Our God,' - Catherine Wyn-Rogers Michael George The Symphony Of Harmony And Invention
  14. 79. Recitative: 'Noise Call You This?' - Catherine Wyn-Rogers Michael George
  15. 80. Recitative: 'Where Shall I Run,' - Matthew Vine Catherine Wyn-Rogers Michael George
  16. 81. Air: 'Ye Sons Of Israel Now Lamen;'t/82. Chorus: 'Weep Israel,' - Catherine Wyn-Rogers The Sixteen
  17. 83. Recitative: 'Proceed We Hence To Find His Body,' - Michael George
  18. 84. Dead March - The Symphony Of Harmony And Invention
  19. 85. Recitative: 'The Body Comes,' - Catherine Wyn-Rogers Michael George
  20. 86. Chorus: 'Glorious Hero,' - The Sixteen Lynne Dawson
  21. 87. Recitative: 'Come, Come, No Time For Lamentation Now.' - Michael George Catherine Wyn-Rogers Michael George
  22. 88. Air: 'Let The Bright Saraphim In Burning Row'/89. Chorus: 'Let The Bright Seraphim In Burning Row' - Lynne Dawson The Sixteen

Amazon.com

Samson is, along with Semele, the only Handel oratorio to have gotten a toe-hold in the modern operatic repertory. The seduction-and-destruction story of Samson and Delilah is certainly dramatic; the libretto is better than many Handel had to work with. How odd that it took until 1997 for Samson to get a period-instrument recording--fortunately, Harry Christophers's account was worth the wait, energetic and musical enough to hold attention throughout the oratorio's three and a half hours. Among the soloists, soprano Lynda Russell tames her sometimes-unruly vibrato to make a truly alluring Delilah, Thomas Randle is a brawny Samson, and Lynne Dawson is delightful as the Israelitish Woman and Philistine Woman, giving a gleaming performance of Samson's most famous aria, "Let the Bright Seraphim." --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Well sung.......1999-04-18

I was bored. The quality of this oratorio is certainly below that of, say, Esther or Messiah. The recording still deserves five stars, because the performers didn't write the music, so it would be unfair to penalize them for the fact that I found the music to be under par. I like Harry Christophers, The Sixteen and the usual soloist crowd that frequently sings with them, that's why I bought this thing. I wasn't disappointed in the quality of their singing, but I wish they had applied their talents to some better composition.

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Track Listings

track listings

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