Artist: Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson & U.C. Berkeley Chamber Chorus Title: Handel: Theodora Year Of Release: 1992 Label: Harmonia Mundi Genre: Classical Quality: FLAC (image + .cue, log, scans) Total Time: 2:39:27 Total Size: 1.3 GB WebSite: Album Preview
CD1 01. A0 Overture [0:06:28.23] 02. A1-1 Tis Dioclesian's natal Day [0:00:25.72] 03. A1-2 Go my faithful Soldier, go [0:01:54.00] 04. A1-3 And draw a Blessing down [0:01:58.53] 05. A1-4 Vouchsafe, dread Sir, a gracious Ear [0:00:51.05] 06. A1-5 Racks, Gibbets, Sword, & Fire [0:03:21.45] 07. A1-6 For ever thus stands fix'd the Doom [0:01:53.05] 08. A1-7 Most cruel Edict [0:00:30.32] 09. A1-8 The raptur'd Soul defies teh Sword [0:08:03.63] 10. A1-9 I know thy Virtues [0:00:37.67] 11. A1-10 Descend, kind Pity [0:07:37.05] 12. A1-11 Tho' hard, my Friends, yet Wholesome [0:00:19.58] 13. A1-12 Fond, flatt'ring World [0:03:26.50] 14. A1-13 O bright Example of all goodness [0:00:26.17] 15. A1-14 Bane of Virtue [0:05:40.65] 16. A1-15 Come, mighty Father [0:02:17.10] 17. A1-16 Fly, fly, my Brethren [0:00:43.25] 18. A1-17 As with rosy steps the Morn [0:05:45.08] 19. A1-18 All Pow'r in Heav'n above [0:02:18.00] 20. A1-19 Mistaken wretches [0:00:19.60] 21. A1-20 Dread the Fruits of Christian Folly [0:02:58.30] 22. A1-21 Deluded Mortal [0:01:00.00] 23. A1-22 Angels, ever bright & fair [0:04:24.12] 24. A1-23 Unhappy, happy Crew [0:00:56.73] 25. A1-24 Kind Heav'n [0:05:30.30] 26. A1-25 O Love, how great thy Pow'r [0:00:19.60] 27. A1-26 Go, gen'rous, pious youth [0:03:31.17]
CD2 01. A2-1 Ye Men of Antioch [0:00:26.72] 02. A2-2 Queen of Summer [0:00:52.18] 03. A2-3 Wide spread his Name [0:02:12.67] 04. A2-4 Return, Septimius [0:00:36.50] 05. A2-5 Venus laughing from the skies [0:01:19.15] 06. A2-6 Interlude [0:00:40.15] 07. A2-7 O thou bright Sun [0:00:27.08] 08. A2-8 With Darkness, deep [0:03:43.07] 09. A2-9 Interlude [0:01:06.55] 10. A2-10 Symphony of Soft Musick [0:01:09.73] 11. A2-11 But why art Thou disquieted [0:00:22.57] 12. A2-12 Oh, that I on wings could rise [0:04:07.63] 13. A2-13 Long have I known [0:01:08.35] 14. A2-14 Tho' the Honours [0:03:46.35] 15. A2-15 O save her then [0:00:37.70] 16. A2-16 Deeds of Kindness to display [0:06:58.17] 17. A2-17 The Clouds begin [0:00:26.60] 18. A2-18 Defend her, heav'n [0:03:53.28] 19. A2-19 Or lull'd with Grief [0:00:38.65] 20. A2-20 Sweet Rose, & Lilly [0:02:37.60] 21. A2-21 O save me, Heav'n [0:01:12.32] 22. A2-22 The Pilgrim's Home [0:02:45.43] 23. A2-23 Forbid it, Heav'n [0:02:01.15] 24. A2-24 To Thee, Thou glorious Son [0:04:53.20] 25. A2-25 Tis night [0:00:42.37] 26. A2-26 He saw the lovely Youth [0:04:36.70]
CD3 01. A3-1 Lord, to Thee [0:04:58.35] 02. A3-2 But see [0:00:30.20] 03. A3-3 When sunk in Anguish & Despair [0:03:24.45] 04. A3-4 Blest be the Hand [0:03:34.05] 05. A3-5 Undaunted in the Court [0:00:26.45] 06. A3-6 Ah, Theodora [0:00:35.13] 07. A3-7 Whither, Princess, do you fly [0:01:19.00] 08. A3-8 She's gone [0:00:24.22] 09. A3-9 New scenes of Joy [0:03:46.40] 10. A3-10 Is it a Christian Virtue [0:01:51.15] 11. A3-11 From Virtue springs each gen'rous Deed [0:05:39.18] 12. A3-12 Cease, ye Slaves, your fruitless Pray'r [0:01:08.35] 13. A3-13 Tis kind, my Friends [0:00:47.47] 14. A3-14 How strange their Ends [0:03:00.30] 15. A3-15 On me your Frowns [0:00:31.65] 16. A3-16 Ye Ministers of Justice [0:01:15.68] 17. A3-17 And must such Beauty suffer [0:00:39.07] 18. A3-18 Streams of Pleasure ever flowing [0:05:48.58] 19. A3-19 E'er this, their Doom is past [0:00:16.10] 20. A3-20 O Love Divine [0:02:24.67]
The failure of Handel's Theodora apparently didn't faze the composer at all. He told the librettist that "The Jews won't come because it is a Christian story, and the ladies won't come because it is a virtuous one!" It's a great line. He also said that the music would sound better in an empty hall, and whether you accept that or not, there's no question that this late work is a masterpiece. It was also Handel's favorite oratorio, and this is quite simply the finest performance of it available. -- David Hurwitz
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