George Frideric
Handel’s (1685-1759) Israel in Egypt
(Israel in Ägypten) was premiered at
London's King's Theatre in the Haymarket, London on April 4, 1739. Handel had started
work on it soon after the opera season at King's Theatre was cancelled for lack
of subscribers. The oratorio, on biblical texts selected from the Old
Testament, was not well received by the first audience.
This resulted in a shortened second performance where
Handel augmented this mainly choral work with Italian- style arias. This
attempt was not a success and after two additional performances, Handel did not
perform the oratorio again until 1756 when Part 1 was replaced by an abridged
version of Act I of Solomon. Eventually, Part I was dropped entirely and the
work was performed as a two-part oratorio.
Felix Mendelssohn
Bartholdy (1809 -1847) was involved in performances of Handel's Israel in Egypt throughout his career,
first conducting it in May 1833. Later that year he visited London where he was
able to inspect performance materials and a libretto from Handel's lifetime and
the period shortly afterwards. He used some of this research in his performing
edition of the oratorio. He returned to the work in 1842 and 1844 and prepared
an edition for publication in 1845.
Mendelssohn’s choices when preparing his edition were
restricted by the absence of an organ at the intended venue. In the absence of an
organ or, indeed, a harpsichord, he added discrete clarinet parts with
instructions that they be omitted where an organ was available. Because
Handel's orchestral forces were large using trombones, trumpets, oboes, bassoons
and timpani along with strings, Mendelssohn did not find it necessary to
augment the score in the manner of Mozart's additions to several of Handel
works. The major differences are the cuts and additions to the score.
Mendelssohn added a series of recitatives and made changes to the order of
various sections.
For its new recording
for Vivat www.vivatmusic.com, The King’s Consort www.tkcworld.org perform
a reconstruction by their director Robert King www.robertking.eu of Mendelssohn’s
1833 Düsseldorf performance of Israel in
Ägypten using fragments and sources across Europe. The large orchestra
plays on 19th century instruments pitched at A=430. It is sung in
German.
The King’s Consort
are joined by the Choir of the King’s Consort with soloists, sopranos Lydia
Teuscher www.askonasholt.co.uk/artists/singers/soprano/lydia-teuscher
and
Julia Doyle http://juliadoylesoprano.com
, alto Hilary Summers www.hilarysummers.com , tenor Benjamin Hulett www.benjaminhulett.com and
bass Roderick Williams www.ingpen.co.uk/artist/roderick-williams
 |
| 2CD VIVAT 111 |
The King’s Consort brings a thoroughly
Mendelssohnian Overture to Erster
Teil – Exodus, an
addition made by Mendelssohn at the request of the festival organisers. They
bring a thrilling, vibrant forward propulsion and some wonderful instrumental
textures and timbres as well as some spectacularly fine transparency with some
wonderful swirls of woodwind. This is Mendelssohn as he should be played.
When tenor, Benjamin Hulett enters with the Recitative
Nun kame in neuer König it also has a curiously Mendelssohnian feel before
the Choir of the King’s Consort bring
the beautifully lilting Chorus Aber die Kinder Israels schrien,
this choir providing a lovely Handelian flow and texture. Benjamin Hulett again
proves a very fine tenor in the next brief Recitative Da sandt’ er Moses with some terrific orchestral contrasts. Bass,
Roderick Williams is equally impressive in the Recitative Aber die Zaub’rer auch and the Aria Und Frösche ohne Zahl which has a beautifully sprung Handelian style
with unexpected instrumental textures.
There are interesting sonorities from the orchestra as Benjamin
Hulett sings the Recitative Die Plage
wich before the choir return with the Chorus Er sprach das Wort that brings a Mendelssohnian lightness of
texture, the King’s Consort whipping up some terrific fast string passages with
a vibrant chorus. Benjamin Hulett continues with two more brief Recitatives, Dies neue Wunder where he shapes the
music to perfection and Doch Pharao
trotzt where the orchestra brings unusual orchestral harmonies created in
the lower orchestra.
The Choir of the King’s Consort takes us into another
vibrant, fast moving Chorus Hagef staff
Regenleads, the choir and The King’s Consort delivering some terrific ensemble
and thrillingly dynamic moments. Soprano Lydia Touscher proves to be rather
wonderful in the Recitative Pharao sah’s
an, bringing a lovely musical tone with some fine Handelian sonorities from
the Consort. Benjamin Hulett returns for the Recitative Moses verließ die Stadt before Roderick Williams takes the Recitative
Als Pharao alles friedlich ruhen sah
bringing some fine feeling before a magical opening to the Chorus Er sandte dicke Finsternis where the
Consort gently ease the music forward, with orchestral sonorities slowly
blossoming. The choir enter in an equally magical fashion with some wonderful
textures added by Mendelssohn.
Benjamin Hulett subtly adds a drama and passion to the Recitative Doch als nun Pharao before orchestra
and choir bring the Chorus Er schlug alle
Erstgeburt with the strings adding staccato phrases that point up the music
as the chorus sails forward in some wonderful moments with a fine Handelian
flow. The Chorus Aber mit seinem Volke
is surely pure Handel, exquisitely sung by the fine choir with a quite
beautiful orchestral accompaniment. Lydia Teuscher returns for the brief,
lovely Recitative Und Israel war befreit
and the Aria Hoffnung lindert unsre
Scherzen with some lovely orchestral textures before this fine soprano enters.
She has a lovely voice that brings varied timbres at each part of her register,
moments of rich lower textures and higher sweeter moments, all beautifully
done. There is a rousing opening to the Chorus Er gebot der Meerflut before the male voices lead steadily
forward, picking up a fine Handelian rhythm. Part 1 is concluded here with the Chorus
Aber die Fluten überwältigten delivered
with singing and playing of terrific power and drama, pointed up by timpani.
There is a finely sprung orchestral opening to the Aria So dachte der Feind to which Lydia
Teuscher joins bringing lovely phrasing and a fine flexibility and musicality. Soprano Julia Doyle also brings a very fine
control together with a lovely pure tone to the Aria Aber du ließest wehen with the Consort providing some lovely
instrumental textures. The choir bring some terrific large scale textures to
open the Chorus Wer ist dir gleich, o
Herr before falling and rising in some finely controlled passages, later with
some very fine singing of the part writing. Incisive strings bring a rhythmic
opening to the Chorus Das hören die
Völker to which the choir adds some wonderfully rich sounds, again
beautifully controlled.
Hilary Summers returns for the Aria Bringe sie hinein. This has a lovely Handelian orchestral opening before
this fine alto brings her lovely tone, creating an almost countertenor sonority
and with the orchestra finding a real flow. Choir and orchestra find a fine
rhythm as the Chorus Der Herr ist König
(I) opens, bringing a real feeling of joy before Benjamin Hulett sings the Recitative Denn die Reiter Pharaos. The choir rise
joyfully in the Chorus Der Herr ist König
(II) before Benjamin Hulett returns in the Recitative Und Mirjam die Prophetin.) Lydia
Teuscher opens alone in the Chorus Singet unserem Gott, a most wonderful
moment before chorus and orchestra lead on. Soprano and chorus alternate before
the chorus brings a contrapuntal section to bounce joyfully ahead in a most
Handelian manner with some terrific contributions from the King’s Consort’s
brass and timpani as the conclusion is reached.
This performance is a real joy. With a superb line up of
soloists and The King’s Consort and Choir of the King’s Consort on top form,
this adds up to more than just a curiosity. It stands in its own right as a
work that will bring immense pleasure.
Adrian Peacock has produced an excellent recording made in
the fine acoustic of St Jude’s Church, London. There are first rate,
authoritative notes from Robert King in a booklet that includes session
photographs and score facsimiles as well as full texts in German with English
translations.
See also:
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