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''Alexander Balus'' ( HWV 65) is an
Act 1
Alexander claimed the throne of Syria by killing Demetrius the king. Alexander then befriends the Jews and their leader Jonathan Maccabaeus. The king of Egypt, Ptolemee, congratulates Alexander and celebrates his successes by awarding him his daughter, Cleopatra Thea (not the famous Cleopatra of Shakespeare and Handel's opera '' Giulio Cesare''). The two fall in love.
Act 2
Alexander and Cleopatra are married. Alexander is led to believe by a messenger that Jonathan plans to betray him after winning his friendship. It is then revealed that Ptolemee only arranged Alexander and Cleopatra's marriage to take Alexander's land and power. He plans to move his troops into Syria under the cover of nightfall to kidnap and kill the young leader.
Act 3
Cleopatra is kidnapped by Ptolemee’s ruffians and he intends to force her to marry another man. During Cleopatra's captivity, Ptolemee tries to break her allegiance to Alexander, but is unsuccessful. Alexander rushes off to war, while Jonathan stays behind, fearing the worst and doubting the power of Alexander's Syrian gods. Jonathan's intuition is confirmed when a messenger delivers the news that although they won three battles, Alexander and Ptolemee have been killed. Cleopatra commends herself to the goddess, Isis, and retires to ‘some peaceful shore’. Jonathan reflects on the tragedy, believing that if everyone would have acknowledged the true God, none of this would have happened.
Varied and characterful choruses are a feature of the work, the choruses for the Jews being of a serious and contrapuntal quality, in contrast to the simpler, more down to earth and cheerful choruses for the "Asiates". In the massive, complex chorus "O calumny", the chorus comments and moralizes on the action in the manner of choruses in ancient Greek tragedy. The role of Cleopatra is given a series of arias remarkable both for their originality of orchestration and their expressive quality. Her first aria "Hark he strikes the golden lyre" is scored, very unusually, for two flutes, harp and mandolin over a background of pizzicato strings to produce an exotic and exquisite effect. Her final sequence of arias as she hears of her husband's defeat and death and prepares herself for suicide achieve a power and poignancy equal to that in many more famous operas.
Alexander Balus
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gfhandel.org
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Score
of ''Alexander Balus'' (ed. Friedrich Chrysander, Leipzig 1870) {{authority control Oratorios by George Frideric Handel 1747 compositions Oratorios based on the Bible
''Alexander Balus'' ( HWV 65) is an oratorio
An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is mus ...
by George Frideric Handel
George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque music, Baroque composer well known for his opera#Baroque era, operas, oratorios, anthems, concerto grosso, concerti grossi, ...
, named after its title character, the Seleucid
The Seleucid Empire (; grc, Βασιλεία τῶν Σελευκιδῶν, ''Basileía tōn Seleukidōn'') was a Greek state in West Asia that existed during the Hellenistic period from 312 BC to 63 BC. The Seleucid Empire was founded by the ...
king Alexander Balas
Alexander I Theopator Euergetes, surnamed Balas ( grc, Ἀλέξανδρος Βάλας, Alexandros Balas), was the ruler of the Seleucid Empire from 150/Summer 152 – August 145 BC. Picked from obscurity and supported by the neighboring Roman- ...
. The work has three acts and was written in English. The period of the story is from 150 B.C to 145 B.C. The libretto
A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...
is by Thomas Morell
Thomas Morell (; 18 March 1703 – 19 February 1784) was an English librettist, classical scholar, and printer.1 Maccabees
The First Book of Maccabees, also known as First Maccabees (written in shorthand as 1 Maccabees or 1 Macc.), is a book written in Hebrew by an anonymousRappaport, U., ''47. 1 Maccabees'' in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001)The Oxford Bible Comme ...
.
Fourth in a series of English military oratorios, following ''Joshua
Joshua () or Yehoshua ( ''Yəhōšuaʿ'', Tiberian: ''Yŏhōšuaʿ,'' lit. 'Yahweh is salvation') ''Yēšūaʿ''; syr, ܝܫܘܥ ܒܪ ܢܘܢ ''Yəšūʿ bar Nōn''; el, Ἰησοῦς, ar , يُوشَعُ ٱبْنُ نُونٍ '' Yūšaʿ ...
'' and the success of ''Judas Maccabaeus
Judah Maccabee (or Judas Maccabeus, also spelled Machabeus, or Maccabæus, Hebrew: יהודה המכבי, ''Yehudah HaMakabi'') was a Jewish priest (''kohen'') and a son of the priest Mattathias. He led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleu ...
'', celebrating the victories of the Hanoverian monarchy over the Jacobite uprisings
, war =
, image = Prince James Francis Edward Stuart by Louis Gabriel Blanchet.jpg
, image_size = 150px
, caption = James Francis Edward Stuart, Jacobite claimant between 1701 and 1766
, active ...
, the work moves from celebrations of military success in the first act to personal tragedies in the last. ''Alexander Balus'' was composed in the summer of 1747 and premiered on 23 March 1748 at Covent Garden Theatre
The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Op ...
, London, with Caterina Galli singing the title role, Thomas Lowe as Jonathan, and Thomas Reinhold as Ptolemee. In 1754 Handel made a revision to his work and changed the leading role, the king Alexander, to a soprano instead of an alto.
Dramatis personae
Synopsis
Act 1
Alexander claimed the throne of Syria by killing Demetrius the king. Alexander then befriends the Jews and their leader Jonathan Maccabaeus. The king of Egypt, Ptolemee, congratulates Alexander and celebrates his successes by awarding him his daughter, Cleopatra Thea (not the famous Cleopatra of Shakespeare and Handel's opera '' Giulio Cesare''). The two fall in love.
Act 2
Alexander and Cleopatra are married. Alexander is led to believe by a messenger that Jonathan plans to betray him after winning his friendship. It is then revealed that Ptolemee only arranged Alexander and Cleopatra's marriage to take Alexander's land and power. He plans to move his troops into Syria under the cover of nightfall to kidnap and kill the young leader.
Act 3
Cleopatra is kidnapped by Ptolemee’s ruffians and he intends to force her to marry another man. During Cleopatra's captivity, Ptolemee tries to break her allegiance to Alexander, but is unsuccessful. Alexander rushes off to war, while Jonathan stays behind, fearing the worst and doubting the power of Alexander's Syrian gods. Jonathan's intuition is confirmed when a messenger delivers the news that although they won three battles, Alexander and Ptolemee have been killed. Cleopatra commends herself to the goddess, Isis, and retires to ‘some peaceful shore’. Jonathan reflects on the tragedy, believing that if everyone would have acknowledged the true God, none of this would have happened.
Musical features
Varied and characterful choruses are a feature of the work, the choruses for the Jews being of a serious and contrapuntal quality, in contrast to the simpler, more down to earth and cheerful choruses for the "Asiates". In the massive, complex chorus "O calumny", the chorus comments and moralizes on the action in the manner of choruses in ancient Greek tragedy. The role of Cleopatra is given a series of arias remarkable both for their originality of orchestration and their expressive quality. Her first aria "Hark he strikes the golden lyre" is scored, very unusually, for two flutes, harp and mandolin over a background of pizzicato strings to produce an exotic and exquisite effect. Her final sequence of arias as she hears of her husband's defeat and death and prepares herself for suicide achieve a power and poignancy equal to that in many more famous operas.
List of musical numbers
Act 1
Orchestra *Overture Chorus of Asiates- *Flushed with conquest, fir’d by Mithra Alexander- Recit.*Thus far ye glorious partners of the war Jonathan- *Air. Great Author of this harmony *Recit. And thus let happy Egypt’s king Ptolemee - *Air. Thrice happy the Monarch, whom nations contend Cleopatra- *Recit. Congratulations to our father’s friend *Air. Hark he strikes the golden lyre Alexander- *Recit. Be it my chief ambition there to rise *Air. Fair virtue shall charm me Chorus of Asiates- *Ye happy nations round Alexander- *Recit. My Jonathan, didst thou mark *Air. Oh what restless charms Cleopatra- *Air. Subtle Love, with fancy viewing Aspasia, I know not what to call *Air. How happy should we mortals prove? Aspasia- *Recit. Check not the pleasing accent of thy tongue *Air. So shall the sweet attractive smile Cleopatra- *Recit. How blissful state Ceopatra/Aspasi- *Duet. O, what pleasures, past expressing Jonathan- *Recit. Why hangs heavy gloom upon the brow Alexander- *Air. Heroes may boast their mighty deeds *Air. Mighty Love now calls to arm Jonathan- *Recit. Ye sons of Judah, with high festivals proclaim *Air. Great god, from whom all blessings spring Chorus of Israelites- *These are thy gifts, almighty king *To thee let grateful Judah singAct 2
Alexander- *Air. Kind Hope, thou universal friend Jonathan- *Recit. Long, long and happy live the king Alexander- *Air. O Mithra, with thy brightest beams Sycophant Courtier- *Stay my dread sovereign Jonathan- *Air. Hateful man! Chorus- *O calumny, on virtue waiting Cleopatra- *Recit. Ah! Whence these dire forebodings of the mind? *Air. Tost from the thought to thought I rove Aspasia- *Recit. Give to the winds, fair princess, these vain doubts *Air. Love, glory, ambition Ptolomee- *Recit. Thus far my wishes thrive *Air. Virtue, thou ideal name Jonathan- *Recit. Ye happy people Jonathan and Chorus- *Triumph, Hymen, in the pair Alexander- *Recit. Glad time, at length, has reach’d the happy point Cleopatra/Alexander- *Duet. Hail, wedded love, mysterious law Chorus of Asiates- *Hymen, fair Urania’s sonAct 3
Orchestra *Sinfonia Cleopatra- *Recit. Tis true, instructive nature seldom points *Air. Here amid the shady woods Ruffians/Cleopatra/- *Recit. Mistaken queen! The Gods and Ptolemee Alexander- *Recit. Ah! Was it not my Cleopatra’s voice? *Air. Pow’rful guardians of al nature Jonathan- *Recit. Treach’ry, o king Alexander- *Air. Fury, with red sparkling eyes Asparsia- *Recit. Gods! Can there be a more afflicting sight *Air. Strange reverse of human fate Jonathan- *Air. The God, who made the radiant sun Chorus of Issaelites- *Sun, moon, and stars Ptolomee- *Recit. Yes he was false, my daughter *Air. O sword, and thou all-daring hand Cleopatra- *Recit. Shall Cleopatra ever smile again? Messenger- *Ungrateful tidings to the royal ear Cleopatra- *Air. O take me from this hateful light Another Messenger- *Forgive, o queen, the messenger of ill Cleopatra- *Recit. Calm thy soul, kind Isis *Air. Convey me to some peaceful shore Jonathan- *Recit. Mysterious are thy ways, o providence Jonathan and Chorus- *Ye servants of th’ eternal KingInstrumentation
The work is scored for strings, two oboes, two trumpets, two horns,bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuo ...
, two flutes, harp, mandolin, and continuo.
Recording
With Lynne Dawson soprano, Michael George bass, Catherine Denley alto, Charles Daniels tenor, Claron McFadden soprano, The King's Consort, Choir of The King's Consort, New College Choir, Oxford, Robert King. Release date 2010.Hyperion
Hyperion may refer to:
Greek mythology
* Hyperion (Titan), one of the twelve Titans
* ''Hyperion'', a byname of the Sun, Helios
* Hyperion of Troy or Yperion, son of King Priam
Science
* Hyperion (moon), a moon of the planet Saturn
* ''Hyp ...
CD:CDA67241/2
References
External links
Alexander Balus
information a
gfhandel.org
* Full-tex
hosted by
Stanford University
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
.
Score
of ''Alexander Balus'' (ed. Friedrich Chrysander, Leipzig 1870) {{authority control Oratorios by George Frideric Handel 1747 compositions Oratorios based on the Bible