034571172415

Handel: Alexander Balus

Robert King: The King's Consort

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Format: 2CD

Cat No: CDA67241-2

Release Date:  01 October 1997

Label:  Hyperion Records Ltd

Packaging Type:  Brilliant Case (Jewel Case size, Holds 2 CDs)

No of Units:  2

Barcode:  034571172415

Genres:  Classical  Baroque  

  • Description

    Alexander Balus brings to completion The King's Consort's series of Handel's four 'military' oratorios (the other three being Judas Maccabaeus, The Occasional Oratorio, and Joshua).
    The story is a somewhat embellished retelling of chapters 10 and 11 from the first book of the Apocryphal Maccabees and involves complicated intrigues between the Jews, Syrians and Egyptians in the second century BC. To cut a long story short, Alexander Balus, King of Syria, is eventually defeated in battle by Ptolomee of Egypt and then killed by an Arab; but Ptolomee himself dies just three days later allowing Jonathan, the Chief of the Jews, to remind us of the fate of those who do not believe in the One God.
    Musically, Handel is at his very best in this piece. Much of the composition occurred simultaneously with that for Joshua and there is, typically, a small amount of material recycled from earlier works. The Third Act, where Cleopatra is not only told (maliciously) by her father that her beloved Alexander has been faithless, but is also then informed of his death, sees some extraordinary aria-writing, at times reminiscent of 'Dido's Lament'.

  • Tracklisting

      Disc 1

      Side 1

      • 1. Alexander Balus: Act I: Ouverture
      • 2. Alexander Balus: Act I: Chorus Asiates
      • 3. Alexander Balus: Act I: Recitative Alexander
      • 4. Alexander Balus: Act I: Air Jonathan
      • 5. Alexander Balus: Act I: Flourish Of Trumpets
      • 6. Alexander Balus: Act I: Recitative Ptolomee
      • 7. Alexander Balus: Act I: Air Ptolomee
      • 8. Alexander Balus: Act I: Recitative Cleopatra
      • 9. Alexander Balus: Act I: Air Cleopatra
      • 10. Alexander Balus: Act I: Recitative Alexander
      • 11. Alexander Balus: Act I: Air Alexander
      • 12. Alexander Balus: Act I: Chorus Asiates
      • 13. Alexander Balus: Act I: Recitative Alexander
      • 14. Alexander Balus: Act I: Air Alexander
      • 15. Alexander Balus: Act I: Air Cleopatra
      • 16. Alexander Balus: Act I: Recitative Cleopatra
      • 17. Alexander Balus: Act I: Air Cleopatra
      • 18. Alexander Balus: Act I: Recitative Aspasia
      • 19. Alexander Balus: Act I: Air Aspasia
      • 20. Alexander Balus: Act I: Recitative Cleopatra
      • 21. Alexander Balus: Act I: Duet Cleopatra
      • 22. Alexander Balus: Act I: Recitative Jonathan
      • 23. Alexander Balus: Act I: Air Alexander
      • 24. Alexander Balus: Act I: Recitative Jonathan
      • 25. Alexander Balus: Act I: Air Jonathan
      • 26. Alexander Balus: Act II: Air Alexander
      • 27. Alexander Balus: Act II: Recitative Jonathan
      • 28. Alexander Balus: Act II: Air Alexander
      • 29. Alexander Balus: Act II: Recitative Sycophant Courtier
      • 30. Alexander Balus: Act II: Air Alexander
      • 31. Alexander Balus: Act II: Air Jonathan

      Disc 2

      • 1. Alexander Balus: Act II: Chorus Israelites
      • 2. Alexander Balus: Act II: Recitative Cleopatra
      • 3. Alexander Balus: Act II: Air Cleopatra
      • 4. Alexander Balus: Act II: Recitative Aspasia
      • 5. Alexander Balus: Act II: Air Aspasia
      • 6. Alexander Balus: Act II: Recitative Ptolomee
      • 7. Alexander Balus: Act II: Air Ptolomee
      • 8. Alexander Balus: Act II: Accompagnato Jonathan
      • 9. Alexander Balus: Act II: Soli - Chorus
      • 10. Alexander Balus: Act II: Recitative Alexander
      • 11. Alexander Balus: Act II: Duet Alexander - Cleopatra
      • 12. Alexander Balus: Act II: Chorus Asiates
      • 13. Alexander Balus: Act III: Sinfonia
      • 14. Alexander Balus: Act III: Recitative Cleopatra
      • 15. Alexander Balus: Act III: Air Cleopatra
      • 16. Alexander Balus: Act III: Recitative Alexander
      • 17. Alexander Balus: Act III: Air Alexander
      • 18. Alexander Balus: Act III: Recitative Jonathan
      • 19. Alexander Balus: Act III: Air Alexander
      • 20. Alexander Balus: Act III: Recitative Aspasia
      • 21. Alexander Balus: Act III: Air Aspasia
      • 22. Alexander Balus: Act III: Recitative Jonathan
      • 23. Alexander Balus: Act III: Air Jonathan
      • 24. Alexander Balus: Act III: Chorus Israelites
      • 25. Alexander Balus: Act III: Recitative Ptolomee
      • 26. Alexander Balus: Act III: Accompagnato Ptolomee
      • 27. Alexander Balus: Act III: Air Ptolomee
      • 28. Alexander Balus: Act III: Accompagnato Cleopatra
      • 29. Alexander Balus: Act III: Recitative Messenger
      • 30. Alexander Balus: Act III: Air Cleopatra
      • 31. Alexander Balus: Act III: Recitative Second Messenger
      • 32. Alexander Balus: Act III: Accompagnato Cleopatra
      • 33. Alexander Balus: Act III: Air Cleopatra
      • 34. Alexander Balus: Act III: Recitative Jonathan
      • 35. Alexander Balus: Act III: Chorus Jonathan - Israelites