SKU: BA.BA04025-01

ISBN 9790006443222. 33 x 26 cm inches. Text Language: English.

Handel�??s �??Semele�?�, which premiered in February 1744, is based on an adapted version of William Congreve�??s opera libretto titled �??The Story of Semele�?�, originally published in 1706. However, neither Handel nor his librettist referred to �??Semele�?� as an opera or an oratorio, which, according to the understanding at the time, would have required a biblical and/or Christian subject matter. Contemporary audiences also disagreed on the genre. The problematic classification as an oratorio has persisted into the present day, likely due to the edition labeled as such by Chrysander. The �??Halle Handel Edition�?� (HHA) distances itself from this classification and, considering the available sources, refrains from assigning a genre label.

Congreve deviates from the mythological source multiple times in order to create tensions among the characters. The desired marriage between Semele and Athamas, whom she does not love, is an addition by Congreve to provoke the envy of her sister Ino, who desires Athamas herself. Therefore, Ino sees her own advantage in Semele�??s abduction by Jupiter. While Jupiter�??s wife Juno decides to destroy Semele out of jealousy for his relationship with her, Jupiter brings Ino to his palace to console Semele. The vengeful Juno takes advantage of Ino�??s presence and transforms into her likeness, persuading Semele to carry out a plan that later proves fatal. In the end, Ino emerges as the winner, as she is able to convince their father, Cadmus, to marry her to Athamas. The appearance of Apollo in the final scene to announce that Semele�??s immortal son Bacchus was saved from her ashes provides little consolation. However, this twist allows the drama to conclude with exuberant joy and a magnificent final chorus after the tragic scenes in the third act, culminating in the death of the protagonist.

Handel�??s autograph score shows significant deviations from and numerous revisions of the original version premiered. All surviving early versions, the musical movements deleted before the premiere, and the version of the December 1744, are given in the appendix to the HHA.

SKU: CA.4067805

ISBN 9790007106263. Language: Czech/German.

The Missa pastoralis bohemica (Bohemian Shepherds' Mass), composed in 1796 by Mozart's contemporary Jakub Jan Ryba, is the most significant of the so-called Czech Christmas Masses. These are masses in a folkloristic style, in which the individual movements consist of a series of vocal-instrumental scenes in the Czech language; their topic is the birth of Christ and they are performed during the Christmas service. The story is about four Czech shepherds to whom the birth of Christ is announced, whereupon they visit the child in the manger. Ryba's mass became so famous that it is regarded - even today - as a symbol of Czech Christmas. The present critical edition represents the first edition of the work in its original form and the original keys; it contains a singable alternate text in German. Score available separately - see item CA.4067800.

SKU: CA.1036912

ISBN 9790007190538. Key: F major. Language: German/English.

The Bach contemporary Christian August Jacobi is among those composers who made a lasting impression among 18th century Middle German composers, since the influence of the Thomaskantor himself was limited primarily to Leipzig. Jacobi's cantatas are richly varied and they not too difficult to perform. Five of the six movements of the Christmas cantata Also hat Gott die Welt geliebet for soli, choir, strings and basso continuo are based on Luther's Christmas chorale Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her, which give the work a traditional character (the text of the first movement is based on the Gospel of St. John). The richly varied instrumentation and alternation between choral movements and duets by the soloists bring to the sound of the cantata a variety which will also be enhanced by the use of the harp (ad libitum). Score and part available separately - see item CA.1036900.

SKU: LM.29321

ISBN 9790230993210.

SKU: CA.4068814

ISBN 9790007220365. Language: Latin.

With its tonal language of subjective avowal, the first of Beethoven's two masses opens up new worlds of expression for the liturgical texts of the Mass which are expressly modern and point towards the future. Not to be considered a preliminary work to the Missa solemnis, it is an entirely independent work which set standards for the further development of settings of the Mass in the 19th century. Its newness, of which the composer himself was fully aware (I do not speak gladly of my Mass, or of myself, but I do believe that I have treated the text in a manner in which only few have treated it.), paves a way to an hitherto unknown, contemporary avenue to faith which today is still current. Carus presents this important work of church music history in a new critical edition by the Beethoven expert Ernst Herttrich. Score and part available separately - see item CA.4068800.

SKU: LM.JJ15796

ISBN 9790230815796.

SKU: LM.JJ67672

ISBN 9790230867672.

SKU: CA.4068809

ISBN 9790007220327. Language: Latin.

With its tonal language of subjective avowal, the first of Beethoven's two masses opens up new worlds of expression for the liturgical texts of the Mass which are expressly modern and point towards the future. Not to be considered a preliminary work to the Missa solemnis, it is an entirely independent work which set standards for the further development of settings of the Mass in the 19th century. Its newness, of which the composer himself was fully aware (I do not speak gladly of my Mass, or of myself, but I do believe that I have treated the text in a manner in which only few have treated it.), paves a way to an hitherto unknown, contemporary avenue to faith which today is still current. Carus presents this important work of church music history in a new critical edition by the Beethoven expert Ernst Herttrich. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.4068800.

SKU: LM.29343

ISBN 9790230993432.

SKU: CA.4067811

ISBN 9790007076498. Language: Czech/German.

The Missa pastoralis bohemica (Bohemian Shepherds' Mass), composed in 1796 by Mozart's contemporary Jakub Jan Ryba, is the most significant of the so-called Czech Christmas Masses. These are masses in a folkloristic style, in which the individual movements consist of a series of vocal-instrumental scenes in the Czech language; their topic is the birth of Christ and they are performed during the Christmas service. The story is about four Czech shepherds to whom the birth of Christ is announced, whereupon they visit the child in the manger. Ryba's mass became so famous that it is regarded - even today - as a symbol of Czech Christmas. The present critical edition represents the first edition of the work in its original form and the original keys; it contains a singable alternate text in German. Score and part available separately - see item CA.4067800.