Georg Friedrich Händel: Israel In Egypt: SATB: Score

Handel originally wrote Israel in Egypt in the late 1730s but this the well-known version was not written until twenty years later when he discarded the old one as out-of-date. The 'new' version is a two-act oratorio where the chorus is far more prominent and serves much greater variety of expressive purposes than one finds almost anywhere else in Handel's output. Notably there is extensive use of the double-chorus. It did not take long for this 1756 version of Israel in Egypt to assume a place alongside the Messiah as one of England's favorite choral treasures. Part I tells of the Israelites' deliverance from their Egyptian captivity at the hands of Moses; thetwelve choruses that describe the miracles leading to the Israelites' freedom are among the most stunning and colorful ever written -- images of hailstones pestilence and even the glorious parting of the Red Sea are achieved without once resorting to the kind of pictorialism that a lesser composer would relish. Part II Moses' Song recounts the Israelites' victory. This is the Schirmer Edition of the Vocal Score and hence contains a piano reduction of the original orchestral accompaniment.The full score is also available order code DP16788.

Oratorio in three parts-Israel in Egypt HWV 54Oratorio in three partsThe versions of the 1739 and 1756?7 performances The distinguishing feature of our new edition is that it reproduces Israel in Egypt in its complete three-part form: The Lamentation of the Israelites for the Death of Joseph Exodus and Moses? Song. It was in this form that the work was given at its London premiere on 4 April 1739. Handel made extensive changes for the second performance. The reason is often said to have been the audience?s dissatisfaction with the work?s unusual design. However he may possibly only have wanted to satisfy the whims of asoprano who felt under-represented with solo material. Israel in Egypt is made up of a series of contrasting and artfully constructed choruses separated only by a few numbers for solo voice. Part 1 is entirely given to the chorus Part 2 largely so and Part 3 while containing most of the solo numbers still gives ample room to the chorus. Handel shortened several choral numbers and may have taken the opportunity to alter the opening of Exodus. He also added five arias and a recitative for the soprano Elisabeth Duparc. These arias had already been written for insertion in other works of the 1730s and two of them had been sung a short while previously in An Oratorio (1738). There is no libretto containing the changes introduced at the second performance. All the insert arias are reproduced in Appendix 1 of Volume I/14 of the complete edition. The next performance of the piece did not occur until 1756. Handel now compiled an entirely new Part 1 containing a balanced proportion of choral and solo numbers by selecting items from Solomon the Occasional Oratorio and the Peace Anthem. The two other parts retained their original form apart from a few cuts in the choruses and the addition in Part 3 of the aria ?Hope hope a pure and lasting treasure? from the second version of Esther (for both 1756 and 1757) and the aria ?Toss?d from thought to thought? from Alexander Balus (for 1757). Our new edition makes it possible for the first time to perform Israel in Egypt in three different versions: that of the premiere

Saul was given its first performance under Handel’s direction at the Haymarket Theatre London on 16 January 1739. The original libretto (dated 1738) refers to the work as “an Oratorio or Sacred Drama”. This libretto was written by Charles Jennens (1700–1770) a wealthy amateur writer from Gopsall Leicestershire. A letter of 28 July 1735 from Handel to Jennens suggests that a complete raft of the text already existed at that time. Saul occupies an extraordinarily important position in the English oratorio tradition that Handel brought to perfection standing alongside Israel in Egypt at the end of the first creative period of such works.- Urtext of the Halle Handel Edition - Full score (BA4020) & vocal score (BA402090) available for sale - Performance material (BA402072) available for hire

The Peter Aston Editorial Library prides itself in introducing otherwise unknown English works. From Handel's Israel in Egypt comes this too often overlooked classic.

Influential 18th-century oratorio deals with the triumph of the Jewish warrior-hero Judas Maccabaeus over the invading enemies of the Israelites. Beauty drama and brilliant originality of its arias duets and choruses have kept the work constantly in the active repertoire. Reprinted from authoritative edition of the German Handel Society. Text underlay in English and German.

Un des plus grands oratorios de Haendel, ce magnifique ouvrage présente une série de superbes pièces chorales, allant de l'humeur et de la technique de l'intensité sombre d'jubilation grandiose. Israël en Egypte dépeint les tribulations des Juifs, les plaies d'Egypte, et les événements liés bibliques. Le contenu complet en anglais et en allemand.Réimpression de l'édition Breitkopf and Härtel autorité. / Orchestre