George Frideric Handel (1685 – 1759) was a German,
later British, Baroque composer who spent the bulk of
his career in London, becoming well-known for his
operas, oratorios, anthems, and organ concertos. Handel
received important training in Halle-upon-Saale and
worked as a composer in Hamburg and Italy before
settling in London in 1712; he became a naturalised
British subject in 1727. He was strongly influenced
both by the great composers of the Italian Baroque and
by the middle-German polyph...(+)
George Frideric Handel (1685 – 1759) was a German,
later British, Baroque composer who spent the bulk of
his career in London, becoming well-known for his
operas, oratorios, anthems, and organ concertos. Handel
received important training in Halle-upon-Saale and
worked as a composer in Hamburg and Italy before
settling in London in 1712; he became a naturalised
British subject in 1727. He was strongly influenced
both by the great composers of the Italian Baroque and
by the middle-German polyphonic choral tradition.
Born the same year as Johann Sebastian Bach and
Domenico Scarlatti, Handel is regarded as one of the
greatest composers of the Baroque era, with works such
as Messiah, Water Music, and Music for the Royal
Fireworks remaining steadfastly popular. One of his
four coronation anthems, Zadok the Priest (1727),
composed for the coronation of George II, has been
performed at every subsequent British coronation,
traditionally during the sovereign's anointing. Another
of his English oratorios, Solomon (1748), has also
remained popular, with the Sinfonia that opens act 3
(known more commonly as "The Arrival of the Queen of
Sheba") featuring at the 2012 London Olympics opening
ceremony. Handel composed more than forty operas in
over thirty years, and since the late 1960s, with the
revival of baroque music and historically informed
musical performance, interest in Handel's operas has
grown.
Solomon was one of two oratorios that Handel composed
for the 1749 Lenten concert season in London (the other
being Susannah); as was his habit, he composed the work
during the relatively open months of the previous
summer (May/June, 1748) when his energies were less
divided by the presentation of concerts and operas.
Textual similarities between Solomon and Susannah
suggest their librettos -- both of exceptional quality
-- were written by the same person; unfortunately there
is no record of the author's identity. Both libretti
were once thought to be the work of Thomas Morell --
the author of Jeptha, Judas Maccabaeus, Theodora, and
Joshua -- but any close examination of the texts
reveals irreconcilable stylistic disparities.
Most of the text for Solomon was based on scriptural
passages drawn from II Chronicles and I Kings; as the
title of the work makes clear, the selected passages
are those dealing with the renowned King Solomon. It is
possible that Handel's choice of this subject matter
was his tribute to King George II of England, a
generous patron, and under whose rule England enjoyed a
period of comparable prosperity; but -- unlike Judas
Maccabaeus, in which case Handel wrote letters
specifically outlining his intended tribute to the
victorious Duke of Cumberland -- there is no textual
evidence to establish this as fact.
In portraying the biblical Solomon, the anonymous
librettist chose to divide his work into three acts,
each of which sheds a slightly different light on his
subject. The first act evokes the sensual and poetic
voice from the Song of Solomon; the king and his new
wife express their mutual rapture and contentment. The
Solomon portrayed here is fiercely devoted to his lone
queen -- far from faithful to scripture, in which he is
said to have had many hundreds of wives, and half again
as many concubines! The second act takes up Solomon's
most famous action, namely his resolution of the
dispute between two harlots, each of whom claims to be
the rightful mother of a baby; by suggesting that he
cut the child in half and give one part to each woman,
he ferrets out their true intentions and justly
resolves the case. Act three takes as its subject a
visit by the Queen of Sheba. Solomon presents the
wonders of his kingdom to her in the form of a musical
masque.
Handel's score is notable for the inclusion of a full
array of brass instruments, and an unusually large
complement of strings, both of which lend the score a
particular opulence and richness; this is often
highlighted by the composer's division of the chorus
into five, or sometimes eight, parts. The opening
sinfonia is of unusual scope for Handel's oratorios. It
has been suggested that one of the most popular
excerpts from Solomon, namely the entrance of the Queen
of Sheba from the third act, was not actually composed
for the work at hand, but rather was borrowed from
another unfinished project.
Although originally composed for Baroque Chamber
Ensemble, I created this interpretation of "Thrice
blest be the King" (HWV 67 Mvt. 35) for Winds (Flute,
Oboe, French Horn & Bassoon) & Strings (2 Violins,
Viola & Cello).
PARTITION