George Frideric Handel – Deborah (1993)

Disc: 1
1. Deborah: Part The First: Ouverture: Grave - Allegro - Minuet
2. Deborah: Part The First: Scene I: Chorus
3. Deborah: Part The First: Scene I: Deborah And Barak Recitative
4. Deborah: Part The First: Scene I: Barak & Deborah Duet
5. Deborah: Part The First: Scene I: Chorus
6. Deborah: Part The First: Scene I: Barak Recitative
7. Deborah: Part The First: Scene I: Soli & Chorus
8. Deborah: Part The First: Scene I: Deborah Recitative
9. Deborah: Part The First: Scene I: Chorus
10. Deborah: Part The First: Scene I: Deborah Recitative
11. Deborah: Part The First: Scene I: Chorus
12. Deborah: Part The First: Scene I: Barak Recitative
13. Deborah: Part The First: Scene I: Barak Air
14. Deborah: Part The First: Scene II: Jael Recitative
15. Deborah: Part The First: Scene II: Deborah Air						play
16. Deborah: Part The First: Scene II: Jael Recitative
17. Deborah: Part The First: Scene II: Jael Air
18. Deborah: Part The First: Scene III: Abinoam Recitative
19. Deborah: Part The First: Scene III: Abinoam Air
20. Deborah: Part The First: Scene III: Barak Recitative
21. Deborah: Part The First: Scene III: Barak Air
22. Deborah: Part The First: Scene III: Chorus
23. Deborah: Part The First: Scene IV: Herald Recitative
24. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Chorus
25. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Chorus
26. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Sisera Recitative
27. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Sisera Air
28. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Deborah Recitative
29. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Deborah Air
30. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Sisera Recitative
31. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Sisera Air
32. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Barak Air

Disc: 2
1. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Chief Priest Of Baal
2. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Chorus Of Baal's Priests
3. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Chief Priest Of The Israelites Recitative
4. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Chorus Of Israelites
5. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Deborah Recitative
6. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Soli & Chorus
7. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Barak Recitative
8. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Barak Air
9. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Abinoam Recitative
10. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Abinoam Air
11. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Israelite Woman Recitative
12. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Israelite Woman Air
13. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Deborah Recitative
14. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Jael Air
15. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Deborah Recitative
16. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Deborah & Barak Duet
17. Deborah: Part The Second: Scene I: Chorus
18. Deborah: Part The Third: Scene I: A Grand Military Symphony
19. Deborah: Part The Third: Scene I: Israelite Woman Recitative
20. Deborah: Part The Third: Scene I: Israelite Woman Air					play
21. Deborah: Part The Third: Scene II: Abinoam Recitative
22. Deborah: Part The Third: Scene II: Abinoam Air
23. Deborah: Part The Third: Scene II: Jael Recitative
24. Deborah: Part The Third: Scene III: Chorus Of Baal's Priests
25. Deborah: Part The Third: Scene III: Israelite Woman Air
26. Deborah: Part The Third: Scene III: Barak Recitative
27. Deborah: Part The Third: Scene III: Jael Air
28. Deborah: Part The Third: Scene III: Deborah Recitative
29. Deborah: Part The Third: Scene III: Deborah Air
30. Deborah: Part The Third: Scene III: Barak Recitative
31. Deborah: Part The Third: Scene III: Barak Air
32. Deborah: Part The Third: Scene III: Deborah Recitative
33. Deborah: Part The Third: Scene III: Chorus

Yvonne Kenny - Deborah
Susan Gritton - Jael
Catherine Denley - Sisera
James Bowman - Barak
Michael George - Abinoam
Mark Milhofer - Herald
Colin Campbell - Chief Priest of Baal
Adrian Peacock - Chief Prist of Israelites

Choir of New College, Oxford
Choristers od Salisbury Cathedral
The King'S Consort
Robert King - conductor, 1993

Deborah is one of Handel's earliest oratorios, and it contains a lot of music recycled from other pieces--not that it really matters with Handel, who recycled whole works by other composers into some of his other oratorios. The real reason the piece has never caught on is the plot, in which the heroine lures her enemy into her tent, seduces him (we presume), then nails him to the floor with a tent peg through the brain. OK, so it isn't The Omen, but it's as close as Handel ever got. Fine performance, fun music, disgusting story. That's life. ---David Hurwitz

The year 1732 had ended dismally for Handel. Once the toast of London, master of Italian Opera and in snug with the Crown and the rest of London's music besotted Royalty (cognoscenti and dilettantes both), a reaction against Italian Opera had assumed fever pitch with the production of John Gay's Beggar's Opera and the newly formed "Opera of the Nobility". Handel's well-heeled friends were deserting him and his purse was thin. In desperation, on May 2 of that year, a reworked version of a 1718 Masque entitled Esther was presented without dramatic staging. It was modestly successful, enjoying 6 performances. It enabled Handel to pocket 700 Pounds which he promptly invested in a South Seas venture. Thus was Handellian Oratorio born.

So in 1733, realizing that Italian Opera was probably dead for now yet unwilling to take the hint that Opera in England should be written IN English, Handel took advantage of his small success with Esther and hurriedly composed (assembled is perhaps more accurate) a second Oratorio to a libretto by Samuel Humphreys based on the Book of Judges, chapter 4. The chosen story is gruesome, perhaps reflecting Handel's mood and desire for revenge, if only artistic. The Israelites, 20 years captive, are told by the prophetess Deborah that Sisera, the Canaanite commander, will be killed by a woman. After they go to war, Sisera dutifully flees the battlefield seeking sanctuary in the tent of the beautiful young Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite. She protects him, gives him a bowl of milk, then seduces him. Obviously weary (and full of milk), Sisera falls asleep in her arms. While he sleeps soundly, Jael rises stealthily and nails his head to the ground with a tent peg. General rejoicing and alarums follow with Jael praised by one-and-all for her nobility and wicked mallet hand. That is one zany plot for an Oratorio.

The libretto itself is somewhat sketchy, indicating the haste with which it was written. Handel's music is assembled from several sources, including the Coronation Anthems, the Chandos Anthems, the Birthday Ode for Queen Anne and Dixit Dominus. The scoring of Deborah is expansive. Handel utilizes an eight-part choir and a large orchestra containing strings, oboes, bassoons, flutes, three horns, three trumpets, timpani, harpsichord and two organs. There are also ripieno lines for cellos and bassoons and detailed instructions for the disposition of the keyboard instruments.

This recording, another in Robert King's superlative series of Handel's lesser known Operas and Oratorios, features the same high level of performance. The King's Consort plays beautifully. They are a band with exquisite finesse, easily my favorite Baroque orchestra. The Choir of New College, Oxford and the Choristers of Salisbury Cathedral are perfection. This music is in their bones. The assembled cast, one often associated with Mr. King, make the most of what is a rather thin libretto. Soprano Yvonne Kenny is fine as Deborah. Soprano Susan Gritton is a winning and seductive manslaughter-minded Jael. Catherine Denley, mezzo-soprano, is the lactose intolerant Sisera. Countertenor James Bowman, an old hand to this repetoire, is Barak. He is in particularly fine voice here.

The recording itself is bright, warm and clear. Sonics are broad and deep, with a nice illusion of space. This is a great performance of an historically important work by Handel. If you like your Handel seasoned with finesse and taste, you will enjoy this recording. Strong recommendation and 5 stars for another significant release by Hyperion. --- Mike Birman (Brooklyn, New York USA), amazon.com

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