Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 1. Overture. Maestoso - Allegro ma non troppo - Andante
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 2. Recitative. 'Twas at the royal feast, for Persia won
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 3. Air and Chorus. Allegro ma non troppo. Happy, happy happy pair
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 4. Recitative. Timotheus, plac'd on high
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 5. Recitative. The song began from Jove
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 6. Chorus. Andante. The list'ning crowd
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 7. Air. Allegro ma non presto - With ravish'd ears
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 8. Recitative. The paraise of Bacchus then the sweet musician sung
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 9. Air and Chorus. Andante. Bacchus, ever fair and young
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 10. Recitative. Sooth'd with the sound, the king grew vain
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 11. Recitative. Adagio e piano. He chose a mournful Muse
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 12. Air. Largo e piano. He sung Darius, great and good
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 13. Recitative. With downcast looks the joyless victor sate
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. Chorus. Larghetto. Behold Darius great and good
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 15. Recitative. The mighty master smil'd to see
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 16. Air. Largo. Softly sweet in Lydian measures
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 17. Air. Andante allegro. War, he sung, is toil and trouble
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. 18. Chorus. Andante. The many rend the skies with loud applause
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part One. Air. Allegro moderato. The Prince, unable to conceal his pain / Choru
Track Listings (8) - Disc #2
Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal Source of Light Divine), HWV 74: 1. Largo. Eternal source of light divine!
Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal Source of Light Divine), HWV 74: 2. Andante. Let all the winged race with joy
Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal Source of Light Divine), HWV 74: 3. Andante. Let flocks and herds their fear forget / The
Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal Source of Light Divine), HWV 74: 4. Let rolling streams their gladness show
Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal Source of Light Divine), HWV 74: 5. Andante. Kind health descends on downy wings
Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal Source of Light Divine), HWV 74: 6. Allegro. Let envy then conceal her head / The day
Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal Source of Light Divine), HWV 74: 7. Allegro. United nations shall combine
Alexander's Feast, ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 75: Part Two. Chorus. Andante - Allegro. Let old Timotheus yield the prize
Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music, was--on her name day, November 22--celebrated by the London Musical Society with a newly commissioned Ode. Handel was the composer chosen in 1736, and he reset Alexander's Feast, a... more » text written by Dryden for the 1697 festivities. This is Handel somewhat unbuttoned--the rigor of his religious oratorios gives way to a succession of pleasing arias, often immediately repeated by the chorus, all in the eventual triumph of music over Alexander's more warlike instincts. Delicious nonsense. Alfred Deller's fluent performance is notable for exquisite singing by the soloists. Happily, his one rather squeaky contribution as vocalist in the final movement is very short. The Birthday Ode that concludes the second disc provides much work for the Dellers, father and son, but is less distinctive music. Excellently remastered sound, from 1963 recordings. --Paul Turok« less
Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music, was--on her name day, November 22--celebrated by the London Musical Society with a newly commissioned Ode. Handel was the composer chosen in 1736, and he reset Alexander's Feast, a text written by Dryden for the 1697 festivities. This is Handel somewhat unbuttoned--the rigor of his religious oratorios gives way to a succession of pleasing arias, often immediately repeated by the chorus, all in the eventual triumph of music over Alexander's more warlike instincts. Delicious nonsense. Alfred Deller's fluent performance is notable for exquisite singing by the soloists. Happily, his one rather squeaky contribution as vocalist in the final movement is very short. The Birthday Ode that concludes the second disc provides much work for the Dellers, father and son, but is less distinctive music. Excellently remastered sound, from 1963 recordings. --Paul Turok
CD Reviews
THE definitive performance
SocJan | Champaign, IL | 06/11/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I was ravished by this music when I first heard this recording in 1966; recently I purchased the CD, which is an excellent dub. No other recording -- and I own three others -- comes close to the excitement and musicianship of this one. Search Google; you will find a small group in England who keep this disc in print and sell it for a very modest sum."