John Butt, Dunedin Consort – Handel – Samson (24/192 FLAC)

Composer: George Frideric Handel
Performer: The Dunedin Consort
Conductor: John Butt
Number of Discs: 3
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Linn
Release: 2019
Size: 7.21 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Samson
Symphony
01. I. Andante
02. II. Allegro
03. III. Menuet

Act 1 Scene 1
04. IV. This Day, a Solemn Feast (Recitative)
05. V. Awake the Trumpet’s Lofty Sound! (Chorus)
06. VI. Ye Men of Gaza (Air)
07. VII. Awake the Trumpet’s Lofty Sound! (Chorus)
08. VIII. Loud As the Thunder’s Awful Voice (Air)
09. IX. Then Free from Sorrow (Air)
10. X. Awake the Trumpet’s Lofty Sound! (Chorus)
11. XI. Why by an Angel (Recitative)
12. XII. Torments, Alas, Are Not Confin’d (Air)

Act 1 Scene 2
13. XIII. Oh, Change Beyond Report (Recitative)
14. XIV. O Mirror of Our Fickle State! (Air)
15. XV. Whom Have I to Complain of but Myself (Recitative)
16. XVI. Total Eclipse! (Air)
17. XVII. Since Light so Necessary Is to Life (Accompagnato)
18. XVIII. O First Created Beam (Chorus)
19. XIX. Ye See, My Friends (Recitative)

Act 1 Scene 3
20. XX. Brethren and Men of Dan (Recitative)
21. XXI. Oh, Miserable Change! (Accompagnato)
22. XXII. Oh, Ever Failing Trust (Recitative)
23. XXIII. God of Our Fathers (Air)
24. XXIV. The Good We Wish for (Accompagnato)
25. XXV. Thy Glorious Deeds Inspir’d My Tongue (Air)
26. XXVI. Justly These Evils (Recitative)
27. XXVII. My Griefs for This (Accompagnato)
28. XXVIII. Why Does the God of Israel Sleep? (Air)
29. XXIX. There Lies Our Hope! (Recitative)
30. XXX. Then Shall They Know (Chorus)
31. XXXI. For Thee, My Dearest Son (Recitative)
32. XXXII. My Genial Spirits Droop (Accompagnato)
33. XXXIII. Then Long Eternity Shall Greet Your Bliss (Arioso)
34. XXXIV. Joys That Are Pure (Air)
35. XXXV. Then Round About the Starry Throne (Chorus)

Act 2 Scene 1
36. I. Despair Not Thus! (Recitative)
37. II. Just Are the Ways of God to Man (Air)
38. III. My Evils Hopeless Are! (Recitative)
39. IV. Return, O God of Hosts! (Air and Chorus)

Act 2 Scene 2
40. V. But Who Is This (Recitative)
41. VI. With Plaintive Notes (Air)
42. VII. Alas! Th’Event Was Worse (Recitative)
43. VIII. Your Charms to Ruin Led the Way (Air)
44. IX. Forgive What’s Done (Recitative)
45. X. My Faith and Truth (Duet)
46. XI. Her Faith and Truth (Chorus)
47. XII. To Fleeting Pleasures Make Your Court (Air)
48. XIII. Her Faith and Truth (Chorus)
49. XIV. Ne’er Think of That! (Recitative)
50. XV. Traitor to Love (Duet)

Act 2 Scene 3
51. XVI. She’s Gone! (Recitative)
52. XVII. It Is Not Virtue (Air)
53. XVIII. Favour’d of Heav’n Is He (Recitative)
54. XIX. To Man God’s Universal Law (Chorus)

Act 2 Scene 4
55. XX. No Words of Peace (Recitative)
56. XXI. Honour and Arms Scorn Such a Foe (Air)
57. XXII. Put on Your Arms (Recitative)
58. XXIII. My Strength Is from the Living God (Air)
59. XXIV. With Thee, a Man Condemn’d (Recitative)
60. XXV. Go, Baffled Coward, Go (Duet)
61. XXVI. Here Lie the Proof (Recitative)
62. XXVII. Hear, Jacob’s God (Chorus)
63. XXVIII. Dagon, Arise (Recitative)
64. XXIX. To Song and Dance We Give the Day (Air)
65. XXX. To Song and Dance We Give the Day (Chorus)
66. XXXI. Fix’d in His Everlasting Seat (Chorus and Soli)

Act 3 Scene 1
67. I. More Trouble Is Behind (Recitative)
68. II. Presuming Slave, to Move Their Wrath! (Air)
69. III. Reflect Then, Samson (Recitative)
70. IV. With Thunder Arm’d, Great God, Arise! (Chorus)
71. V. Be of Good Courage (Recitative)
72. VI. Then Shall I Make Jehovah’s Glory Known! (Accompagnato)
73. VII. Thus When the Sun from’s Wat’ry Bed (Air)
74. VIII. With Might Endued Above the Sons of Men (Accompagnato)
75. IX. The Holy One of Israel (Air and Chorus)

Act 3 Scene 2
76. X. Old Manoa, with Youthful Steps (Recitative)
77. XI. Great Dagon Has Subdu’d Our Foe (Air and Chorus)
78. XII. What Noise of Joy Was That? (Recitative)
79. XIII. How Willing My Paternal Love (Air)
80. XIV. Your Hopes of His Deliv’ry (Recitative)
81. XV. Symphony: Presto
82. XVI. Heav’n! What Noise! (Recitative)
83. XVII. Hear Us, Our God! (Chorus)
84. XVIII. Noise Call You This? (Recitative)

Act 3 Scene 3
85. XIX. Where Shall I Run (Recitative)
86. XX. Ye Sons of Israel, Now Lament (Air and Chorus)
87. XXI. Proceed We Hence to Find His Body (Recitative)
88. XXII. Glorious Hero (Soli and Chorus)
89. XXIII. Come, Come! (Recitative)
90. XXIV. Let the Bright Seraphim (Air)
91. XXV. Let Their Celestial Concerts All Unite (Chorus)

The Dunedin Consort
Joshua Ellicott,
Sophie Bevan,
Fflur Wyn,
Mary Bevan,
Jess Dandy,
Hugo Hymas,
Matthew Brook,
Vitali Rozynko

John Butt

Dunedin Consort continues to apply its pioneering approach to recordings by releasing two alternative performing versions of one of Handel’s greatest dramatic works, Samson. This is the Full Chorus Version.

This version employs an authentic Handelian chorus, comprising both boy trebles from the Tiffin Boys’ Choir and solo sopranos – a sonority largely unheard in the modern age.

This powerful oratorio – an opera in all but name – features Joshua Ellicott in the title role with soloists Sophie Bevan, Matthew Brook, Mary Bevan, Hugo Hymas, Jess Dandy, Vitali Rozynko and Fflur Wyn. Matching the revelatory historical practice begun in its award-winning recording of Messiah (Dublin Version, 1742), the soloists lead their sections to unite the solo and choral forces, creating a highly effective and cohesive sound. With rich orchestration and highlights such as ‘Let the bright seraphim’ and ‘Total eclipse’, Samson is Dunedin Consort’s most ambitious undertaking to date.