SKU: CA.5507549

ISBN 9790007171315. Text language: German/English.

For the magnificent opening of the oratorio season at the beginning of 1736 Handel presented a composition which, like hardly any of his other oratorios, gave him the opportunity to display his musical artistry: John Dryden's ode Alexander's Feast or the Power of Music, published in 1696, demonstrates the power of music by the example of the ancient hero, Alexander the Great. From the impressive lament on the death of Darius, the King of Persia, to the boisterous Praise of Bacchus Handel avails himself of the entire breadth of the musical representation of the emotions and the possibilities for expression. In the text by Newburg Hamilton added at the end of work St. Cecilia elevates the events of the ancient heathen story, which Handel expressed in plastic, skillful polyphony. Later, this homage to the patron saint of church music, Handel also present the opportunity to perform the work on St. Cecilia's Day (22 November). For the first time the present new edition is based consistently on Handel's conducting score, which he used for his own performances of the oratorio, thus not only eliminating timeworn errors, but also offering clarity concerning the choruses, the arias and recitatives, actually performed in Handel's concerts, as well as their sequence of performance. The new Carus edition offers two performance versions: the version of the premiere in 1736, as well as a revised version from 1751. Furthermore, the inclusion of the Concerto for Harp HWV 294 (CV 55.294) is also possible; Handel composed this work especially for Alexander's Feast (as an illustration of Timotheus, the ancient poet who played the lyre). For this purpose the edition contains the appropriate alternatives for the sequence of the movements. Score and part available separately - see item CA.5507500.

SKU: BA.BA04025-01

ISBN 9790006443222. 33 x 26 cm inches. Text Language: English.

Handel�??s �??Semele�?�, which premiered in February 1744, is based on an adapted version of William Congreve�??s opera libretto titled �??The Story of Semele�?�, originally published in 1706. However, neither Handel nor his librettist referred to �??Semele�?� as an opera or an oratorio, which, according to the understanding at the time, would have required a biblical and/or Christian subject matter. Contemporary audiences also disagreed on the genre. The problematic classification as an oratorio has persisted into the present day, likely due to the edition labeled as such by Chrysander. The �??Halle Handel Edition�?� (HHA) distances itself from this classification and, considering the available sources, refrains from assigning a genre label.

Congreve deviates from the mythological source multiple times in order to create tensions among the characters. The desired marriage between Semele and Athamas, whom she does not love, is an addition by Congreve to provoke the envy of her sister Ino, who desires Athamas herself. Therefore, Ino sees her own advantage in Semele�??s abduction by Jupiter. While Jupiter�??s wife Juno decides to destroy Semele out of jealousy for his relationship with her, Jupiter brings Ino to his palace to console Semele. The vengeful Juno takes advantage of Ino�??s presence and transforms into her likeness, persuading Semele to carry out a plan that later proves fatal. In the end, Ino emerges as the winner, as she is able to convince their father, Cadmus, to marry her to Athamas. The appearance of Apollo in the final scene to announce that Semele�??s immortal son Bacchus was saved from her ashes provides little consolation. However, this twist allows the drama to conclude with exuberant joy and a magnificent final chorus after the tragic scenes in the third act, culminating in the death of the protagonist.

Handel�??s autograph score shows significant deviations from and numerous revisions of the original version premiered. All surviving early versions, the musical movements deleted before the premiere, and the version of the December 1744, are given in the appendix to the HHA.

SKU: CA.3550213

ISBN 9790007213442. Language: German.

Third version, first performed around 1747 in Leipzig. First version available under 35.304/00. The St. Mark Passion, which probably originated in the first decade of the 18th century, by a composer known until now only as Kaiser, is only preserved in various copies. It occupies a prominent place in Bach's music library as the only music for Passion by another composer which he performed several times, usually in different forms. For the young Bach in Weimar this St. Mark Passion was a didactic piece for learning the art of the modern narrative recitative; as the Leipzig Thomaskantor he also performed it (1726). The present edition reconstructs the third version, first performed in Leipzig (1747), in which Bach inserted seven arias from Handel's famous Brockes-Passion. Only in this pasticcio did a direct encounter occur between him and his famous compatriot in London, a real encounter which Bach longed for, but which never came about. Score and part available separately - see item CA.3550200.