Samson an oratorio for soloists mixed chorus and orchestra by George Frideric Handel libretto by Newburgh Hamilton after Milton’s Samson Agonistes. Edited by Donald Burrows. This latest addition to the Novello Handel Edition is the first complete modern edition of the composer’s longest oratorio prepared after examination of all known contemporary sources both music and word-books. The publication embodies the complete text known to have been performed at the Covent Garden premiere in 1743 as well as identifying the later shorter versions and additions performed regularly by Handel and an Appendix of allfurther variants created by him and performed during his lifetime. It is thus a comprehensive and flexible edition for between four and eight soloists with an abundance of choral writing and some of Handel’s most sublime writing for voices.Includes an historical preface extensive notes on the performance of the different versions and useful practical notes on the interpretation of Handel.

Original English Text-Vocal Score of George Fiderich Handel's Messiah HWV 56 for Soli Chorus and Orchestra.Edition for Voices and Piano reduction edited by Donald Burrows.

When Queen Caroline the wife of King George II of England died on 20 November 1737 Handel was commissioned to write an anthem for her funeral service. She was buried in King Henry VII?s Chapel Westminster Abbey on the evening of 17 December 1737 with Handel?s work performed after the funeral service.To emphasize the solemnity of the occasion he used a roughly 100-piece Orchestra and 80 Choristers. The piece is a so-called ?full anthem? consisting of an instrumental Introduction (?Symphony?) and thirteen interlinked choruses. The words were written by Edward Willes the Sub-Dean of Westminster at that time using passages from the King James Bible and theBook of Common Prayer albeit sometimes departing from the original wording.The absence of sections for solo voice has made this anthem a favourite among ambitious choruses and a highlight of any concert programme. Our edition contains the original unabridged version with English text. Martin Focke?s Piano reduction follows the Urtext of the Halle Handel Edition.Original unabridged version.Urtext from the Halle Handel Edition.Straightforward easy-to-play Piano reduction.Full score performance material (BA4267) and Vocal score (BA4267-90) based on the Urtext Halle Handel Edition available for sale.

When Queen Caroline the wife of King George II of England died on 20 November 1737 Handel was commissioned to write an anthem for her funeral service. She was buried in King Henry VII?s Chapel Westminster Abbey on the evening of 17 December 1737 with Handel?s work performed after the funeral service.To emphasize the solemnity of the occasion he used a roughly 100-piece Orchestra and 80 Choristers. The piece is a so-called ?full anthem? consisting of an instrumental Introduction (?Symphony?) and thirteen interlinked choruses. The words were written by Edward Willes the Sub-Dean of Westminster at that time using passages from the King James Bible and theBook of Common Prayer albeit sometimes departing from the original wording.The absence of sections for solo voice has made this anthem a favourite among ambitious choruses and a highlight of any concert programme. Our edition contains the original unabridged version with English text. Martin Focke?s Piano reduction follows the Urtext of the Halle Handel Edition.Original unabridged version.Urtext from the Halle Handel Edition.Straightforward easy-to-play Piano reduction.Full score performance material (BA4267) and Vocal score (BA4267-90) based on the Urtext Halle Handel Edition available for sale.