SKU: BA.BA04025-01

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

Handelâ??s â??Semeleâ?, which premiered in February 1744, is based on an adapted version of William Congreveâ??s opera libretto titled â??The Story of Semeleâ?, originally published in 1706. However, neither Handel nor his librettist referred to â??Semeleâ? 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 â??Halle Handel Editionâ? (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 Semeleâ??s abduction by Jupiter. While Jupiterâ??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 Inoâ??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 Semeleâ??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.

Handelâ??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.3118212

ISBN 9790007050290. Key: A major. Language: German/English. Text: Franck, Salomo. Text: Salomo Franck.

Version in A major (version in G major: Carus 31.182/50) The cantata Himmelskonig, sei willkommen BWV 182 holds a special place in Johann Sebastian Bach's biography. He had been employed as organist and chamber musician at the court of Weimar since 1708; on 2 March 1714, he was appointed concert master of the court, and his inauguration music for this occasion was Himmelskonig, sei willkommen. The cantata was first performed on Palm Sunday of that year, 25 March 1714. Bach performed this cantata several times - always revising and amending it - both in Weimar and in Leipzig. Of the altogether four versions, the first Leipzig version has been selected for the present new edition. Unlike the Weimar versions, it can be realized effectively using modern performance means. In his debut composition of 1714, the newly appointed concert master demonstrated his abilities: the eight movements contain a multitude of beautiful and rewarding challenges for choir and vocal soloists alike, and in addition there is the unusual attraction of a virtuoso solo part for the recorder. Score and part available separately - see item CA.3118200.

SKU: CA.4068709

ISBN 9790007311322. Key: C minor. Latin.

A mass setting by Robert Schumann? This is still likely to cause surprise among audiences – after all, Schumann is not generally viewed as a sacred composer. Indeed, his little-known late work, the Missa sacra, Op. 147, is a discovery not just for listeners but often for the performers themselves. The mass combines an acute fascination with sacred liturgy typical of Schumann’s time with the pragmatism of its intended use by a local choral society. The composer employs his considerable skills to create a captivating and varied score that is almost ethereal in the Kyrie, leading to passages of an intimate and lyrical piano that alternate with fortissimo for words of praise, while always displaying the utmost sensitivity and a delight in dissonance. The composer declared his setting to be “fashioned with great love”.
The demanding orchestral mass can be realized with limited means. The solo parts can be filled from the choir. The work, which the composer himself did not have published, is here reissued on the basis of Schumann’s partial autograph score.
Carus has also produced an arrangement of the work for choir and organ, enabling performances without orchestra in smaller venues (Carus 40.687/45).

. Score and parts available separately - see item CA.4068700.

SKU: CA.4068706

ISBN 9790007239725. Key: C minor. Latin.

A mass setting by Robert Schumann? This is still likely to cause surprise among audiences – after all, Schumann is not generally viewed as a sacred composer. Indeed, his little-known late work, the Missa sacra, Op. 147, is a discovery not just for listeners but often for the performers themselves. The mass combines an acute fascination with sacred liturgy typical of Schumann’s time with the pragmatism of its intended use by a local choral society. The composer employs his considerable skills to create a captivating and varied score that is almost ethereal in the Kyrie, leading to passages of an intimate and lyrical piano that alternate with fortissimo for words of praise, while always displaying the utmost sensitivity and a delight in dissonance. The composer declared his setting to be “fashioned with great love”.
The demanding orchestral mass can be realized with limited means. The solo parts can be filled from the choir. The work, which the composer himself did not have published, is here reissued on the basis of Schumann’s partial autograph score.
Carus has also produced an arrangement of the work for choir and organ, enabling performances without orchestra in smaller venues (Carus 40.687/45).

. Score available separately - see item CA.4068700.

SKU: CA.3116803

ISBN 9790007166724. Language: German/English. Text: Franck, Salomo. Text by Salomo Franck.

The text of Bach's cantata Tue Rechnung! Donnerwort was published in 1715, that is during Bach's Weimar period, in the Evangelisches Andachts-Opffer by Salomon Frank. This concisely-written but powerful work was, however, only composed ten years later in Leipzig, and was heard for the first time on 29 July 1725, the 9th Sunday after Trinity. Its main dramatic-musical emphasis lies clearly in the first movement, a dark, almost operatic movement for baritone and string orchestra in B minor. By contrast, the ensuing aria for tenor with obbligato oboe accompaniment is distinctly more intimate, and the duet between soprano and alto - just accompanied by continuo - is more restrained in its musical language and expression than the first movement. In between there are two extended recitatives, the first of which leads into an arioso. The breadth of expression within the cantata is striking, its opening movement a masterpiece of Bach's dramatic writing. Score available separately - see item CA.3116800.

SKU: CA.3116807

ISBN 9790007242220. Language: German/English. Text: Franck, Salomo.

The text of Bach's cantata Tue Rechnung! Donnerwort was published in 1715, that is during Bach's Weimar period, in the Evangelisches Andachts-Opffer by Salomon Frank. This concisely-written but powerful work was, however, only composed ten years later in Leipzig, and was heard for the first time on 29 July 1725, the 9th Sunday after Trinity. Its main dramatic-musical emphasis lies clearly in the first movement, a dark, almost operatic movement for baritone and string orchestra in B minor. By contrast, the ensuing aria for tenor with obbligato oboe accompaniment is distinctly more intimate, and the duet between soprano and alto - just accompanied by continuo - is more restrained in its musical language and expression than the first movement. In between there are two extended recitatives, the first of which leads into an arioso. The breadth of expression within the cantata is striking, its opening movement a masterpiece of Bach's dramatic writing. Score available separately - see item CA.3116800.

SKU: CA.2300509

ISBN 9790007246877. Key: C major. German. Text: von Matthisson, Friedrich.

Today best known for his comic operas such as Zar und Zimmermann and Der Waffenschmied, Albert Lortzing was also a composer of sacred music. In 1822, inspired by the performances of great choral symphonic works at the Lower Rhine Music Festival, Lortzing, then aged only 21 years old, ventured to set a sacred anthem to music: In his Dich preist, Allmächtiger (Praise to you, Almighty) for four-part choir, soloists and orchestra, his love of opera shines through with memorable melodies, striking instrumentation and an expressive and diverse musical design that conjure up diverse scenes for the listener. The palette ranges from powerful wind passages praising God’s omnipotence to 'classical' fugati and intimate solo and ensemble passages with transparent accompaniment.

The Urtext edition – in fact the first printed version of the work – is based on autograph sources. Drawing on the preparatory work and practical experience of church musician and conductor Wolfgang Helbich, this edition was completed by his son, the musicologist Martin Helbich. Vocal score and performance materials are also available.

SKU: CA.4068700

ISBN 9790007239701. Key: C minor. Latin.

A mass setting by Robert Schumann? This is still likely to cause surprise among audiences â?? after all, Schumann is not generally viewed as a sacred composer. Indeed, his little-known late work, the Missa sacra, Op. 147, is a discovery not just for listeners but often for the performers themselves. The mass combines an acute fascination with sacred liturgy typical of Schumannâ??s time with the pragmatism of its intended use by a local choral society. The composer employs his considerable skills to create a captivating and varied score that is almost ethereal in the Kyrie, leading to passages of an intimate and lyrical piano that alternate with fortissimo for words of praise, while always displaying the utmost sensitivity and a delight in dissonance. The composer declared his setting to be â??fashioned with great loveâ?. The demanding orchestral mass can be realized with limited means. The solo parts can be filled from the choir. The work, which the composer himself did not have published, is here reissued on the basis of Schumannâ??s partial autograph score. Carus has also produced an arrangement of the work for choir and organ, enabling performances without orchestra in smaller venues (Carus 40.687/45).

SKU: CA.4066050

ISBN 9790007294533. Key: E flat major. Latin.

Schubertâ??s Mass in E-flat major is the last of his six settings of the Ordinarium Missae (Mass ordinary) and also his most important work in this genre. The mass is full of color and drama, infused with the spirit of confession. For many choirs, it is on the wish list of those works they would like to sing someday. But what happens if you donâ??t have enough singers, money is tight, and your venue is on the small side? Here the experienced arranger and orchestral musician Joachim Linckelmann has a great solution. His version for soloists, choir and chamber orchestra requires only 7 winds rather than the original 13. The string parts, while identical to the original, can now also be scaled back. The vocal parts (soloists and chorus) are completely untouched by the arrangement, so that the vocal scores and choral scores of the Carus Urtext edition can also be used for performanceâ?¢,A large-scale work now arranged for smaller choirs â?¢,13 winds of the original version reduced to 7 instrumentsâ?¢,Vocal scores and choral scores of the original version can still be usedâ?¢,carus plus: The work (original version) is available in the app carus music, the Choir Coach, as well as in our Carus Choir Coach series (audio only).. Score available separately - see item CA.4066000.

SKU: CA.5126213

ISBN 9790007224691. Key: C major. Language: Latin.

Leopold Mozart described KV 262, unlike Mozart's considerably shorter masses of the same period, as a Missa longa. The prolixity of some of the movements and of concluding fugues in the Gloria and Credo is indeed surprising. The full orchestral scoring also emphasizes the ceremonial character of this Mass. Score and part available separately - see item CA.5126200.