The Long LineThe Long Line

George Frideric Handel

Deborah, HWV.51

HWV 51 Vocal

Deborah (HWV 51) is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel. It was one of Handel's early oratorios in English and was based on a libretto by Samuel Humphreys. It received its premiere performance at the King's Theatre in London on 17 March 1733.

The story of the oratorio takes place in a single day and is based on the Biblical stories found in 4 and 5 Judges. The Israelites have been subjugated for 20 years by the Canaanites, when the prophetess Deborah foretells the death of the Canaanite commander Sisera at the hands of a woman. The Israelite commander Barak leads them into battle against the Canaanites. The Israelites are victorious and a woman, Jael, assassinates Sisera as he sleeps in her tent.

Handel reused music from numerous previous compositions for Deborah. The work, with large choruses and grand orchestral effects, was very successful and was revived by Handel in subsequent years.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Movements

  1. Overture

Act I

  1. Scene I, No. I. Chorus "Immortal Lord of earth and skies"
  2. Scene I, No. II. Recitative "O Barak, favour’d of the skies" (Deborah, Barak)
  3. Scene I, No. III. Duet "Where do thy ardours raise me?" (Barak, Deborah)
  4. Scene I, No. IV. Chorus "Forbear thy doubts! to arms! away!"
  5. Scene I, No. IX. Recitative "Ye sons of Israel, cease your fears" (Deborah)
  6. Scene I, No. V. Recitative "Since Heav’n has thus his will express’d" (Barak)
  7. Scene I, No. VI. Soli & Chorus "For ever to the voice of pray’r"
  8. Scene I, No. VII. Recitative "By that adorable decree" (Deborah)
  9. Scene I, No. VIII. Chorus "O hear thy lowly servants’ pray’r"
  10. Scene I, No. X. Chorus "O blast, with thy tremendous brow"
  11. Scene I, No. XII. Air "How lovely is the blooming fair" (Barak)
  12. Scene II, No. I. Recitative "O Deborah! Where’er I turn" (Jael, Deborah)
  13. Scene II, No. II. Air "Choirs of Angels, all around thee" (Deborah)
  14. Scene II, No. III. Recitative "My transports are too great to tell" (Jael)
  15. Scene II, No. IV. Air "To joy he brightens my despair" (Jael)
  16. Scene III, No. I. Recitative "Barak, my son, the joyful sound" (Abinoam)
  17. Scene III, No. II. Air "Awake the ardour of thy breast" (Abinoam)
  18. Scene III, No. III. Recitative "I go where Heav’n and duty call" (Barak)
  19. Scene III, No. V. Chorus "Let thy deeds be glorious"
  20. Scene III, No. VI. Air "All danger disdaining" (Barak)
  21. Scene IV. Recitative "My charge is to declare" (Herald) / Act I, Scene V, No. I. "Let him approach..." (Deborah, Barak)
  22. Scene V, No. II. Chorus "Despair all around them"
  23. Deborah: Act I, Scene I, No. XI. Recitative "To whomsoe’er his fate the tyrant owes" (Barak)

Act II

  1. No. I. Chorus "See, the proud chief advances now"
  2. No. II. Recitative "That here rebellious arms I see" (Sisera)
  3. No. III. Air "At my feet extended low" (Sisera)
  4. No. IV. Recitative "Go frown, Barbarian" (Deborah)
  5. No. IX. Recitative "Behold the nations all around" (Chief Priest of Baal)
  6. No. V. Air "In Jehovah’s awful sight" (Deborah)
  7. No. VI. Recitative "Yes, how your God in wonders can excel" (Sisera)
  8. No. VII. Air "Whilst you boast the wondrous story" (Sisera)
  9. No. VIII. Air "Impious mortal, cease to brave us" (Barak)
  10. No. X. Chorus "O Baal, monarch of the skies!" (chorus of Baal's priests)
  11. No. XI. Recitative "No. more, ye infidels, No. more!" (Chief Priest of the Israelites)
  12. No. XII. Chorus "Lord of eternity, who hast in store" (chorus of Israelites)
  13. No. XIV. Soli & Chorus "All your boast will end in woe"
  14. No. XIX. Recitative "O Judah, with what joy I see" (Israelite woman)
  15. No. XV. Recitative "Great prophetess, my soul's on fire" (Barak)
  16. No. XVI. Air "In the battle, fame pursuing" (Barak)
  17. No. XVII. Recitative "Thy ardours warm the winter of my age" (Abinoam)
  18. No. XVIII. Air "Swift inundation of desolation" (Abinoam)
  19. No. XX. Air "No. more disconsolate I'll mourn" (Israelite woman)
  20. No. XXI. Recitative "Now, Jael, to thy tent retire" (Deborah)
  21. No. XXII. Air "O the pleasure my soul is possessing" (Jael)
  22. No. XXIII. Recitative "Barak, we now to battle go" (Deborah)
  23. No. XXIV. Duet "Smiling freedom, lovely guest" (Deborah, Barak)
  24. No. XXV. Chorus "The great king of kings will aid us today"
  25. Deborah: Act II, No. XIII. Recitative "By his great name, and his alone" (Deborah, Sisera)

Act III

  1. Scene I, No. I. Chorus "A grand military symphony: Now the proud insulting foe" (chorus of Israelites)
  2. Scene I, No. II. Recitative "The haughty foe whose pride to heav'n did soar" (Israelite woman)
  3. Scene I, No. III. Air "Now sweetly smiling peace descends" (Israelite woman)
  4. Scene II, No. I. Recitative "My pray'rs are heard, the blessings of this day" (Abinoam, Barak)
  5. Scene II, No. II. Air "Tears, such as tender fathers shed" (Abinoam)
  6. Scene III, No. I. Recitative "O Deborah, my fears are o'er" (Jael)
  7. Scene III, No. III. Air "Our fears are now forever fled" (Israelite woman)
  8. Scene III, No. IV. Recitative "I saw the tyrant breathless in her tent" (Barak, Jael)
  9. Scene III, No. IX. Air "Low at her feet he bow'd, he fell" (Barak)
  10. Scene III, No. V. Air "Tyrant, now No. more we dread thee" (Jael)
  11. Scene III, No. VI. Recitative "If, Jael, I a right divine" (Deborah)
  12. Scene III, No. VII. Air "The glorious sun shall cease to shed" (Deborah)
  13. Scene III, No. VIII. Recitative "May heav'n, with kind profusion, shed" (Barak)
  14. Scene III, No. X. Recitative "O great Jehovah! may thy foes" (Deborah)
  15. Scene III, No. XI. Chorus "Let our glad songs to heav'n ascend"
  16. Deborah: Act III, Scene III, No. II. Chorus "Doleful tidings, how ye wound" (chorus of Baal's priests)

Elsewhere

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