Disc: 1
1. Sinfonia - English Chamber Orchestra
2. This Day, A Solemn Feast - Robert Tear
3. Awake The Trumpet's Lofty Sound - London Voices
4. Ye Men Of Gaza - Janet Baker
5. Awake The Trumpet's Lofty Sound - London Voices
6. Loud As The Thunder's Awful Voice - Robert Tear
7. Then Free From Sorrow - Janet Baker
8. Awake The Trumpet's Lofty Sound - London Voices
9. Why By An Angel - Robert Tear
10. Torments, Alas! Are Not Confin'd - Robert Tear
11. Oh Change Beyond Report - Helen Watts
12. Oh Mirror Of Our Fickle State - Helen Watts
13. Whom Have I To Complain Of/Matchless In Might!/Welcome My Friends/Which Shall We First Bewail/Oh Loss Of Sight! - Robert Tear
14. Total Eclipse - Robert Tear
15. Since Light So Necessary - Helen Watts
16. Oh First Created Beam - London Voices
17. Ye See, My Friends/The Wisest Men Have Err'd/Oh That I Had - Robert Tear
18. Brethren And Men Of Dan/Oh Miserable Change - John Shirley-Quirk
19. God Of Our Fathers - Alexander Oliver
20. The Good We Wish For - John Shirley-Quirk
21. Thy Glorious Deeds Inspir'd - John Shirley-Quirk
22. Justly These Evils Have Befall'n/Worse Yet Remains/This Have I Done - John Shirley-Quirk
23. My Griefs For This - Robert Tear
24. Why Does The God Of Israel Sleep - Robert Tear
25. There Lies Our Hope - Helen Watts
26. Then Shall They Know - London Voices
Disc: 2
1. For Thee My Dearest Son/It Should Be So - To Expiate My Crime/Be For Thy Fate Contrite/Why Should I Live - John Shirley-Quirk
2. Then Long Eternity Shall Greet Your Bliss - Helen Watts
3. Joys That Are Pure - Helen Watts
4. Then Round About The Starry Throne - London Voices
5. Despair Not Thus!/Where'er The Liquid Brook Or Fountian Flow'd - John Shirley-Quirk
6. Just Are The Way Of God To Man/Trust Yet In God - John Shirley-Quirk
7. My Evils Hopeless Are/Relieve Thy Champion - Robert Tear
8. Return, Oh God Of Hosts - Helen Watts
9. To Dust His Glory They Would Tread - London Voices
10. But Who Is This/My Wife? My Traitress!/She Stands, And Eyes Thee Fix'd/With Doubtful Feet/Out Thou Hyaena!/I Would Not Lessen My Offense/How Cunningly The Sorceress Displays - Robert Tear
11. With Plaintive Notes - Janet Baker
12. Did Love Constrain Thee - Robert Tear
13. Your Charms To Ruin Led The Way - Robert Tear
14. Forgive What's Done - Janet Baker
15. My Faith And Truth/Her Faith And Truth - Janet Baker
16. Her Faith And Truth - London Voices
17. To Fleeting Pleasures Make Your Court - Janet Baker
18. Her Faith And Truth - London Voices
19. How Charming Is Domestic Ease - Janet Baker
20. Her Faith And Truth - London Voices
21. Ne'er Think Of That/Let Me Approach/Not For Thy Life/Thou Art More Deaf To Pray'rs Than Winds Or Seas - Robert Tear
22. Traitor To Love! I'll Sue No More/Traitress To Love! I'll Hear No More - Robert Tear
23. She's Gone! A Serpent Manifest/It Is Not Virtue - Helen Watts
24. Favour'd Of Heaven Is He - Robert Tear
25. To Man God's Universal Law - London Voices
26. No Words Of Peace/I Come Not, Samson/The Way To Know/Ha! Dost Thou Then Already Single Me/Boast Not Of What Thou Would'st Of Have Done/The Honour Certain To Have Won From Thee - Robert Tear
27. Honour And Arms Scorn Such A Foe - Benjamin Luxon
Disc: 3
1. Put On Your Arms/My Strength Is From The Living God - Robert Tear
2. With Thee!/Cam'st Thou For This - Robert Tear
3. Go, Baffled Coward, Go/Presume Not On Thy God - Robert Tear
4. Here Lies The Proof - Helen Watts
5. Hear, Jacob's God - London Voices
6. Dagon, Arise - Benjamin Luxon
7. To Song And Dance We Give The Day - Philip Langridge
8. To Song And Dance - London Voices
9. Fix'd In His Everlasting Seat - London Voices
10. More Trouble Is Behind/I Fear Him Not/Samson, To Thee Our Lords/I Am An Hebrew/This Answer Will Offend/Myself!/My Message, Given With Speed - Robert Tear
11. Presuming Slave - Benjamin Luxon
12. Reflect Then, Samson/Shall I Abuse - Robert Tear
13. With Thunder Arm'd - London Voices
14. Be Of Good Courage - Robert Tear
15. Thus When The Sun From's Wat'ry Bed - Robert Tear
16. With Might Endued - Helen Watts
17. The Holy One Of Israel Be Thy Guide/To Fame Immortal Go - London Voices
18. Old Manoa, With Youthful Steps/I Come, My Brethren - John Shirley-Quirk
19. Great Dagon Has Subdued Our Foe - London Voices
20. What Noise Of Joy Was That - John Shirley-Quirk
21. How Willing My Paternal Love - John Shirley-Quirk
22. Your Hopes Of His Deliv'ry/I Know Your Friendly Mind, And Heav'n! What Noise!/Hear Us, Our God - John Shirley-Quirk
23. Noise Call You This/Ruin Indeed/Thy Son Is Rather Slaying Them/Where Shall I Run/The Accident Was Loud/Let Me Recover Breath/Suspense In News Is Torture/Unwounded Of His Enemies He Fell - John Shirley-Quirk
24. Ye Sons Of Israel, Now Lament/Weep, Israel Weep - London Voices
25. Proceed We Hence - John Shirley-Quirk
26. Dead March - English Chamber Orchestra
27. The Body Comes - Helen Watts
28. Glorious Hero - London Voices
29. Come, Come! No Time Lamentation - John Shirley-Quirk
30. Let The Bright Seraphim - Felicity Lott
31. Let Their Celestial Concerts All Unite - London Voices
This is a great example of the "old school" of English oratorio performance. Actually, it's not that "old" because although it uses modern instruments, Raymond Leppard is as fully informed about Baroque performance practice as any period instrument guy. Beyond that, he has a stunning line-up of soloists, lead by Dame Janet Baker, who sing their roles with appropriately operatic fervor. At mid-price, this is one of the most important Handel recordings in the catalog. -- David Hurwitz
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