Prom 23 - 1.08.17: Handel - Israel in Egypt

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:30 Tuesday 1 August 2017
Royal Albert Hall

George Frideric Handel: Israel in Egypt (original 1739 version)

Anna Devin soprano
Rowan Pierce soprano
Christopher Lowrey counter-tenor
Ashley Riches bass
Jeremy Budd tenor
Dingle Yandell bass-baritone
Callum Thorpe bass
The Choir of the Age of Enlightenment
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
William Christie conductor

Filled with frogs, locusts, hailstones and rivers of blood, Israel in Egypt is one of Handel's most extravagant oratorios and, by placing the chorus in the spotlight, Handel uses the collective voices to tell the story of an entire people.
In this performance of the 1739 version, William Christie conducts the period ensemble the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, joined by the group's own choir, in the launch of a series of Handel oratorios to be performed over the coming seasons at the Proms.

During the interval, Martin Handley and Handel experts Suzanne Aspden and Richard Wigmore introduce Handel's 'Israel in Egypt' in a talk recorded earlier in the evening as a Proms Extra at Imperial College Union.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

A welcome appearance of my favourite Handel oratorio. I'm surprised it isn't more popular, having a strong storyline!

[BBMmk2]

Looking forward to this one! Especially the artists!

[Darkbloom]

I was thinking about going to this but not sure what time to start queuing. I usually judge these things fairly well, but every so often I get there ridiculously early - and hardly anyone shows up until 5ish - or I find they are already halfway to Queens Gate.

I hope they have a decent sized choir for this and it doesn't get lost in the RAH acoustic.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I hope they have a decent sized choir for this and it doesn't get lost in the RAH acoustic.

[Richard Barrett]

I hope they have a decent sized choir for this and it doesn't get lost in the RAH acoustic.

That would require about 20,000 singers I think.

[edashtav]

A welcome appearance of my favourite Handel oratorio. I'm surprised it isn't more popular, having a strong storyline!

I love it, too, unlike you, Alpie, I think it is popular but relatively infrequently performed because its many choruses make severe demands on the rehearsal time of amateur choirs. When the Bournemouth Municipal Choir first performed it, they had to truncate it at the last minute because the chorus hadn't conquered all of its contributions. Such issues do not apply to all professional performances such as this one at the Proms.

[jean]

In the days when oratorios were regularly performed, it was done as much as any of them, except possibly Messiah. Now Messiah is the only one left.

[edashtav]

In the days when oratorios were regularly performed, it was done as much as any of them, except possibly Messiah. Now Messiah is the only one left.

I agree with you first sentence and incline towards your second, Jean.

[BBMmk2]

Perhaps it's time for a revival of the oratorio?

[Richard Barrett]

By the way -

Dingle Yandell bass-baritone

His parents must surely have been having a laugh.

[doversoul1]

It's started!

[Bryn]

Damn it. I missed Part 1 in binaural sound. Forgot it was scheduled. The Concert Sound is very fine though. I will have to compare it with the Cleobury recording later.

[MrGongGong]

Damn it. I missed Part 1 in binaural sound. Forgot it was scheduled. The Concert Sound is very fine though. I will have to compare it with the Cleobury recording later.

I just heard someone say that this was being broadcast in some fancy "concert sound" format which I'm assuming is simply lossless like FLAC and the like?
When did they make that one up?

[Bryn]

I just heard someone say that this was being broadcast in some fancy "concert sound" format which I'm assuming is simply lossless like FLAC and the like?
When did they make that one up?

Back in April when they ran the first FLAC 'Taster'.