Prom 43: Handel’s Solomon (19.08.22)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:00 Friday 19 August 2022
Royal Albert Hall

George Frideric Handel: Solomon


Iestyn Davies - Solomon
Anna Dennis - Solomon’s Queen/First Harlot
Benjamin Hulett - Zadok
Ashley Riches - A Levite
Wallis Giunta - Queen of Sheba/Second Harlot
BBC Singers
The English Concert
Sofi Jeannin - conductor

‘Thy harmony's divine, great king
All, all obey the artist's string.
And now, illustrious prince, receive
Such tribute as my realm can give.’

A musician as monarch: what could be more perfect? Handel’s Solomon (1749) is a celebration of a nation (and a genius) at the height of its confidence, and with its libretto by Moses Mendes, this lavish oratorio is the gloriously tuneful product of a diverse and fast-changing society. Iestyn Davies – arguably Britain’s finest living counter-tenor – lavishes all his eloquence and dramatic power on the title-role, as the period instruments of The English Concert, and the BBC Singers under their Chief Conductor Sofi Jeannin, bring Handel’s vision to majestic life.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Oh dear! This one puts me back into grumpy mode.

A musician as monarch: what could be more perfect? Try telling that to the wives and many subjects of Henry VIII. As for the promiscuity of the featured monarch, he might well have been the inspiration for a certain Prime Minister.

Then there's the BBC singers - again. I thought they were getting better, abandoning their long-term socially distanced singing, but along came Parry's I was Glad, earlier this season, and they had returned to their wobbly old ways.

[bluestateprommer]

Caught out by the 7 PM start time, so missed the first 25 minutes or so (# 7). But what I heard so far sounded very good, granted that I am not at all an aficionado of baroque repertoire and am thus very ill-equipped to talk about Handel & company. The soloists all sounded very good, the English Concert sounds terrific as always, the chorus sounds fine to me, and Sofi J. is guiding the proceedings very well, IMVHO. Fine interval discussion now between Suzanne Aspden and Hannah French.

[Andrew]

This has been the best one so far! Possibly because I know the piece and it's oft played, both on Radio 3 and on my CD player! The diction was, for once, clear and sharp, without being strident or brittle. Yes, I really enjoyed this one! I hadn't been completely clear about the biblical references before and was grateful for the explanation.