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Special offer. Handel: Semele

Elisabeth Scholl (Semele), Julla Schmidt (Iris), Ralf Popken (Athamas), Britta Schwarz (Ino), Annette Markert (Juno), Knut Schoch (Apollo), Klaus Mertens (Cadmus/Somnus/Priest)

Junge Kantorei & Frankfurt Baroque Orchestra, Joachim Carlos Martini

Handel: Semele
There are many pleasures to be had...given a generally enjoyable performance, stylishly accompanied by the excellent Frankfurt Baroque Orchestra...Elisabeth Scholl's dashing coloratura in the...

Penguin Guide, 20103 out of 4 stars

More reviews

Special offer. Handel: Semele

Elisabeth Scholl (Semele), Julla Schmidt (Iris), Ralf Popken (Athamas), Britta Schwarz (Ino), Annette Markert (Juno), Knut Schoch (Apollo), Klaus Mertens (Cadmus/Somnus/Priest)

Junge Kantorei & Frankfurt Baroque Orchestra, Joachim Carlos Martini

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3 CDs

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There are many pleasures to be had...given a generally enjoyable performance, stylishly accompanied by the excellent Frankfurt Baroque Orchestra...Elisabeth Scholl's dashing coloratura in the...

Penguin Guide, 20103 out of 4 stars

More reviews

About

Handel’s oratorio Semele was composed in 1743 and tells of a beautiful mortal (Semele), whose short but spectacular love affair with Jupiter, King of the Gods, comes to a terrifying end in consequence of both her own vanity and the scheming of Jupiter’s insanely jealous wife Juno. Written at the peak of Handel’s powers, it is crammed with his most sparkling and dramatic music: spectacular orchestral numbers and powerful choruses combine with heart-stopping arias, including the popular Where’er you walk and the coloratura showpiece Myself I shall adore.

Contents and tracklist

Handel: Semele, HWV 58, Act I
Work length1:00:01
Overture
Track length5:08
Gavotte
Track length2:23
Accompagnato. Behold! Auspicious flashes rise (Chief Priest)
Track length1:26
Lucky omens bless our rites (Chorus of Priests and Augurs)
Track length3:37
Recitative and Arioso. Daughter, obey, Hear and obey! (Cadmus, Athamas)
Track length1:03
Accompagnato and Aria. Ah me! What refuge now Is left me? (Semele)
Track length2:53
Aria. The morning lark to mine accords his note (Semele)
Track length6:27
Aria. See, she blushing turns her eyes (Ino)
Track length3:55
Recitative. Alas! She yields, and has undone me! (Ino, Athamas, Semele)
Track length0:58
Quartet: Why dost thou thus untimely grieve (Cadmus, Ino, Athamas, Semele)
Track length2:17
Avert these omens, all ye pow'rs! (Chorus of Priests and Augurs)
Track length2:15
Accompagnato. Again auspicious flashes rise (Cadmus)
Track length0:47
Recitative. Thy aid, pronubial Juno, Athamas implores! (Athamas, Semele)
Track length0:18
Cease, cease your vows, 'tis impious to proceed (Chorus of Priests and Augurs)
Track length0:39
Recitative. O Athamas, what torture hast thou borne! (Athamas)
Track length0:30
Aria. Turn, hopeless lover, turn thy eye (Ino)
Track length8:41
Recitative. She weeps! (Athamas)
Track length0:27
Aria. Your tuneful voice my tale would tell (Athamas)
Track length3:52
Recitative. Too well I see, Thou wilt not understand me (Ino, Athamas)
Track length0:56
Duet. You've undone me (Ino, Athamas)
Track length2:21
Recitative and Accompagnato. Ah, wretched prince, doom'd to disastrous love! (Cadmus, Athamas, Ino)
Track length2:31
Hail, Cadmus, hail! Jove salutes the Theban King (Chorus of Priests and Augurs)
Track length1:57
Aria. Endless pleasure, endless love (Semele)
Track length2:54
Endless pleasure, endless love (Chorus of Love and Zephyrs)
Track length1:46
Handel: Semele, HWV 58, Act II
Work length51:26
Symphony
Track length1:46
Recitative. Iris, impatient of thy stay (Juno, Iris)
Track length1:04
Aria. There, from mortal cares retiring (Iris)
Track length2:59
Recitative and Accompagnato. No more, I'll hear no more! (Juno, Iris)
Track length2:25
Aria. Hence, Iris, hence away! (Juno)
Track length3:52
Aria. Come, Zephyrs, come (Cupid)
Track length6:02
Aria. O sleep, why dost thou leave me? (Semele)
Track length2:47
Recitative. Let me not another moment bear the pangs of absence (Semele)
Track length0:22
Aria. Lay your doubts and fears aside (Jupiter)
Track length3:06
Recitative. You Are mortal and require time to rest (Jupiter)
Track length0:33
Aria. With fond desiring (Semele)
Track length3:33
How engaging, how endearing (Chorus of Loves and Zephyrs)
Track length2:45
Recitative. Ah me! (Semele, Jupiter)
Track length1:35
Aria. I must with speed amuse her (Jupiter)
Track length4:03
Now Love, That everlasting boy (Chorus of Loves and Zephyrs)
Track length2:32
Recitative. By my command now (Jupiter, Semele)
Track length1:32
Aria. Where'er you walk (Jupiter)
Track length3:28
Recitative. Dear sister, how was your passage hither? (Semele, Ino)
Track length0:47
Aria. But hark! (Ino)
Track length1:30
Accompagnato and Arioso. Prepare then, ye immortal choir (Ino, Semele)
Track length2:06
Bless the glad earth with heav'nly lays (Chorus of Nymphs and Swains)
Track length2:39
Handel: Semele, HWV 58, Act III
Work length1:09:12
Symphony
Track length1:51
Accompagnato. Somnus, awake! (Juno, Iris)
Track length0:31
Aria. Leave me, loathsome light! (Somnus)
Track length3:07
Recitative. Dull God, canst thou attend the water's fall (Iris, Juno)
Track length0:34
Aria. More sweet Is That name (Somnus)
Track length2:19
Recitative. My will obey (Juno, Somnus)
Track length1:25
Duet. Obey my will (Juno, Somnus)
Track length1:58
Aria. My racking thoughts by no kind slumbers freed (Semele)
Track length3:14
Recitative. Thus shap'd like Ino (Juno, Semele)
Track length1:08
Accompagnato. Behold in This mirror (Juno)
Track length2:55
Recitative. O ecstasy of happiness! (Semele)
Track length0:12
Aria. Myself I shall adore (Semele)
Track length6:46
Recitative. Be wise, as you Are beautiful (Juno, Semele)
Track length0:30
Accompagnato. Conjure him by his oath (Juno)
Track length1:27
Aria. Thus let my thanks be pay'd (Semele)
Track length2:18
Recitative. Rich odours fill the fragrant air (Juno, Semele)
Track length0:36
Aria. Come to my arms, my lovely fair (Jupiter)
Track length3:02
Recitative. O Semele! Why art thou thus insensible? (Jupiter, Semele)
Track length1:39
Recitative. Speak, speak your desire (Jupiter, Semele)
Track length1:19
Aria. Ah! Take heed what you press! (Jupiter)
Track length1:16
Aria. No, no, I'll take no less (Semele)
Track length5:27
Recitative. Ah, whither Is she gone! (Jupiter)
Track length2:57
Aria. Above measure Is the pleasure (Juno)
Track length2:40
Recitative. Ah me! Too late I now repent (Semele)
Track length3:01
Recitative. Of my ill-boding dream (Ino)
Track length0:17
Chorus. Oh, terror and astonishment! (Chorus of Priests)
Track length3:05
Recitative. How I was hence remov'd (Ino, Cadmus, Athamas)
Track length0:52
Aria. Despair no more shall wound me (Athamas)
Track length5:25
Recitative. See from above the bellying clouds descend (Cadmus)
Track length0:19
Symphony
Track length2:10
Recitative. Apollo comes, to relieve your care (Apollo)
Track length1:05
Happy, happy shall we be (Chorus)
Track length3:47

Awards and reviews

2010

There are many pleasures to be had...given a generally enjoyable performance, stylishly accompanied by the excellent Frankfurt Baroque Orchestra...Elisabeth Scholl's dashing coloratura in the name role certainly carries the part, and she is delightful in her portrayal of the morning lark...She gets appealing support from the other female participants...Knut Schoch has a fine, resonant tenor voice as Jupiter
3 out of 4 stars
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