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Handel: Samson

Ernst Haefliger (tenor), Kim Borg (bass), Marga Höffgen (alto), Maria Stader (soprano), Maria Reith (soprano), Heinz Rehfuss (bass), RIAS Kammerchor (chorus), Chor der St. Hedwigs-Kathedrale (chorus)

Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Ferenc Fricsay

Handel: Samson

Handel: Samson

Ernst Haefliger (tenor), Kim Borg (bass), Marga Höffgen (alto), Maria Stader (soprano), Maria Reith (soprano), Heinz Rehfuss (bass), RIAS Kammerchor (chorus), Chor der St. Hedwigs-Kathedrale (chorus)

Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Ferenc Fricsay

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44.1 kHz, 16 bit, FLAC/ALAC/WAV

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320 kbps, MP3

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This release includes a digital booklet

Stream now lossless, 44.1 kHz, 16 bit

About

George Frideric Handel’s three-act oratorio Samson is considered one of his very best dramatic works. The arias from the work, “Let the bright Seraphim” and “Total eclipse” are often performed in concert separately from the rest of the work. Handel began the work immediately after finishing Messiah. The libretto is by Newburgh Hamilton, who based it on Milton’s Samson Agonistes, which in turn is based on the Biblical figure Samson from the Book of Judges. This album is a previously unreleased recording which was made on September 18, 1955, and features legendary vocalists like Ernst Haefliger, Maria Stader, Marga Hoffgen, Kim Borg, Heinz Rehfuss, and Maria Reith.

Contents and tracklist

Overture
Track length5:03
Act I: Chorus: Awake the trumpet's lofty sound! (Chorus)
Track length5:24
Act I: Total eclipse! No sun, no moon! (Samson)
Track length4:54
Act I: Oh first created beam! (Chorus)
Track length7:45
Act I: Aria: Thy glorious deeds inspir'd my tongue (Manoah)
Track length4:28
Act I: Recitative: My griefs for this (Samson)
Track length2:15
Act I: Why does the God of lsrael sleep? (Samson)
Track length5:51
Act I: Return, O God of hosts (Micah, Chorus)
Track length13:05
Act II: Duet: My faith and truth (Delilah, Maiden and Chorus)
Track length5:36
Act II: Traitor to love! I’ll sue no more (Dalila, Samson)
Track length2:58
Act II: Air: Honour and arms scorn such a foe (Harapha)
Track length3:31
Act II: Recitative: With thee! A man condemn'd (Harapha, Samson)
Track length0:57
Act II: Duet: Go, baffled coward, go (Samson, Harapha)
Track length1:51
Act II: Hear, Jacob's God, Jehovah, hear! (Chorus)
Track length2:02
Act II: Air: To song and dance we give the day
Track length3:18
Act III: Recitative: More trouble is behind (Micah, Samson, Harapha)
Track length4:27
Act III: Recitative: Reflect then, Samson (Micah, Samson)
Track length1:13
Act III: Chorus: With thunder arm'd, great God, arise! (Israelites)
Track length4:54
Act III Scene 1: Air: Thus when the sun from's wat'ry bed (Samson)
Track length3:35
Act III: Recitative: With might endued above the sons of men (Micah)
Track length0:29
Act III: Air: The Holy One of Israel be thy guide (Micah)
Track length2:43
Act III: Chorus: Great Dagon has subdu'd our foe (Israelite, Chorus)
Track length3:21
Act III: Air: How willing my paternal love (Manoah)
Track length8:41
Act III: Air: Ye sons of Israel, now lament (Micah)
Track length6:43
Act III: A Dead March
Track length3:52
Act III: Glorious Hero, may thy grave Peace (Chorus)
Track length8:35
Act III: Air: Let the bright seraphim in burning row (Israelite Woman)
Track length5:56
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