Handel's Oratorio List

Is your baroque selection this term from one of these works by Handel?  If so, guess what!?!   

:) YOU DON’T HAVE TO MEMORIZE YOUR PIECE!  :)

Performance practices have evolved to not require singers to memorize Oratorios (any of them) for performance.  In my research and discussions with my colleagues, there seems to be no “reason” for this.  It’s just become standard practice to perform Oratorio with music in your hands.  Lucky bums.  :)

Oratorio Title ----- Language ----- Place of Composition ----- Date
St. John Passion, German, Hamburg, 1704
La Risurrezione, talian, Rome, 1708
Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno, Italian, Rome, 1708
Aci, Galatea e Polifemo, Italian, Naples, 1709
Brockes Passion, German, Hanover, 1716

Oratorios in English:
Esther, first version, London, 1720
Acis and Galatea, London, 1720
Esther, second version, London, 1732
Debora, London, 1733
Athalia, Oxford, 1733
Alexander's Feast, London, 1736
Saul, London, 1739
Israel in Egypt, London, 1739
Ode for St. Cecilia's Day, London, 1739
L'Allegro, Il Penseroso ed Il Moderato, London, 1740
Messiah, Dublin, 1742

Oratorios produced in London:
Samson, 1743
Semele, 1743
Joseph, 1743
Belshazzar, 1744
Hercules, 1744
Occasional Oratorio, 1746
Judas Maccabaeus, 1747
Alexander Balus, 1747
Joshua, 1747
Solomon, 1748
Susanna, 1748
Theodora, 1749
The Choice of Hercules, 749
Jephtha, 1752). The Triumph of Time and Truth, 1757

Reinstatement of the blog! :)

It is spring term, 2012.  You would never know it from all the snow on the ground.  However, we are up and running and half way through the first week of the term with great success.  Everyone (so far) has been given their selections to learn this term and I hear practicing already!  I'm excited about our Baroque concert at the end of the term and look forward to hearing what you learn about that period in music history. 

Just a few things to keep in mind for this term:

• Remember to keep your practice journal updated throughout the term as you practice.  In order to update it, you have to practice so be sure to do that part as well.  :)
• Monday, April  9th there will be 5 children's choirs here on campus for a children's choir festival.  Some of you have offered to help corral and entertain a couple of groups between 2:00 and 4:00 that day.  Thank you for your help (in advance) and if you haven't signed up and would like to come, please join us!
• We will have MASTER CLASS this coming THURSDAY at 11am in the choir room.  Remember that your syllabus requires that you attend and participate in a minimum of 5 of them (no required number of performances).  If you have a class conflict, please let me know.

Work hard and check back often.  See you all tomorrow at the master class.