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Handel's oratorio Israel in Egypt, HWV 54, bombed at its first performance in 1739 and was heavily revised by Handel. The revisions go even further here, in what is marked as an adaptation by Apollo's Fire director Jeannette Sorrell. She makes wholesale cuts, removing numerous arias, consolidating others, and leaving only a few recitatives. Sorrell retains, however, the three-part structure of Handel's first attempt (the librettist was probably Charles Jennens of Messiah), consisting of the "Lamentations by the Israelites for the Death of Joseph," "Exodus," and "Moses' Song." She also keeps the chorus-heavy quality of Handel's originals. The nearly three-hour oratorio usually heard is sliced to just over 74 minutes. All this might seem an unwarranted intrusion, but Handel himself obviously struggled with the material of this oratorio, which isn't one of his more commonly heard works. And lo, Sorrell's reworking succeeds solidly, creating convincing dramatic arcs where they previously existed only in outline. The ten plagues are shortened considerably but make more of an impact in their abbreviated form. The greatest strength here is the choral writing, in many places the equal of anything in Messiah. Apollo's Fire is a rather underrated choral-orchestral group from the U.S. Midwest that offers a satisfyingly good-sized choir with clear text articulation and a fine sense of expressing what they are singing about. A strong offering that will be appreciated by Handel lovers during the 2023 holiday season and beyond.
© James Manheim /TiVo
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George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jacob Perry, MainArtist - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist - Molly Netter, MainArtist - Edward Vogel, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jacob Perry, MainArtist - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist - Daniel Moody, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jacob Perry, MainArtist - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Daniel Moody, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jacob Perry, MainArtist - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist - Daniel Moody, MainArtist - Edward Vogel, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Molly Netter, MainArtist - Margaret Carpenter Haigh, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist - Debra Nagy, MainArtist - Steven Marquardt, MainArtist - Edward Vogel, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jacob Perry, MainArtist - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Margaret Carpenter Haigh, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jacob Perry, MainArtist - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Daniel Moody, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Apollo's Singers, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Daniel Mood, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Jacob Perry, MainArtist - Jeannette Sorrell, Conductor, MainArtist - Apollo's Fire, Orchestra, MainArtist - Molly Netter, MainArtist - Margaret Carpenter Haigh, MainArtist
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
Album review
Handel's oratorio Israel in Egypt, HWV 54, bombed at its first performance in 1739 and was heavily revised by Handel. The revisions go even further here, in what is marked as an adaptation by Apollo's Fire director Jeannette Sorrell. She makes wholesale cuts, removing numerous arias, consolidating others, and leaving only a few recitatives. Sorrell retains, however, the three-part structure of Handel's first attempt (the librettist was probably Charles Jennens of Messiah), consisting of the "Lamentations by the Israelites for the Death of Joseph," "Exodus," and "Moses' Song." She also keeps the chorus-heavy quality of Handel's originals. The nearly three-hour oratorio usually heard is sliced to just over 74 minutes. All this might seem an unwarranted intrusion, but Handel himself obviously struggled with the material of this oratorio, which isn't one of his more commonly heard works. And lo, Sorrell's reworking succeeds solidly, creating convincing dramatic arcs where they previously existed only in outline. The ten plagues are shortened considerably but make more of an impact in their abbreviated form. The greatest strength here is the choral writing, in many places the equal of anything in Messiah. Apollo's Fire is a rather underrated choral-orchestral group from the U.S. Midwest that offers a satisfyingly good-sized choir with clear text articulation and a fine sense of expressing what they are singing about. A strong offering that will be appreciated by Handel lovers during the 2023 holiday season and beyond.
© James Manheim /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 28 track(s)
- Total length: 01:13:59
- Main artists: Apollo's Fire Jeannette Sorrell
- Composer: Georg Friedrich Händel
- Label: AVIE Records
- Genre: Classical
(C) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell (P) 2023 Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell
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