Handel: O sing unto the Lord a new song | The English Concert & Händelfestspielorchester Halle

Celestial sounds in a striking location: Two of the world’s most noted Baroque orchestras, the English Concert and the Händelfestspielorchester Halle, played George Frideric Handel’s anthem ‘O sing unto the Lord a new song’ HWV 249b together with the MDR Rundfunkchor, the Hallenser Madrigalisten, the Händelfestspielchor and the Chor der Oper Halle. The concert was conducted by Howard Arman and formed part of the Handel Celebration Concert on 14 April 2009. The performance took place in the spectacular Market Church of Halle, where Handel was baptized in 1685.

00:00 Introduction
00:22 Symphony
03:12 O sing unto the Lord a new song
05:45 Declare his honour unto the heathen
08:18 The waves of the sea
09:58 O worship the Lord
12:26 Let the whole earth stand in awe
13:09 Let the heav'ns rejoice

Artists:
MDR Rundfunkchor
Hallenser Madrigalisten
Händelfestspielchor
Chor der Oper Halle
The English Concert
Händelfestspielorchester Halle
Ulrike Fulde | soprano
Howard Arman | conductor

Born in Halle, George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) moved to England in 1712. He spent the majority of his professional career there, composing some of his best known works, including his English-language oratorio ‘Messiah’ and ‘Music for the Royal Fireworks’. ‘O sing unto the Lord a new song’ HWV 249b was written in 1717 as part of a set of 11 anthems, which came to be known as the Chandos Anthems; the First Duke of Chandos was a great admirer of Handel and was his employer during these years.

‘O sing unto the Lord’ opens with a short instrumental symphony, with a solo oboe piece serving as the bridge between the purely instrumental part and the part sung by the choir. It is said that Handel was particularly fond of the oboe, which can be seen in the frequency with which the instrument appears and the special place it takes in many of his compositions.

© EuroArts Music International

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