DESCRIPTION:
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

Saul (oratorio in three acts), HWV 53 (1739)

Libretto: Charles Jennens { Link: http://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=Saul_(Handel_and_Jennings)&oldid=2239157 }

00:00 - Overture (Allegro - Larghetto - Allegro - Andante larghetto)

Act I.
07:59 - Scene i (Nos. 1 - 5) / How excellent Thy name, o Lord [Chorus]
16:40 - Scene ii (Nos. 6 - 19) / He comes, he comes! [Michal]
38:54 - Scene ii (Nos. 20 - 21) / Symphony (Andante allegro) & Already see the daughters of the land [Michal]
40:16 - Scene iii (Nos. 22 - 26) / Welcome, welcome, mighty king! [Chorus]
43:59 - Scene iv (Nos. 27 - 30) / Imprudent women! [Jonathan]
49:45 - Scene v (Nos. 31 - 37) / Racked with infernal pains [Abner]
1:01:51 - Scene vi (Nos. 38 - 41) / O filial piety! [Jonathan]

Act II.
1:08:26 - Scene i (No. 42) / Envy, Eldest born of hell! [Chorus]
1:11:16 - Scene ii (Nos. 43 - 47) / Ah! dearest friend [Jonathan]
1:19:10 - Scene iii (Nos. 48 - 51) / Hast thou obeyed my orders [Saul, Jonathan]
1:24:37 - Scene iv (Nos. 52 - 54) / Appear, my friend [Jonathan, Saul]
1:26:25 - Scene v (Nos. 55 - 57) / A father's will has authorised my love [Michal]
1:30:45 - No. 58: Symphony (Largo - Allegro)
1:35:19 - Scene vi (Nos. 59 - 60) / Thy father is as cruel [David]
1:36:56 - Scene vii (Nos. 61 - 62) / Whom dost thou seek [Michal, Doeg]
1:39:11 - Scene viii (Nos. 63 - 64) / Mean as he was, he is my brother now [Merab]
1:42:42 - No. 65: Symphony (Allegro)
1:43:48 - Scene ix (No. 66) / The time at length is come [Saul]
1:44:23 - Scene x (Nos. 67 - 68) / Where is the son of Jesse? [Saul, Jonathan]

Act III.
1:50:03 - Scene i (Nos. 69 - 70) / Wretch that I am [Saul]
1:53:23 - Scene ii (Nos. 71 - 72) / With me what would'st thou [Witch of Endor, Saul]
1:56:10 - Scene iii (Nos. 73) / Why hast thou forced me from the realms of peace [Ghost of Samuel, Saul]
1:58:52 - No. 74: Symphony (Allegro)
1:59:26 - Scene iv (Nos. 75 - 76) / Whence comest thou? [David, Amalekite]
2:02:17 - No. 77: March (Grave)
2:05:21 - Scene v (Nos. 78 - 86) / Mourn, Israel [Chorus]

Michal (soprano) - Rosemary Joshua
Merab (soprano) - Emma Bell
David (countertenor) - Lawrence Zazzo
Jonathan (tenor) - Jeremy Ovenden
High Priest/Witch of Endor (tenor) - Michael Slattery
Amalekite/Abner (tenor) - Finnur Bjarnason
Doeg/Ghost of Samuel (baritone) - Henry Waddington
Saul (bass) - Gidon Saks

RIAS Kammerchor & Concerto Köln, dir. René Jacobs (2005)

Painting: Saul attacking David, Guercino