Handel, G.: Semele [Oratorio] - CD

CD - 1

George Frideric Handel

Semele, HWV 58 (1744)

 

1. Act I: Overture

00:05:11

 

2. Act I: Gavotte

00:02:23

 

3. Act I: Accompagnato: Behold! Auspicious flashes rise (Chief Priest)

00:01:26

 

4. Act I: Lucky omens bless our rites (Chorus of Priests and Augurs)

00:03:37

 

5. Act I: Recitative and Arioso: Daughter, obey, Hear and obey! (Cadmus, Athamas)

00:01:04

 

6. Act I: Accompagnato and Aria: Ah me! What refuge now is left me? (Semele)

00:02:54

 

7. Act I: Aria: The morning lark to mine accords his note (Semele)

00:06:28

 

8. Act I: Aria: See, she blushing turns her eyes (Ino)

00:03:56

 

9. Act I: Recitative: Alas! She yields, and has undone me! (Ino, Athamas, Semele)

00:00:58

 

10. Act I: Quartet: Why dost thou thus untimely grieve (Cadmus, Ino, Athamas, Semele)

00:02:17

 

11. Act I: Avert these omens, all ye pow'rs! (Chorus of Priests and Augurs)

00:02:15

 

12. Act I: Accompagnato: Again auspicious flashes rise (Cadmus)

00:00:48

 

13. Act I: Recitative: Thy aid, pronubial Juno, Athamas implores! (Athamas, Semele)

00:00:19

 

14. Act I: Cease, cease your vows, 'tis impious to proceed (Chorus of Priests and Augurs)

00:00:40

 

15. Act I: Recitative: O Athamas, what torture hast thou borne! (Athamas)

00:00:30

 

16. Act I: Aria: Turn, hopeless lover, turn thy eye (Ino)

00:08:42

 

17. Act I: Recitative: She weeps! (Athamas)

00:00:27

 

18. Act I: Aria: Your tuneful voice my tale would tell (Athamas)

00:03:53

 

19. Act I: Recitative: Too well I see, Thou wilt not understand me (Ino, Athamas)

00:00:57

 

20. Act I: Duet: You've undone me (Ino, Athamas)

00:02:21

 

21. Act I: Recitative and Accompagnato: Ah, wretched prince, doom'd to disastrous love! (Cadmus, Athamas, Ino)

00:02:32

 

22. Act I: Hail, Cadmus, hail! Jove salutes the Theban King (Chorus of Priests and Augurs)

00:01:58

 

23. Act I: Aria: Endless pleasure, endless love (Semele)

00:02:54

 

24. Act I: Endless pleasure, endless love (Chorus of Love and Zephyrs)

00:01:46

CD - 2

George Frideric Handel

Semele, HWV 58 (1744)

 

1. Act II: Symphony

00:01:49

 

2. Act II: Recitative: Iris, impatient of thy stay (Juno, Iris)

00:01:05

 

3. Act II: Aria: There, from mortal cares retiring (Iris)

00:02:59

 

4. Act II: Recitative and Accompagnato: No more, I'll hear no more! (Juno, Iris)

00:02:26

 

5. Act II: Aria: Hence, Iris, hence away! (Juno)

00:03:53

 

6. Act II: Aria: Come, Zephyrs, come (Cupid)

00:06:03

 

7. Act II: Aria: O sleep, why dost thou leave me? (Semele)

00:02:47

 

8. Act II: Recitative: Let me not another moment bear the pangs of absence (Semele)

00:00:22

 

9. Act II: Aria: Lay your doubts and fears aside (Jupiter)

00:03:07

 

10. Act II: Recitative: You are mortal and require time to rest (Jupiter)

00:00:34

 

11. Act II: Aria: With fond desiring (Semele)

00:03:34

 

12. Act II: How engaging, how endearing (Chorus of Loves and Zephyrs)

00:02:46

 

13. Act II: Recitative: Ah me! (Semele, Jupiter)

00:01:36

 

14. Act II: Aria: I must with speed amuse her (Jupiter)

00:04:04

 

15. Act II: Now Love, that everlasting boy (Chorus of Loves and Zephyrs)

00:02:32

 

16. Act II: Recitative: By my command now (Jupiter, Semele)

00:01:33

 

17. Act II: Aria: Where'er you walk (Jupiter)

00:03:28

 

18. Act II: Recitative: Dear sister, how was your passage hither? (Semele, Ino)

00:00:47

 

19. Act II: Aria: But hark! (Ino)

00:01:30

 

20. Act II: Accompagnato and Arioso: Prepare then, ye immortal choir (Ino, Semele)

00:02:06

 

21. Act II: Bless the glad earth with heav'nly lays (Chorus of Nymphs and Swains)

00:02:39

CD - 3

George Frideric Handel

Semele, HWV 58 (1744)

 

1. Act III: Symphony

00:01:53

 

2. Act III: Accompagnato: Somnus, awake! (Juno, Iris)

00:00:32

 

3. Act III: Aria: Leave me, loathsome light! (Somnus)

00:03:07

 

4. Act III: Recitative: Dull God, canst thou attend the water's fall (Iris, Juno)

00:00:35

 

5. Act III: Aria: More sweet is that name (Somnus)

00:02:19

 

6. Act III: Recitative: My will obey (Juno, Somnus)

00:01:26

 

7. Act III: Duet: Obey my will (Juno, Somnus)

00:01:59

 

8. Act III: Aria: My racking thoughts by no kind slumbers freed (Semele)

00:03:15

 

9. Act III: Recitative: Thus shap'd like Ino (Juno, Semele)

00:01:08

 

10. Act III: Accompagnato: Behold in this mirror (Juno)

00:02:56

 

11. Act III: Recitative: O ecstasy of happiness! (Semele)

00:00:13

 

12. Act III: Aria: Myself I shall adore (Semele)

00:06:47

 

13. Act III: Recitative: Be wise, as you are beautiful (Juno, Semele)

00:00:30

 

14. Act III: Accompagnato: Conjure him by his oath (Juno)

00:01:27

 

15. Act III: Aria: Thus let my thanks be pay'd (Semele)

00:02:18

 

16. Act III: Recitative: Rich odours fill the fragrant air (Juno, Semele)

00:00:36

 

17. Act III: Aria: Come to my arms, my lovely fair (Jupiter)

00:03:02

 

18. Act III: Recitative: O Semele! Why art thou thus insensible? (Jupiter, Semele)

00:01:39

 

19. Act III: Recitative: Speak, speak your desire (Jupiter, Semele)

00:01:20

 

20. Act III: Aria: Ah! Take heed what you press! (Jupiter)

00:01:16

 

21. Act III: Aria: No, no, I'll take no less (Semele)

00:05:28

 

22. Act III: Recitative: Ah, whither is she gone! (Jupiter)

00:02:57

 

23. Act III: Aria: Above measure is the pleasure (Juno)

00:02:40

 

24. Act III: Recitative: Ah me! Too late I now repent (Semele)

00:03:02

 

25. Act III: Recitative: Of my ill-boding dream (Ino)

00:00:18

 

26. Act III: Chorus: Oh, terror and astonishment! (Chorus of Priests)

00:03:05

 

27. Act III: Recitative: How I was hence remov'd (Ino, Cadmus, Athamas)

00:00:53

 

28. Act III: Aria: Despair no more shall wound me (Athamas)

00:05:25

 

29. Act III: Recitative: See from above the bellying clouds descend (Cadmus)

00:00:19

 

30. Act III: Symphony

00:02:10

 

31. Act III: Recitative: Apollo comes, to relieve your care (Apollo)

00:01:06

 

32. Act III: Happy, happy shall we be (Chorus)

00:03:48