Judas Maccabaeus (Handel)

Judas Maccabaeus (HWV 63) is an oratorio in three acts by George Frideric Handel.

Background

The political context is the Jacobite Rising of 1745. Handel in 1746 hastily composed the Occasional Oratorio for the encouragement of the English. After the success of the British forces at the Battle of Culloden he started a work in honour of the victorious Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, addressed as "Truly Wise, Valiant, and Virtuous Commander" in the libretto.

The first performance took place on April 1, 1747 at Covent Garden, and Judas Maccabaeus became one of Handel's most popular oratorios with frequent reprises, second only to Messiah.

"See, the Conqu'ring hero comes", from Judas Maccabaeus, became well-known later as the music was invariably played by brass bands at the opening of new railway lines and stations in Britain during the 19th century and is one of the movements in Sir Henry Wood's Fantasia on British Sea Songs.

In 1884 Ed­mond Louis Bu­dry added words to an extract which is now a popular hymn "Thine Be the Glory" ("À toi la gloire").

Orchestration

• 2 flutes
• 2 transverse flutes
• 2 oboes
• 2 bassoons
• 2 French horns
• 3 trumpets
• timpani
• 3 violins
• viola
• cello
• double bass
• organ
• harpsichord

Libretto

Thomas Morell based the libretto on the apocryphal 1 Maccabees 2-8, adding some motives from the Antiquitates Judaicae of Flavius Josephus. Georg Gottfried Gervinus translated the libretto into German.

Dramatis Personae

• Judas Maccabaeus (tenor)
• Simon, his Brother (bass)
• Israelitish Woman (soprano)
• Israelitish Man (mezzo-soprano)
• Eupolemus, the Jewish Ambassador to Rome (alto)
• First Messenger (alto)
• Second Messenger (bass)
• Chorus of Israelites
• Chorus of Youths
• Chorus of Virgins

Handel's original 1747 singers:

• Judas: John Beard
• Israelite man: Caterina Galli (mezzo-soprano)
• Israelite woman: Elisabetta de Gambarini (soprano)
• Simon, brother to Judas: Thomas Reinhold (bass)
• Eupolemus, Jewish ambassador to Rome: Thomas Reinhold

Summary

Part	No.	Type	Title	Voices	Tempo	Time Signature	Key Signature
1	1	Overture			Largo, Allegro, Largo	4/4, 3/8, 4/4	G minor
1	2	Chorus	Mourn, ye afflicted children	Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass	Largo	4/4	C minor
1	3	Recitative	Well may your sorrows	Israelitish man (Tenor)		4/4
1	4	Duet	From this dread scene	Israelitish man (Tenor), Israelitish woman	Andante e staccato	3/4	G minor
1	5	Chorus	For Sion lamentation make	Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass	Larghetto e un poco piano, Adagio	12/8, 4/4	F minor
1	6	Recitative	Not vain is all this storm of grief	Simon		4/4
1	7	Air	Pious orgies	Israelitish woman	Largo e sostenuto	4/4	G major
1	8	Chorus	O Father, whose Almighty power	Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass	Larghetto, Allegro	3/4, 4/4	B flat major
1	9	Recitative (accompanied)	I feel the Deity within	Simon		4/4
1	10	Air	Arm, arm, ye brave	Simon	Allegro	4/4	C major
1	11	Chorus	We come, in bright array	Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass	Allegro	3/4	C major
1	12	Recitative	‘Tis well, my friends	Judas Maccabaeus		4/4
1	13	Air	Call forth thy powers	Judas Maccabaeus	Allegro	4/4	D major
1	14	Recitative	To Heaven’s Almighty King we kneel	Israelitish woman		4/4
1	15	Air	O Liberty, thou choicest treasure	Israelitish woman	Largo	4/4	A major
1	16	Air	Come, ever-smiling Liberty	Israelitish woman	Andante	6/8	A major
1	17	Recitative	O Judas, may these noble views inspire	Israelitish man		4/4
1	18	Air	‘Tis Liberty	Israelitish man	Larghetto, Adagio, Larghetto	4/4	E major
1	19	Duet	Come, ever-smiling Liberty	Israelitish woman, Israelitish man (mezzo-soprano)	Andante	6/8	A major
1	20	Chorus	Lead on, lead on	Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass	Allegro	4/4	D major
1	21	Recitative (end accompanied)	So willed my father	Judas Maccabaeus		4/4
1	22	Chorus	Disdainful of danger	Alto, Tenor, Bass	Allegro	3/8	G major
1	23	Recitative	Ambition! if e’er honour was thine aim	Judas Maccabaeus		4/4
1	24	Air	No unhallow’d desire	Judas Maccabaeus	Allegro	6/8	B flat major
1	25	Recitative	Haste we, my brethren	Israelitish man (Tenor)		4/4
1	26	Chorus	Hear us, O Lord	Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass	A tempo giusto	4/4	F major
2	27	Chorus	Fallen is the foe	Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass	Allegro moderato	4/4	D minor
2	28	Recitative	Victorious hero	Israelitish man		4/4
2	29	Air	So rapid thy course is	Israelitish man	Allegro, Adagio (last five bars)	3/8	G major
2	30	Recitative	Well may hope our freedom to receive	Israelitish man (Soprano)		4/4
2	31	Duet	Sion now her head shall raise	Israelitish woman, Israelitish man (Soprano)	Andante	3/4	G major
2	32	Chorus	Tune your harps	Soprano (1st & 2nd), Alto, Tenor, Bass	Andante	3/4	G major
2	33	Recitative	O let eternal honours crown his name	Israelitish woman		4/4
2	34	Air	From mighty kings he took the spoil	Israelitish woman	Andante, Allegro (fine)	12/8, 4/4 (fine)	A major
2	35	Duet	Hail, Judea, happy land	Israelitish man (Contralto), Israelitish woman	Allegro	4/4	D major
2	36	Chorus	Hail, Judea, happy land	Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass	Allegro	4/4	D major
2	37	Recitative	Thanks to my brethren	Judas Maccabaeus		4/4
2	38	Air	How vain is man who boasts in fight	Judas Maccabaeus	Andante	4/4	F major
2	39	Recitative	O Judas! O my brethren	Israelitish messenger (Alto)		4/4
2	40	Air	Ah! wretched Israel	Israelitish woman	Largo	3/4	C minor
2	41	Chorus	Ah! wretched Israel	Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass	Largo, Adagio (ending)	3/4	C minor
2	42	Recitative	Be comforted	Simon		4/4
2	43	Air	The Lord worketh wonders	Simon	Allegro	4/4	A minor
2	44	Recitative	My arms! against this Gorgias will I go	Judas Maccabaeus		4/4
2	45	Air	Sound an alarm	Judas Maccabaeus	Allegro	6/8	D major
2	46	Chorus	We hear	Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass	Allegro	6/8	D major
2	47	Recitative	Enough! to Heaven we leave	Simon		4/4
2	48	Air	With pious hearts	Simon	Larghetto	3/4	G minor
2	49	Recitative	Ye worshippers of God	Israelitish man (Contralto)		4/4
2	50	Air	Wise men, flattering, may deceive you	Israelitish woman	Larghetto	3/4	F major
2	51	Duet	O never bow we down	Israelitish woman, Israelitish man (Contralto)	Andante	3/4	C minor
2	52	Chorus	We never will bow down	Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass	Andante	3/4	C minor, C major
3	53	Air	Father of Heaven	Priest	Andante larghetto	4/4	F major
3	54	Recitative	See, see yon flames	Israelitish man (Contralto)		4/4
3	55	Recitative	O grant it, Heaven	Israelitish woman		4/4
3	56	Air	So shall the lute and harp awake	Israelitish woman	Allegro, Adagio (ending)	4/4	B flat major
3	57	Recitative	From Capharsalama	Israelitish messenger (Alto), Israelitish messenger (Bass)		4/4
3	58	Chorus of Youths; Chorus of Virgins; Chorus	See the conquering hero comes	Soprano (1st & 2nd), Alto; Soprano (1st & 2nd); Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass		2/2	G major
3	59	March			Allegro	2/2	G major
3	60	Solo; Chorus	Sing unto God	Alto; Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass	Allegro	4/4	D major
3	61	Recitative	Sweet flow the strains	Judas Maccabaeus		4/4
3	62	Air	With honour let desert be crowned	Judas Maccabaeus	Andante larghetto	4/4	A minor
3	63	Recitative	Peace to my countrymen	Eupolemus		4/4
3	64	Chorus	To our great God	Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass	Allegro	4/4	G minor
3	65	Recitative	Again to earth let gratitude descend	Israelitish woman		4/4
3	66	Duet	O lovely peace	Israelitish woman, Israelitish man (Contralto)	Allegro	6/8	G major
3	67	Air	Rejoice, O Judah	Simon	Andante allegro	4/4	D major
3	68	Chorus	Hallelujah, Amen	Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass	Allegro, Adagio (ending)	4/4	D major

External links

• Full-text libretto online
• Live Recording of Number 29, Air, So Rapid Thy Course Is (performed by Mary Gayle Greene, mezzo-soprano)