Händel - Alexander's Feast | Ondertiteld | Concert 

There is nothing greater than Händels Organ and Harp-Concertos. And his Oratorios. And his Operas... He is great. He's still alive in his Music! Haendel will never die.

This work is a masterpiece 🙌🏻 Handel was a genius.

It is an ode with music by Händel and libretto by Newburgh Hamilton, which he adapted from the original Power of Music (1697). It was composed in 1736, being presented for the first time at the Convent Garden in February of that year. It consists of three concertos. The libretto describes the banquet offered to Alexander the Great and his lover Thaïs, after the conquest of the Persian city of Persepolis, during which the musician Thimotheus sings to the sound of his lyre, provoking Alexander enough inner strength to set the city on fire, for revenge of his dead Greek soldiers. This work was very successful, leading Händel to transcribe the choral part of his operas in English instead of Italian. The music has the grandeur of this admirable and amazing musician. Gracefulness, elegance and sublime harmony are inherent in the whole work. The voices of the soloists and choir are sublime. The orchestration and direction are magnificent. It is one of the best interpretations of this masterpiece that I heard so far. Bravo!!!

Haendel mi compositor favorito. Había escuchado muchas veces el concierto para arpa y no sabía que formaba parte del Banquete de Alejandro...su melodía percibe no solo en los oidos sino en el cuerpo físico y tiene la virtud de elevar el ánimo sobre todo en un día gris. Muchas gracias a Haendel y NPO Klassiek desde Chile por este aporte a la humanidad

The harpist lady truly worked hard to make that instrument express its quiet beauty !

G F Handel is a genius. Never ever have I heard such beautiful music penned by this great composer of the baroque era. What a pleasure was it to hear such a heavenly sound from a world class orchestra , well balanced soloists and a perfect choral outfit! Kenny Montgomery conducted this music with so much ease, intimate connection with the musicians and simple gestures that one was able to appreciate the richness and depth of Handel's compositional wizardry.

Lately I can't find a work of Händel that I don't like, that man was a TRUE GENIUS.

Amazing performance, especially Gwyneth Wentink on the harp and Yulia Van Doren soprano.

The power of music is permanent in Händel works...Happiness goes along with sorrowful feelings to give life a kind of sense of mystery.Where joy and tears; tears and joy are our daily companions...

The performance over all is perfect . Gwyneth Wentink is absolute fantastic!

Divine music, rising the soul up in the heavens...

'None but the brave deserve the fair'...What a swindle!

thank God i lived to hear this version. Thank you

hoe meer je haendel beluistert hoe meer je bach op de achtergrond schuift accoord bach is de componist waar de geoefenden aan iedere muzieknoot een muzikale waarde geven bach is als dorre wiskunde haendel is gevoel -klasse-geniaal je oren en je hart voelen de warmte en de liefde die muziek is geschreven voor iedere leek die gek is vanmooie muziek en die geen enkel muziek diploma vereist het is na eeuwen veel te laat maar nog eens proficiat ei bach ween van spijt en werp uw kroon naar haendel.

great music with a wonderful harp solo

WOw! What an exceptional performance

Magnifique qu'ils nous reviennent bientôt !

This performance of the master’s work has given me so much joy, and is so meaningful me. Unbelievable performance by all.

Splendid, beautiful, wonderful, prachtig!!!

War, he sung, is toil and trouble, Honour but an empty bubble, Never ending, still beginning, Fighting still, and still destroying; If the world be worth thy winning, Think, oh think it worth enjoying, Lovely Thais sits beside thee, Take the good the Gods provide thee. War he sung. . . da capo

The extended harp solo is just mesmerizing.

One of the most underrated works of Handel. I really wish it was played more in places like the LPO and BBC.

0:50-7:05 PARTE 1 Overtura 7:06-8:10 'Twas at the royal fest, for Persia won by Philip's warlike son 8:10-12:41 Happy pair 12:42-13:09 Timotheus, plac'd on high amid the tuneful quire 13:10-26:45 Sinfonia 27:36-28:34 The song began from Jove 28:35-30:35 The list'ning crowd admire the lofty sound 30:39-33:48 With ravish'd ears the monarch hears 33:48-34:27 The praise of Bacchus then the sweet musician sung 34:27-36:50 Bacchus, ever fair and young 36:50-38:47 Bacchus' blessing are a treasure 38:58-39:46 Sooth'd with the sound 39:46-41:12 He chose a mournful Muse

Tanta belleza..........lágrimas de emoción, imposible que no afloren al oir esta maravilla . Gracias !!

I love the last chorus its so packed with beauty all round

Love Handel....always jolly!!!

What a magic performance! Absolutely gorgeous all round!

And here are the lyrics: 'Twas at the royal feast for Persia won By Philip's warlike son- Aloft in awful state The godlike hero sate On his imperial throne; His valiant peers were placed around, Their brows with roses and with myrtles bound (So should desert in arms be crown'd); The lovely Thais by his side Sate like a blooming Eastern bride In flower of youth and beauty's pride:- Happy, happy, happy pair! None but the brave None but the brave None but the brave deserves the fair! Timotheus placed on high Amid the tuneful quire With flying fingers touch'd the lyre: The trembling notes ascend the sky And heavenly joys inspire. The song began from Jove Who left his blissful seats above Such is the power of mighty love! A dragon's fiery form belied the god; Sublime on radiant spires he rode When he to fair Olympia prest, And while he sought her snowy breast, Then round her slender waist he curl'd, And stamp'd an image of himself, a sovereign of the world. The listening crowd admire the lofty sound; A present deity! they shout around: A present deity! the vaulted roofs rebound: With ravish'd ears The monarch hears, Assumes the god; Affects to nod, And seems to shake the spheres. The praise of Bacchus then the sweet musician sung, Of Bacchus ever fair and ever young: The jolly god in triumph comes; Sound the trumpets, beat the drums! Flush'd with a purple grace He shows his honest face: Now give the hautboys breath; he comes, he comes! Bacchus, ever fair and young, Drinking joys did first ordain; Bacchus' blessings are a treasure, Drinking is the soldier's pleasure: Rich the treasure, Sweet the pleasure, Sweet is pleasure after pain. Soothed with the sound, the king grew vain; Fought all his battles o'er again, And thrice he routed all his foes, and thrice he slew the slain! The master saw the madness rise, His glowing cheeks, his ardent eyes; And while he Heaven and Earth defied Changed his hand and check'd his pride. He chose a mournful Muse Soft pity to infuse: He sung Darius great and good, By too severe a fate Fallen, fallen, fallen, fallen, Fallen from his high estate. And weltering in his blood; Deserted at his utmost need By those his former bounty fed; On the bare earth exposed he lies With not a friend to close his eyes. With downcast looks the joyless victor sate, Revolving in his alter'd soul The various turns of chance below; And now and then a sigh he stole, And tears began to flow. The mighty master smiled to see That love was in the next degree; 'Twas but a kindred sound to move, For pity melts the mind to love. Softly sweet, in Lydian measures Soon he soothed his soul to pleasures. War, he sung, is toil and trouble, Honour but an empty bubble; Never ending, still beginning, Fighting still, and still destroying; If the world be worth thy winning, Think, O think, it worth enjoying: Lovely Thais sits beside thee, Take the good the gods provide thee! The many rend the skies with loud applause; So Love was crown'd, but Music won the cause. The prince, unable to conceal his pain, Gazed on the fair Who caused his care, And sigh'd and look'd, sigh'd and look'd, Sigh'd and look'd, and sigh'd again: At length with love and wine at once opprest The vanquish'd victor sunk upon her breast. Now strike the golden lyre again: A louder yet, and yet a louder strain! Break his bands of sleep asunder And rouse him like a rattling peal of thunder. Hark, hark! the horrid sound Has raised up his head: As awaked from the dead And amazed he stares around. Revenge, revenge, Timotheus cries, See the Furies arise! See the snakes that they rear How they hiss in their hair, And the sparkles that flash from their eyes! Behold a ghastly band, Each a torch in his hand! Those are Grecian ghosts, that in battle were slain And unburied remain Inglorious on the plain: Give the vengeance due To the valiant crew! Behold how they toss their torches on high, How they point to the Persian abodes And glittering temples of their hostile gods. The princes applaud with a furious joy: And the king seized a flambeau with zeal to destroy; Thais led the way To light him to his prey, And like another Helen, fired another Troy! Thus, long ago, Ere heaving bellows learn'd to blow, While organs yet were mute, Timotheus, to his breathing flute And sounding lyre Could swell the soul to rage, or kindle soft desire. At last divine Cecilia came. Inventress of the vocal frame; The sweet enthusiast from her sacred store Enlarged the former narrow bounds, And added length to solemn sounds, With Nature's mother-wit, and arts unknown before. Let old Timotheus yield the prize, Or both divide the crown; He raised a mortal to the skies, She drew an angel down! lyricstranslate.com/en/john-dryden-alexanders-feast-or-power-music-lyrics.html

Magnifica interpretazione di questo bellissimo oratorio di Handel. Magnifico il coro e tutta l'orchestra. Magnifica l'arpa di Gwyneth Wentink che mi ha sorpreso dato che questo concerto per arpa è stato inserito nell'oratorio ma non appartiene all'oratorio.

Wow the harpist is really great . Perfect balance and clarity. On top of it, i think she adds enough ornamentation in the harp concerto (13:00). I wish i could hear even a more free and open interpretation with maybe a bigger improvisation. Still this a way of playing i already like.

Wonderful rendition.

This is the best oratoric piece ever composed by Händel. That has been my opinion for 30 years now. I have heard performances that were more beautiful than this one, but still... bravo for the musicians.

Brava Gwyneth. Superb ensemble, but Gwyneth Wentink's harp playing stole my. Takes it to the edge like a true musician-artist. Brava

This great Oratorio reminds us that Handel wrote three types of Oratorios: Christian (Messiah, The Resurrection), Jewish (Jeptha, Solomon, Sampson, Saul, Israel in Egypt), and Pagan (Alexander's Feast). This one has always been my favorite, followed by Messiah and Jeptha.

Sublime!

Most wonderful performance of ANYTHING I've ever heard.

Wonderful

Dag lieve Kenneth ❤

glorious, beauty-full, thank you.

1. A big, profound, overwhelming “Thank you!” to the superb musicians. The soloists are great. The orchestra is just superb. The harp player is extraordinarily good. And NPO Radio 4 are divine for bringing to us this stunning masterpiece played so superbly. 2. To RU-vid: Thank you for being the medium for the broadcast of this great concert. But come on! Come on! Ads in the middle of an aria? Really! What’s that all about!? Ads in the middle of the concert?! What’s that all about?!

Божественно!

@32:40 The expression on the Cello player says it all :)

Fabulous-thanks to all, including post.

Very very beautiful performance....thanx so much

A very great largely unknown work from the great Handel. My god when are people going to start listening to him? This is acually the molst complete performance I have heard. The last chorus is usually not performed.

Sublime ❤️

Having just sung this in Inverness Scotland this recording brings a wonderful sense of how music transforms us all

wonderful!

Alexander's Feast had ik nog nooit gehoord, al zaten er verschillende pasages in die ik kende, de harpsolo bv. Mooi concert

Genial!

"So Love was Crowned but music won the Course"

Una de las más brillantes obras de Haendel. Realmente, una fiesta para disfrurar e intentar olvidar por un rato la pandemia que nos está asolando inmisericorde.

Magnifique !

Hermosisimo

Does anyone who is familiar with various recordings of Alexander's Feast have one in particular that they recommend? I'm looking to buy a CD. Please also tell me why you recommend it. Thanks!

This was originally titled "Alexander's All-You-Can-Eat Buffet," but he couldn't Handel all of that food

britain at her best

zeer goed invoering

Felicitaciones por esta brillante interpretación con instrumentos modernos y no con instrumentos de museo

This an oratorio I was thinking but like a harp concerto in part one but she was good.

Fantástica sonoridad que alcanzan estas obras interpretadas con instrumentos modernos ¡ Basta de instrumentos de época (de museo)!

Premiered #otd in 1736 💐💐💐

A great John Dryden poem which we read at school all those years ago. I often dislike the puting to music of a great poem -gilding the lilly or not adding anything and destroying the rhythm of the poem but Handel gets away with this one.And this perfomance is fantastic.

How come that, during the harp concerto, the TV logo changes from AVRO to TRASH and then back again?

Is there a recording of this that I can purchase?

and now it's back on AVRO

which redaction it is?I need to find one with mezzo too,instead of all soprano parts...

Vraiment grandiose !

Prima muziek van G F Handel. Maar dat zalvende gezever van de introductie is mij teveel. Groeten petrus bagasbas 🤧

I couldn't agree with you more. SLOW DOWN HANDEL CONDUCTORS, WE CAN'T HEAR THE MUSIC. Montgomery gets it just about right.

22 mins in and it's back on TRASH. Maybe it'll go on to VPRO soon

34:26

13:09

Why are they singing about Bacchus? Surely they would be singing about Dionysus instead?

1:35:30 ; 1:38:10

and now it's back on TRASH

There are 3 apex composers they are in no particular order. Handel, Beethoven and Bach. Too bad this recording is executed in dead acoustics

Modern instruments are just PLAIN BETTER than their earlier versions and counterparts of centuries ago. For clarity - for precision - for definition - for impact. That's why they were developed. I think Handel himself would prefer MODERN instruments. He was constantly searching for the new,the novel,the different - the LOUD. " Englishmen want music that hits them squarely on the ear ! " .

was mir - textlich - das alexanderfest vergällt, ist der racheruf des timotheus und das niederbrennen von persepolis,mit thais an der spitze und mit dem beifall der fürsten - ein grund, ein fest zu feiern? und dazu musik zu missbrauchen?

l'être humain est génial c'est un fruit de la nature , mais pour être aussi génial que la nature il ne lui manque que la sagesse . oui l'homme est génial

I´m not a fan of Händel.JS Bach did the most job during the first half of 17.th century.Much in the musical style developed between 1790-1810 after the french revolution.