ACT ONE 1. Overture Scene 1 An Epinicion or Song of Triumph, for the victory over Goliath and the Philistines. 2a. Chorus of Israelites How excellent Thy name, O Lord, In all the world is known! Above all Heav'ns, O King ador'd, How hast Thou set Thy glorious throne! 3. Air (soprano) An infant rais'd by Thy command, To quell Thy rebel foes, Could fierce Goliath's dreadful hand Superior in the fight oppose. 4. Trio Along the monster atheist strode, With more than human pride, And armies of the living God Exulting in his strength defied. 5. Chorus of Israelites The youth inspir'd by Thee, O Lord, With ease the boaster slew: Our fainting courage soon restor'd, And headlong drove that impious crew. 2b. Chorus of Israelites How excellent Thy name, O Lord, In all the world is known! Above all Heavn's, O King ador'd, How hast thou set Thy glorious throne! Hallelujah! Scene 2 Saul, Jonathan, Merab, Michal and Abner, introducing David and the High Priest. 6. Recitative Michal He comes, he comes! 7. Air Michal O godlike youth, by all confess'd Of human race the pride! O virgin among women blest, Whom Heav'n ordains thy bride! But ah, how strong a bar I see Betwixt my happiness and me! O godlike youth. . . da capo 8. Recitative Abner Behold, O king, the brave, victorious youth, And in his hand the haughty giant's head. Saul Young man, whose son art thou? David The son of Jesse, Thy faithful servant, and a Bethlemite. Saul Return no more to Jesse; stay with me; And as an earnest of my future favour, Thou shalt espouse my daughter: small reward Of such desert, since to thy arm alone We owe our safety, peace and liberty. 9. Air David O king, your favours with delight I take, but must refuse your praise: For every pious Israelite To God that tribute pays. Through Him we put to flight our foes, And in His name, We trod them under that against us rose. O king. . . da capo 10. Recitative Jonathan Oh,early piety! Oh, modest merit! In this embrace my heart bestows itself; Henceforth, thou noble youth, accept my frienship, And Jonathan and David are but one. 11. Air Merab What abject thoughts a prince can have! In rank a prince, in mind a slave. 12. Recitative Merab (aside, to Jonathan) Yet think on whom this honour you bestow; How poor in fortune, and in birth how low! 13. Air Jonathan Birth and fortune I despise! From virtue let my friendship rise. (To David) No titles proud thy stem adorn, Yet born of God is nobly born, And of His gifts so rich thy store, That Ophir to thy wealth is poor. Birth and fortune. . . da capo 14. Recitative High Priest Go on, illustrious pair! Your great example Shall teach your youth to scorn the sordid world And set their hearts on things of real worth. 15. Air High Priest While yet thy tide of blood runs high, To God thy future life devote; Thy early vigour all apply, His glorious service to promote. So shall thy great Creator bless, And bid thy days serenely flow: So shall thy youthful happiness In age no diminution know. With sweet reflections thou shalt taste, Declining gently to thy tomb, The pleasure of good actions past, And hope with rapture joys to come. 16. Recitative Saul Thou, Merab, first in birth, be first in honour: Thine be the valiant youth, whose arm has sav'd Thy country from her foes. Merab (aside) Oh, mean alliance! 17. Air Merab My soul rejects the thought with scorn, That such a boy, till now unknown, Of poor plebeian parents born, Should mix with royal blood his own! Though Saul's command I can't decline, I must prevent his low design, And save the honour of his line. 18. Air Michal See, with what a scornful air She the precious gift receives! Though e'er so noble, or so fair, She cannot merit what he gives. 19. Air Michal Ah, lovely youth, wast thou design'd With that proud beauty to be joined? 20. Symphony 21. Recitative Michal Already see the daughters of the land, In joyful dance, with instruments of music, Come to congratulate your victory. Scene 3 Saul, Michal, Chorus. 22. Chorus of Israelites Welcome, welcome, mighty king! Welcome all who conquest bring! Welcome David, warlike boy, Author of our present joy! Saul, who hast thy thousands slain, Welcome to thy friends again! David his ten thousands slew, Ten thousand praises are his due! 23. Accompagnato Saul What do I hear? Am I then sunk so low, To have this upstart boy preferr'd before me? 24. Chorus of Israelites David his ten thousands slew, Ten thousand praises are his due! 25. Accompagnato Saul To him ten thousands, and to me but thousands! What can they give him more, except the kingdom? 26. Air Saul With rage I shall burst his praises to hear! Oh, how I both hate the stripling, and fear! What mortal a rival in glory can bear? Exit. Scene 4 27. Recitative Jonathan Imprudent women! Your ill-timed comparisons, I fear, have injured him you meant to honour. Saul's furious look, as he departed hence, Too plainly shew'd the tempest of his soul. Michal (to David) 'Tis but his old disease, which thou canst cure: Oh, take thy harp, and as thou oft hast done, From the king's breast expel the raging fiend, And sooth his tortur'd soul with sounds divine. 28. Air Michal Fell rage and black despair possess'd With horrid sway the monarch's breast; When David with celestial fire Struck the sweet persuasive lyre: Soft gliding down his ravish'd ears, The healing sounds dispel his cares; Despair and rage at once are gone, And peace and hope resume the throne. 29. Recitative High Priest This but the smallest part of harmony, Great attribute of attributes divine, And centre of the rest, where all agree: Whose wondrous force what great effects proclaim! 30. Accompagnato High Priest By Thee this universal frame From its Almighty Maker's hand In primitive perfection came, By Thee produc'd, in thee contain'd: No sooner did th'eternal word dispense Thy vast mysterious influence, Than chaos his old discord ceas'd. Nature began, of labour eas'd, Her latent beauties to disclose, A fair harmonious world arose; And though, by diabolic guile, Disorder lord it for a while, The time will come, When nature shall her pristine form regain, And harmony for ever reign. Scene 5 Saul, David, Jonathan, Merab, Michal, Abner, High Priest. 31. Recitative Abner Racked with infernal pains, ev'n now the king Comes forth, and mutters horrid words, which hell, No human tongue, has taught him. 32. Air David O Lord, whose mercies numberless O'er all thy works prevail: Though daily man Thy law transgress, Thy patience cannot fail. If yet his sin be not too great, The busy fiend control; Yet longer for repentance wait, And heal his wounded soul. 33. Symphony 34. Recitative Jonathan 'Tis all in vain; his fury still continues: With wild distraction on my friend he stares, Stamps on the ground, and seems intent on mischief. 35. Air Saul A serpent, in my bosom warm'd, Would sting me to the heart: But of his venom soon disarm'd, Himself shall feel the smart. Ambitious boy! Now learn what danger It is to rouse a monarch's anger! He throws his javelin. Exit David. 36. Recitative Saul Has he escap'd my rage? I charge thee, Jonathan, upon thy duty, And all, on your allegiance, to destroy This bold, aspiring youth; for while he lives, I am not safe. Reply not, but obey. 37. Air Merab Capricious man, in humour lost, By ev'ry wind of passion toss'd! Now sets his vassal on the throne, Then low as earth he casts him down! His temper knows no middle state, Extreme alike in love or hate. Scene 6 38. Accompagnato Jonathan O filial piety! O sacred friendship! How shall I reconcile you? Cruel father! Your just commands I always have obeyed: But to destroy my friend, the brave, the virtuous, The godlike David, Israel's defender, And terror of her foes! To disobey you - What shall I call it? 'Tis an act of duty To God, to David - nay, indeed, to you. 39. Air Jonathan No, cruel father, no! Your hard commands I can't obey. Shall I with sacrilegious blow Take pious David's life away? No, cruel father, no! No, with my life I must defend Against the world my best, my dearest friend. 40. Air High Priest O Lord, whose providence Ever wakes for their defence Who the ways of virtue choose: Let not thy faithful servant fall A victim to the rage of Saul Who hates without a cause, And, in defiance of thy laws, His precious life pursues. 41. Chorus Preserve him for the glory of Thy name, Thy people's safety, and the heathen's shame.
Hi Sheri, Act 2 is already available here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SZ1tdH4BIEk.html Act 3 is also available on our website: englishconcert.co.uk/handel-for-all/saul-act-3/ :-) We hope you enjoy it.
Love how the choir stands up in sequence starting at 10:54. Heightens the drama of the piece. Very Handelian ;) And bravo not only to the players, but the audio engineers!! Truly extraordinary sound!
