Esther, Oratorio, HWV 50a Scene 1 1-1 Ouverture No. 1 Recitative - "Tis Greater Far To Spare" 7:46 1-2 No. 2 Aria - "Pluck Root And Branch From Out The Land" / No. 3 Recitative - "Our Souls With Ardour Glow" 2:10 1-3 No. 4 Chorus - "Shall We The God Of Israel Fear?" / Scene 2 No. 5 Recitative - "Now Persecution" 1:55 Scene 2 1-4 No. 6 Aria - "Tune Your Harps To Cheerful Strains" 3:56 1-5 No. 7 Chorus - "Shall We Of Servitude Complain" 1:26 1-6 No. 8 Aria - "Praise The Lord With Cheerful Noise" / No. 9 Recitative - O God, Who From The Suckling's Mouth" 6:08 1-7 No. 10 Aria - "Sing Songs Of Praise, Bow Down The Knee" / No. 11 Chorus - "Shall We Of Servitude Complain" Scene 3 1-8 No. 12 Recitative - "How Have Our Sins Provoked The Lord!" / No. 13 Chorus - "Ye Sons Of Israel Mourn" 2:07 1-9 No. 14 Aria- O Jordan, Jordan, Sacred Tide / No. 15 Chorus - "Ye Sons Of Israel Mourn" / Scene 4 No. 16 Recitative - "Why Sits That Sorrow On Thy Brow?" 9:35 Scene 4 1-10 No. 17 Aria - "Dread Not, Righteous Queen, The Danger" / No.18 Recitative - "I Go Before The King" 3:46 1-11 No. 19 Aria - "Tears Assist Me, Pity Moving" 3:01 1-12 No. 20 Chorus - "Save Us, O Lord" 1:32 Scene 5 2-1 No. 21 Recitative - "Who Dares Intrude Into Our Presence" 1:08 2-2 No. 22 Duet - "Who Calls My Parting Soul From Death?" / "Awake, My Soul, My Life, My Breath!" 2:35 2-3 No. 23 Aria - "O Beauteous Queen" / No. 24 Recitative - "If I Find Favour In Thy Sight" 7:39 2-4 No. 25 Aria - "How Can I Stay When Love Invites" / No. 26 Recitative - "With Inward Joy" 3:54 2-5 No. 27 Chorus - "Virtue, Truth And Innocence" 2:34 2-6 No. 28 Arioso - "Jehovah, Crown'd With Glory" / No. 29 Chorus - "He Comes, He Comes To End Our Woes" / Scene 6 No. 30 Recitative - "Now, O Queen, Thy Suit Declare" 6:39 Scene 6 2-7 No. 31 Arioso - "Turn Not, O Queen, Thy Face Away" 2:11 2-8 No. 32 Aria - "Flatt'ring Tongue, No More I Hear Thee!" / No. 33 Recitative - "Guards, Seize The Traitor" 5:12 2-9 No. 34 Aria - "How Art Thou Fall'n From Thy Height!" 4:16 2-10 No. 35a Chorus - "The Lord Our Enemy Has Slain" / No. 35b Solo - "Let Israel Songs Of Joy Repeat" / No. 35c Chorus - "For Ever Blessed Be Thy Holy Name" / No. 35d Duet - "The Lord His People Shall Restore" / No. 35b Solo - "Let Israel Songs Of Joy Repeat" / No. 35c Chorus - "For Ever Blessed Be Thy Holy Name" / No. 35d Duet - "The Lord His People Shall Restore" / No. 35e Chorus - "For Ever Blessed Be Thy Holy Name" / No. 35f Duet - "Mount Lebanon His First Resigns" / No. 35g Chorus - "For Ever Blessed Be Thy Holy Name" 10:46 Phonographic Copyright ℗ – The Decca Record Company Limited Copyright © – The Decca Record Company Limited Bass Vocals [Chorus AAM] – Brian Etheridge, Richard Wistreich Bassoon – Alastair Mitchell, Felix Warnock Choir – Chorus AAM*, Chorus Westminster Cathedral* Chorus Master [Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir] – David Hill Composed By – George Frideric Handel* Conductor – Christopher Hogwood Countertenor Vocals [Chorus AAM] – Drew Minter, Michael Chance Double Bass – Barry Guy Engineer – John Pellowe Harp [Triple Harp] – Ann Griffiths Harpsichord – Alastair Ross Horn – Anthony Halstead, Christian Rutherford Liner Notes – Anthony Hicks (2) Oboe – Clare Shanks Orchestra – Orchestra AAM* Painting – Sebastiano Ricci (2) Photography By – Clive Barda, Jason Shenai, Martin Cole (2) Producer – Peter Wadland Tenor Vocals [Tenor 1, Chorus AAM] – Brian Parsons, Rufus Müller Tenor Vocals [Tenor 2, Chorus AAM] – Julian Pike, Neil Lunce Trumpet – Crispian Steele-Perkins Viola – Judith Tarling, Katharine Hart* Violin – Brian Smith (12), Catherine Mackintosh, Christopher Hirons, David Woodcock, Elizabeth Wallfisch, John Willison, Julie Miller (2), William Thorp Violoncello – Jane Coe, Mark Caudle Vocals [Chorus Westminster Cathedral] – Anthony Oliver (3), Domenic Sewell, Francis Sheperd, Keith Roberts (3), Marc Stevens (6), Robert Ogden, Roderic Unwin, Sean Evans (5) ℗ & © 1985 The Decca Record Company Limited, London Printed in West Germany. Made in West Germany. "The Academy Of Ancient Music" on authentic instruments. A = 415
