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CD reviews
George Frideric HANDEL (1685 - 1759): Solomon, oratorio in 3 parts (HWV 67)
[I] Dominique Labelle (First Harlot, Queen), Claron McFadden (Queen of Sheba, Second Harlot), soprano;
Tim Mead (Solomon), alto;
William Kendall (Attendant), Michael Slattery (Zadok), tenor;
Roderick Williams (Levite), bass
Winchester Cathedral Choir; FestspielOrchester Göttingen
Dir: Nicholas McGegan
rec: May 26, 2007 (live), Dresden, Frauenkirche
Carus - 83.242 (3 CDs) (© 2007) (2.36'41")
[II] Sarah Gritton (First Harlot, Queen), Carolyn Sampson (Queen of Sheba, Second Harlot), soprano;
Sarah Connolly (Solomon), contralto;
Mark Padmore (Attendant, Zadok), tenor;
David Wilson-Johnson (Levite), bass
RIAS Kammerchor; Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Dir: Daniel Reuss
rec: May 2006, Berlin, Teldex Studio
Harmonia mundi - HMC 901949.50 (2 CDs) (© 2007) (2.35'00")
When Handel started writing oratorios not that much changed: he still
wrote in dramatic style, only the text was English, the subject mostly
biblical and the performance not staged. There are exceptions, the most
radical of them Messiah. Solomon is also different from
most other oratorios in that it doesn't contain a real plot. It is
generally characterised by Handel scholars as a series of scenes from
the life of Solomon.
In the first act we hear about the inauguration of the temple which
Solomon had built, and then he expresses his love for his wife - here
just called 'Queen', the daughter of the Pharaoh of Egypt. The second
act is the only really dramatic part, when two harlots both claim to be
the mother of a child. Solomon's judgment leads to a celebration of his
wisdom, a subject which returns in the last part. Here we hear about the
visit of the Queen of Sheba whom Solomon shows the wealth of his
kingdom and who is impressed by the splendour of the temple.
The oratorio was first performed in March 1749 under Handel's direction.
He had a cast of Italian and English singers: Solomon was sung by a
mezzosoprano and three of the four soprano roles by one singer. He also
had extended his orchestra and had a choir which was probably larger
than usual. Seven of the choruses are written in eight parts, mostly
split into two opposing groups. As so often in Handel's oratorios the
choirs have different roles: here there are choirs of Priests and choirs
of Israelites. Apart from recitatives and arias there are some duets
and a trio of the two harlots and Solomon.
Solomon contains some splendid music, for instance the chorus 'May no
rash intruder' at the end of Act 1, the aria of the First Harlot, 'Can I
see my infant gor'd' (Act 2) and the air of the Queen of Sheba, 'Will
the sun forget to streak' in Act 3. But it didn't go down very well with
the audiences. Oratorios were mostly seen as a moral uplift, as is
expressed by one witness of a performance of Samson in 1743
writing that "this kind of entertainment must necessarily have some
effect in correcting or moderating at least the levity of the age". It
is from this perspective that the suggestive love scene in Act 1 may
have been considered inappropriate.
At about the same time two recordings of Solomon were made, which
are reveiwed here. McGegan's performance was recorded live in the
Frauenkirche in Dresden as part of the International Handel Festival
Göttingen, Reuss's recording is a studio production. This makes the two
difficult to compare, in particular as the acoustical circumstances are
strongly different. Especially problematic is the balance within the
Winchester Cathedral Choir in McGegan's performance. In this choir the
top part is sung by trebles, just as in Handel's time, but the advantage
is pretty much erased by the fact that they are often overpowered by
the lower voices. I am generally unimpressed by the recording technique
of the Carus production: the volume of the recording is too low and too
distant. In comparison Harmonia mundi's recording shows more presence
and detail.
There are other differences: McGegan performs the score as Handel did,
but Reuss has made some cuts: in Act 1 the air of Zadok, 'Indulge thy
faith' and the preceding recitative are left out, and in Act 3 the air
of the Levite, 'Pious king' is omitted. In addition the closing chorus,
'The name of the wicked' has been replaced by the double chorus 'Praise
the Lord', which originally is set immediately after Zadok's air 'Golden
columns' where he sings the praise of the temple. There this chorus
makes sense as it urges to "praise the Lord with harp and tongue (...),
let the loud Hosannahs rise" - just as it happens in the temple. Reuss's
performance could have come close to being an ideal interpretation if
Handel's score hadn't been messed around with.
Comparing the two interpretations I was generally disappointed by
McGegan's performance. Apart from the problems in regard to recording
technique I never felt really involved - in my ears this performance
sounds lacklustre and bland. The overture sets the tone: there is a lack
of contrast and dynamic shading, and the strings are pretty flat. In
comparison the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin is playing a lot better,
very dynamic and colourful - just as we know this orchestra from so many
recordings.
Although Handel had a mezzosoprano in the role of Solomon there is no
real problem in using a male alto, but Tim Mead is not the right singer
for this part. He has a beautiful voice, but too mellow and too weak -
even though he tries to sound a little more powerful in the third act,
his Solomon is a bit of a wally, and that is not how Handel has
portrayed him. In the trio with the two harlots he is the weakest link,
and that seems to me rather strange. Annoying is the vibrato which
usually comes at the end of a phrase, which seems to me a technical
shortcoming rather than an artistic decision. In comparison Sarah
Connolly gives an impressive performance of this role. She uses vibrato
more regularly, but it is not a quick, nervous kind of vibrato, and
therefore much easier to swallow. Her diction is excellent and she sings
her recitatives in a truly declamatory manner. She never has to force
her voice in the highest regions, something Tim Mead is doing now and
then.
Dominique Labelle isn't really convincing as Queen - she sounds a bit
heavy, whereas Susan Gritton works younger, more girlish. Ms Labelle's
cadenza at the end of the dacapo of the aria 'Bless'd the day' is a bit
overdone. As the First Harlot she is much better, and her arias in the
second act are really well done. Claron McFadden does equally well as
the Second Harlot. As far as the performances of the two sopranos are
concerned there is not that much to choose between these two recordings.
But although the second act is the best part of McGegan's performance,
there is still a lack of real drama here. This, and the fact that the
three ladies are much better matches in Reuss's recording, makes the
latter the winner here.
Michael Slattery and Mark Padmore both give good interpretations of the
role of Zadok. Both deal well with the coloraturas, but overall Padmore
is just a bit more balanced. Slattery tries to make dynamic differences
in his coloraturas, which can only be applauded, but his fortes seem a
bit out of control sometimes. He certainly has an interesting voice,
though, and his diction is very good. I liked Roderick Williams in the
small role of the Levite: he has a nice voice, a quiet and natural
vibrato and delivers the text well. David Wilson-Johnson has a voice I
just don't like very much, and I find him a bit too heavy, and he
certainly could reduce his vibrato.
The RIAS Chamber Choir gives excellent performances throughout; it is
really impressive how it deals with the various choruses it has to sing.
The Winchester Cathedral Choir is a very fine choir in its own right,
as I know from other recordings, but here it is the victim of the
recording technique and therefore doesn't really make an impression,
even though some choruses are well sung.
In the end it is the direction which makes the difference between these
two performances. Reuss is more energetic and more theatrical, he has
the overall most convincing tempi and if there is drama in this oratorio
he is able to explore it. Therefore I prefer his recording, and that
makes it all the more tragic that he hasn't performed Solomon in the form Handel wrote it.
Both booklets contain interesting essays by Anthony Hicks (McGegan) and
David Vickers (Reuss). I have to point out, though, that Mr Vickers has
his problems with the biblical background of this work. He writes that
it is "incongruous" that in the first act the inauguration of the temple
and the love scene of Solomon and the Queen are connected, considering
the former's "lust for idolatrous wives and concubines". But that was
much later; at the beginning of his reign he promised to follow God's
commandments. Part of this is the love for his own lawful wife, just as
with the building of the temple he redeems his promise to God.
Later on Vickers writes that the librettist "reminds us that Solomon was
not the rightful heir" of David. How does the librettist reminds us of
this? Vickers probably refers to Solomon singing an aria in which he
points out that he has killed Joab, Schimei and his brother Adonia. But
the libretto doesn't suggest there was anything wrong with that which is
completely in accordance with what the Bible says. First, in the first
chapter of I Kings it is stated that David had sworn that Solomon would
be his heir, and when he is old and sick he still takes the measures to
ensure Solomon is becoming king when Adonia starts a coup d'etat.
Secondly, in his last words to Solomon David urges his son to punish
Joab and Schimei, and that is exactly what Salomo has done.
It is highly unlikely that in Handel's time anybody questioned the
legitimacy of Solomon's rule. There was or is no reason to do so.
Johan van Veen (© 2009)
Relevant links:
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Internationale Händel-Festspiele Göttingen
RIAS Kammerchor
Winchester Cathedral Choir