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George Frideric Handel

Jephtha, HWV.70

HWV 70 Vocal

Jephtha (HWV 70) is an oratorio (1751) by George Frideric Handel with an English language libretto by the Rev. Thomas Morell, based on the story of Jephtha in Judges (Chapter 11) and Jephthes, sive Votum (Jeptha, or the Vow) (1554) by George Buchanan. Whilst writing Jephtha, Handel was increasingly troubled by his gradual loss of sight, and this proved to be his last oratorio. In the autograph score, at the end of the chorus "How dark, O Lord, are thy decrees" he wrote "Reached here on 13 February 1751, unable to go on owing to weakening of the sight of my left eye."

The story revolves around Jephtha's rash promise to the Almighty that if he is victorious, he will sacrifice the first creature he meets on his return. He is met by his beloved daughter Iphis. However, an angel intervenes to stop the sacrifice, and Iphis only needs to dedicate her life to the Lord. (The more common interpretation is that Jephthah chooses to sacrifice his daughter, but a short reprieve is arranged, after which Iphis dutifully returns and is killed.)

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Movements

  1. Overture
  2. no. 0a. Minuet

Act I

  1. no. 1. Accompagnato "It must be so or these wile Ammonites" (Zebul)
  2. no. 2. Air "Pour forth no more unheeded pray'rs" (Zebul)
  3. no. 3. Chorus "No more to Ammon's god and King"
  4. no. 3a. Recitative "But Jephtha comes" (Zebul, Jephtha)
  5. no. 4. Air "Virtue my soul shall still embrace" (Jephtha)
  6. no. 4a. Recitative "Twill be a painful separation" (Storge)
  7. no. 5. Air "In gentle murmurs will I mourn" (Storge)
  8. no. 5a. Recitative "Happy this embassy" (Hamor)
  9. no. 6. Air "Dull delay, in piercing anguish" (Hamor)
  10. no. 6a. Recitative "Ill suits the voice of love" (Iphis)
  11. no. 7. Air "Take the heart you fondly gave" (Iphis)
  12. no. 7a. Recitative "I go. My soul, inspir'd by thy command" (Hamor)
  13. no. 8. Duet "These labours past, how happy we" (Iphis, Hamor)
  14. no. 8a. Recitative "What mean these doubtful fancies" (Jephtha)
  15. no. 9. Accompagnato "If, Lord, sustain'd by Thy almighty pow'r" (Jephtha)
  16. no. 9a. Recitative "'Tis said. Attend, ye chiefs" (Jephtha)
  17. no. 10. Chorus "O God, behold our sore distress"
  18. no. 10a. Recitative "Some dire event hangs o'er our heads" (Storge)
  19. no. 11. Air "Scenes of horror, scenes of woe" (Storge)
  20. no. 11a. Recitative "Say, my dear mother" (Iphis, Storge)
  21. no. 12. Air "The smiling dawn of happy days" (Iphis)
  22. no. 12a. Recitative "Such, Jephtha, was the haughty King's reply" (Zebul, Jephtha)
  23. no. 13. Chorus "When His loud voice in thunder spoke"

Act II

  1. no. 13a. Recitative "Glad things of great joy" (Hamor)
  2. no. 14. Chorus "Cherub and Seraphim, unbodied forms"
  3. no. 15. Air "Up the dreadful steep ascending" (Hamor)
  4. no. 15a. Recitative "'Tis well. Haste, haste, ye maidens" (Iphis)
  5. no. 16: Air "Tune the soft melodious lute" (Iphis)
  6. no. 16a. Recitative "Heav'n smiles once more" (Zebul)
  7. no. 17a. Recitative "Zebul, thy deeds were valiant" (Jephtha)
  8. no. 18. Air "His mighty arm, with sudden blow" (Jephtha)
  9. no. 19. Chorus: "In glory high, in might serene"
  10. no. 20. Symphony
  11. no. 20a. Recitative "Hail, glorious conqueror!" (Iphis)
  12. no. 21. Air and Chorus: "Welcome, as the cheerful light" (Iphis)
  13. no. 21a. Recitative "Horror! Confusion! Harsh this music grates" (Jephtha)
  14. no. 22. Air "Open thy marble jaws, o tomb" (Jephtha)
  15. no. 22a. Recitative "Why is my brother thus afflicted?" (Zebul, Jephtha)
  16. no. 23. Accompagnato and Arioso "First perish thou and perish all the world!" (Storge)
  17. no. 23a. Recitative "If such thy cruel purpose, lo!" (Hamor)
  18. no. 24. Air "On me let blind mistake zeal" (Hamor)
  19. no. 25. Quartet "O spare your daughter!" (Storge, Hamor, Jephtha, Zebul)
  20. no. 25a. Recitative "Such news flies swift" (Iphis)
  21. no. 26. Accompagnato "For joys so vast, too little is the price" (Iphis)
  22. no. 27. Air "Happy they! This vital breath with content" (Iphis)
  23. no. 28. Accompagnato "Deeper and deeper still, thy goodness" (Jephtha)
  24. no. 29. Chorus "How dark, o Lord, are thy decrees!"

Act III

  1. no. 30. Arioso "Hide thou thy hated beams" (Jephtha)
  2. no. 31. Accompagnato "A father, off'ring up his only child" (Jephtha)
  3. no. 32. Air "Waft her, angels, through the skies" (Jephtha)
  4. no. 33. Accompagnato "Ye sacred priests, whose hands" (Iphis)
  5. no. 34. Air "Farewell, ye limpid springs and floods" (Iphis)
  6. no. 35. Chorus "Doubtful fear and reverend awe" (Preists)
  7. no. 36. Symphony
  8. no. 36a. Recitative "Rise, Jephtha, and ye reverend priests" (Angel)
  9. no. 37. Air "Happy, Iphis, shalt thou live" (Angel)
  10. no. 38. Arioso "For ever blessed be thy holy name" (Jephtha)
  11. no. 39. Chorus "Theme sublime of endless praise"
  12. no. 39a. Recitative "Let me congratulate this happy turn" (Zebul)
  13. no. 40. Air "Laud her, all ye virgin train" (Zebul)
  14. no. 40a. Recitative "O let me fold thee in a mother's arms" (Storge)
  15. no. 41. Air "Sweet as sight to the blind" (Storge)
  16. no. 41a. Recitative "With transport, Iphis, I behold thy safety" (Hamor)
  17. no. 42. Air "'Tis Heaven's all-ruling pow'r" (Hamor)
  18. no. 42a. Recitative "My faithful Hamor, may that Providence" (Iphis)
  19. no. 43b. Quintet "All that is in Hamor mine" (Iphis, Hamor, storge, Jephtha, Zebul)
  20. no. 44. Chorus "Ye house of Gilead, with one voice"

Elsewhere

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