March 20th 1999

7:30pm, St Peter's Church, Acton Green, Southfield Road, Chiswick, London, W4

Handel wrote his three act oratorio Solomon between May 5th and June 13th 1748 and it was first performed at Covent Garden on March 17th 1749. It is a spectacular piece full of fine vocal and orchestral music. The three acts deal with different aspects of Solomon's life; the first with the dedication of the new temple and his marriage to Pharaoh's daughter (discreetly, no mention of the several hundred others which would have put a terrible financial strain on any choral society performing the work!); the second with his wisdom in judgement between the two women claiming parentage of a baby and the third with the state visit of the Queen of Sheba, who is dazzled by his wisdom and the splendour of his court.

Handel's orchestra is a large one, including the usual strings, oboes and bassoons but with added flutes, horns, trumpets and drums. The work is full of imaginative orchestral effects. The choral writing includes the famous "From the censer curling rise" which opens Act II; the solo vocal pieces are from the pen of the greatest opera composer of the time and abound in melody portraying finely drawn characters. Handel's original cast gave the title role to a female alto and we shall do the same; one soprano sang the Pharaoh's daughter, the First Harlot and the Queen of Sheba and another the Second Harlot we shall be dividing these roles more evenly between two singers.