HARMONIC SOCIETY TO SING HANDEL ORA TORIO

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30725, 14 April 1965, Page 10

HARMONIC SOCIETY TO SING HANDEL ORA TORIO

Handel’s mighty oratorio “Israel in Egypt” which will be sung by the Christchurch Harmonic Society on Saturday, April 24 is basically a choral exultation.

The work consists mainly of a chain of double choruses by which some marvellous effects of antiphonal singing are produced. There are 22 choruses out of 39 numbers so the soloists have less to do than in most of Handel’s oratorios. The choir, accompanied by the Christchurch Civic Orchestra, will be conducted by William Hawkey. The harpsichord continue will be played by Dr. Michael Toovey. The soloists will be Heather Taylor, Diane Parsons (sopranos), Ruth Hannon (contralto), Anson Austin (tenor), Rodney Mccann and Ronald Gray (basses). The work is specially adapted to grand choral effects. It is outstanding for the colossal scale of its conception and the comparitive simplicity of the means by which stupendous results are obtained. There is one exception to its general rule of diatonic straightforwardness, the exceedingly difficult chromatic fugue which depicts the Israelite’s “loathing to drink” of the waters turned to blood. Much of the music, while simple in harmonic structure is hard to sing on account of its florid character. The play of fantasy in the “Plague Chorus”—4he buzzing of flies, the clatter of hailstones, the orchestral hammer strokes as the firstborn of Egypt are smitten—are all touches of genius.

FROM EXODUS The text of the first part consists of fragments from the Book of Exodus and Psalms 105 and 106 and tells the story of the oppression of the Child-

ren of Israel and their deliverance from the Egyptians. The second part is a setting of the song of Moses in chapter 15 of the Book of Exodus and may be called a hymn of praise or choral symphony in a mood of exaltation, for it is both. It opens majestically with a declamatory double chorus leading to “I will sing unto the Lord” which is, as Sir Donald Tovey has pointed out, in the form of “two interlocking fugues, not quite the same thing as double fugues.’.’ The final hymn of praise is a gigantic double chorus. It is interrupted by a reminder of the miracle of the Red Sea and on resumption is again

interrupted to tell of the joyful women being led by Miriam the Prophetess in a dance. But even this is not the end. Handel has still a surprise in store. The last paean from the chorus is introduced as a brief soprano solo, entirely unaccompanied, and ends magnificently with a recapitulation of the opening chorus; “He hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea.” Next week’s performance will be the second by the choir of “Israel in Egypt” in five years. It was the first work conducted by Mr Hawkey after his appointment as conductor.