Handel’s Joseph Oratorio Released on CD

courtesy of Naxos of America

This past Friday the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale released a three-CD album of George Frideric Handel’s rarely performed HWV 59 oratorio, the three-act Joseph and his Brethren. Those who have been following this site for a while may recall that I attended the San Francisco performance of this piece in December of 2017. The recording sessions took place at Skywalker Sound almost immediately after the run of concert performances.

HWV 59 was composed in 1743 and first performed in March of the following year. That makes it about two years older than the HWV 56 Messiah, which was first performed in Dublin in April of 1742. Ironically, while Charles Jennens compiled his libretto for HWV 56 from the King James Bible and the Coverdale Psalter, the libretto that the Reverend James Miller prepared for HWV 59 basically followed Apostolo Zeno’s Italian libretto for Antonio Caldara’s Giuseppe oratorio. The dramatis personæ is so extensive that conductor Nicholas McGegan had three of his vocal soloists sing multiple roles.

The performance I attended lasted for about three hours and fifteen minutes, but that included two intermissions. Basically, each of the oratorio’s three acts fits comfortably on a single CD. Those familiar with Handel’s skill at repurposing music previously written for other occasions may be happy to know that all of the music in HWV 59 is original. Nevertheless, Miller’s libretto tends to drag its way through a plot that has only a few critical dramatic moments; and, in the pre-concert talk, Bruce Lamott, Director of the Philharmonia Chorale, advised the audience to enjoy the music without trying to follow the libretto text.

While the packaging for the new recording includes the entire libretto, I continue to endorse Lamott’s advice. Also, given the overall length, it would not surprise me if many listeners choose to experience the recording one act at a time, possibly over the course of a day or two (or three). There is certainly much to enjoy in Handel’s writing for both solo arias and deliciously polyphonic chorus movements. Nevertheless, a little bit goes a long way; and one can appreciate that the oratorio faded into obscurity after Handel’s death.

What struck me about my own listening experience was how little I recalled of the performance while listening to the recording. Indeed, my “bottom line” in writing about the performance was basically that once was enough. Listening to the recording did not awaken any fond memories; but I still found any number of movements through which I could appreciate just how skilled Handel was at his craft, even when working with a libretto that was barely adequate. My guess is that, now that I have the recording, I shall probably revisit this oratorio from time to time, even if I cannot really commit to when the next time will be!