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Oratorio "Esther"
A1	Ouverture
Scene 1
A2	No. 1 Recitative - "Tis Greater Far To Spare" Bass Vocals [Haman] – David Thomas Vocals [Habdonnah] – Andrew King
A3	No. 2 Aria - "Pluck Root And Branch From Out The Land" Bass Vocals [Haman] – David Thomas
A4	No. 3 Recitative - "Our Souls With Ardour Glow" Vocals [Officer] – Andrew King
A5	No. 4 Chorus - "Shall We The God Of Israel Fear?" Choir – Chorus AAM*, Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir*
Scene 2
A6	No. 5 Recitative - "Now Persecution" Tenor Vocals [1st Israelite] – Paul Elliott
A7	No. 6 Aria - "Tune Your Harps To Cheerful Strains" Tenor Vocals [1st Israelite] – Paul Elliott
A8	No. 7 Chorus - "Shall We Of Servitude Complain" Choir – Chorus AAM*, Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir*
A9	No. 8 Aria - "Praise The Lord With Cheerful Noise" Soprano Vocals [Israelite Woman] – Emma Kirkby
A10	No. 9 Recitative - O God, Who From The Suckling's Mouth" Soprano Vocals [Israelite Woman] – Emma Kirkby
A11	No. 10 Aria - "Sing Songs Of Praise, Bow Down The Knee" Vocals [2nd Israelite] – Andrew King
A12	No. 11 Chorus - "Shall We Of Servitude Complain" Choir – Chorus AAM*, Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir*
Scene 3
B1	No. 12 Recitative - "How Have Our Sins Provoked The Lord!" Vocals [Priest] – Drew Minter
B2	No. 13 Chorus - "Ye Sons Of Israel Mourn" Choir – Chorus AAM*, Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir*
B3	No. 14 Aria- O Jordan, Jordan, Sacred Tide Vocals [Priest] – Drew Minter
B4	No. 15 Chorus - "Ye Sons Of Israel Mourn" Choir – Chorus AAM*, Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir*
Scene 4
B5	No. 16 Recitative - "Why Sits That Sorrow On Thy Brow?" Vocals [Esther] – Patrizia KwellaVocals [Mordecai] – Ian Partridge
B6	No. 17 Aria - "Dread Not, Righteous Queen, The Danger" Vocals [Mordecai] – Ian Partridge
B7	No.18 Recitative - "I Go Before The King" Vocals [Esther] – Patrizia Kwella
B8	No. 19 Aria - "Tears Assist Me, Pity Moving" Vocals [Esther] – Patrizia Kwella
B9	No. 20 Chorus - "Save Us, O Lord" Choir – Chorus AAM*, Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir*
Scene 5
C1	No. 21 Recitative - "Who Dares Intrude Into Our Presence" Vocals [Ahasuerus] – Anthony Rolfe JohnsonVocals [Esther] – Patrizia Kwella
C2	No. 22 Duet - "Who Calls My Parting Soul From Death?" Vocals [Ahasuerus] – Anthony Rolfe JohnsonVocals [Esther] – Patrizia Kwella
C3	No. 23 Aria - "O Beauteous Queen" Vocals [Ahasuerus] – Anthony Rolfe Johnson
C4	No. 24 Recitative - "If I Find Favour In Thy Sight" Vocals [Esther] – Patrizia Kwella
C5	No. 25 Aria - "How Can I Stay When Love Invites" Vocals [Ahasuerus] – Anthony Rolfe Johnson
C6	No. 26 Recitative - "With Inward Joy" Tenor Vocals [1st Israelite] – Paul ElliottVocals [2nd Israelite] – Andrew King
C7	No. 27 Chorus - "Virtue, Truth And Innocence" Choir – Chorus AAM*, Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir*
C8	No. 28 Arioso - "Jehovah, Crown'd With Glory" Vocals [Priest] – Drew Minter
C9	No. 29 Chorus - "He Comes, He Comes To End Our Woes" Choir – Chorus AAM*, Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir*
Scene 6
D1	No. 30 Recitative - "Now, O Queen, Thy Suit Declare" Vocals [Ahasuerus] – Anthony Rolfe JohnsonVocals [Esther] – Patrizia Kwella
D2	No. 31 Arioso - "Turn Not, O Queen, Thy Face Away" Bass Vocals [Haman] – David Thomas
D3	No. 32 Aria - "Flatt'ring Tongue, No More I Hear Thee!" Vocals [Esther] – Patrizia Kwella
D4	No. 33 Recitative - "Guards, Seize The Traitor" Vocals [Ahasuerus] – Anthony Rolfe Johnson
D5	No. 34 Aria - "How Art Thou Fall'n From Thy Height!" Bass Vocals [Haman] – David Thomas
D6a	No. 35a Chorus - "The Lord Our Enemy Has Slain" Choir – Chorus AAM*, Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir*
D6b	No. 35b Solo - "Let Israel Songs Of Joy Repeat" Vocals [Alto Solo] – Drew Minter
D6c	No. 35c Chorus - "For Ever Blessed Be Thy Holy Name" Choir – Chorus AAM*, Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir*
D6d	No. 35d Duet - "The Lord His People Shall Restore" Vocals [Esther] – Patrizia KwellaVocals [Mordecai] – Ian Partridge
D6e	No. 35e Chorus - "For Ever Blessed Be Thy Holy Name" Choir – Chorus AAM*, Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir*
D6f	No. 35f Duet - "Mount Lebanon His First Resigns" Bass Vocals [Solo] – David Thomas Vocals [Solo] – Richard Wistreich
D6g	No. 35g Chorus - "For Ever Blessed Be Thy Holy Name" Choir – Chorus AAM*, Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir*

Companies, etc.

• Phonographic Copyright (p) – The Decca Record Company Limited
• Copyright (c) – The Decca Record Company Limited
• Manufactured By – TELDEC Schallplatten GmbH

Credits

• Bass Vocals [Chorus AAM] – Brian Etheridge, Richard Wistreich
• Bassoon – Alastair Mitchell, Felix Warnock
• Cello [Violincello] – Jane Coe, Mark Caudle
• Choir – Chorus AAM*, Chorus Westminster Cathedral*
• Chorus Master [Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir] – David Hill
• Composed By – George Frideric Handel*
• Conductor – Christopher Hogwood
• Countertenor Vocals [Chorus AAM] – Drew Minter, Michael Chance
• Double Bass – Barry Guy
• Engineer – John Pellowe
• Harp [Triple Harp] – Ann Griffiths
• Harpsichord – Alastair Ross
• Horn – Anthony Halstead, Christian Rutherford
• Oboe – Clare Shanks
• Orchestra – Orchestra AAM*
• Painting – Sebastiano Ricci
• Photography By – Clive Barda, Jason Shenai, Martin Cole
• Producer – Peter Wadland
• Sleeve Notes – Anthony Hicks
• Tenor Vocals [Tenor 1, Chorus AAM] – Brian Parsons, Rufus Müller
• Tenor Vocals [Tenor 2, Chorus AAM] – Julian Pike, Neil Lunce
• Trumpet – Crispian Steele-Perkins
• Viola – Judith Tarling, Katharine Hart*
• Violin – Brian Smith , Catherine Mackintosh, Christopher Hirons, David Woodcock, Elizabeth Wallfisch, John Willison, Julie Miller , William Thorp
• Vocals [Chorus Westminster Cathedral] – Anthony Oliver , Domenic Sewell, Francis Sheperd, Keith Roberts , Marc Stevens , Robert Ogden, Roderic Unwin, Sean Evans

Notes

℗ & © 1985 The Decca Record Company Limited, London
Made in Germany. Printed in England.
"The Academy Of Ancient Music" on authentic instruments. A = 415

This box set comes with an 16-page booklet (the size of the box) with extensive information on Händel's Oratorio Esther.
Included are a lot of photographs of the vocalists, conductor, choirs and orchestra.
The notes are in English, French and German.
Also the texts of the Oratorio vocalists are included.

These records are manufactured with TELDEC's DMM Technology. Digital Recording.
This issue is part of the FLORILEGIUM series of Decca.
Cover illustration: "Esther before Ahasuerus" by Sebastiano Ricci (1659-1734), National Gallery, London.
Booklet cover illustration: "Händel", after a painting by Hudson, BBC Hulton Picture Library.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

• Barcode (Text): 4 001406 356865
• Label Code: LC 0171
• Rights Society: Contr. Copyr.
• Matrix / Runout (Side A - label): 6.35686-01-1
• Matrix / Runout (Side B - label): 6.35686-01-2
• Matrix / Runout (Side C - label): 6.35686-02-1
• Matrix / Runout (Side D - label): 6.35686-02-2
• Matrix / Runout (Side A - Runout): 0 (0 = tilted 90°) DMM A C-6.35686-01-1
• Matrix / Runout (Side B - Runout): DMM A C-6.35686-01-2
• Matrix / Runout (Side C - Runout): 0 (0 = tilted 90°) DMM A C-6.35686-02-1
• Matrix / Runout (Side D - Runout): 0 (0 = tilted 90°) DMM A C-6.35686-02-2
• Matrix / Runout (Runout Side A, B, C and D - etched): CS-B-I
• Other (Price Code): FA

Other versions

Category	Artist	Title (Format)	Label	Category	Country	Year
414 423 - 1	Händel* - Kirkby* • Kwella* • Minter* • Rolfe-Johnson* • Elliott* • King* • Partridge* • Thomas* • Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir* • Chorus & Orchestra of The Academy Of Ancient Music • Christopher Hogwood	Händel* - Kirkby* • Kwella* • Minter* • Rolfe-Johnson* • Elliott* • King* • Partridge* • Thomas* • Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir* • Chorus & Orchestra of The Academy Of Ancient Music • Christopher Hogwood - Esther ‎(2xLP + Box)	L'Oiseau-Lyre	414 423 - 1	UK	1985

Review Händel - Kirkby • Kwella • Minter • Rolfe-Johnson • Elliott • King • Partridge • Thomas • Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir • Chorus & Orchestra Of The Academy Of Ancient Music • Christopher Hogwood - Esther

Related albums at Händel - Kirkby • Kwella • Minter • Rolfe-Johnson • Elliott • King • Partridge • Thomas • Westminster Cathedral Boys Choir • Chorus & Orchestra Of The Academy Of Ancient Music • Christopher Hogwood - Esther