NIKOLAUS HARNONCOURT / HANDEL: JEPHTHA (3CD)

收錄韓德爾以聖經改編之生平最後創作之歌劇－「耶弗他」。
哈農庫特這份錄音完成於一九七九年，他不以緩慢的宗教音樂詮釋此劇，反而以充滿了歌劇一樣的戲劇張力來呈現全劇，讓節奏和音量充滿對比！

　　「耶弗他」這齣神劇，是因為劇中「Waft her, angels, thro’ the skies」這首詠嘆調而名垂千古的。這首詠嘆調被視為韓德爾畢生寫過最美的旋律，就出於劇中第三幕第三曲。這齣神劇首演於一七五一年，在創作時，韓德爾已經深為眼疾所苦，最後更完全失去視力，因此此劇也成為他生平最後的神劇作品，就在寫到劇中的合唱段「多麼黑暗啊，上帝的旨意」時，他在樂譜上寫下：在一七五一年二月十三日行筆至此，卻因左眼視力退化無法再繼續。「耶弗他」這部神劇是韓德爾從舊約聖經「士師記」第十一章中選出來的故事，描寫耶弗他被同父異母的哥哥奪去了繼承權，但依然成為出色的戰士，多年後以色列遭到亞捫人的攻擊，哥哥乃前來請他回來助以色列一臂之力，耶弗他以成為主帥為條件答應回來助戰，但是在戰前他向神許諾，若獲勝，他將會把第一個從家中出來的人當作犧牲獻給神，結果凱旋後返家第一個出來迎接他的人是他的獨女，因此她就成了獻祭的犧牲。聖經中最後的結局是耶弗他允許女兒離家兩個月去哀悼自己處女之身，最後死於父親刀下，但在韓德爾手中，他改變了結局：天使自天上降臨，要耶弗他女兒不必犧牲，但要她終生守節不近男子。在一七五一年八月於柯芬園首演此劇時，動用了兩位韓德爾手下的首席女高音來演唱，但沒有戲服也沒有布景，不過後世的演出則都有布景和戲服。

　　哈農庫特這份錄音完成於一九七九年，是他繼巴哈清唱劇全集之後，進行的韓德爾歌劇錄音作品中的巔峰代表。哈農庫特並不像一般英國指揮家那樣將此劇處理得像宗教音樂一樣緩慢，相反的，他以充滿了歌劇一樣的戲劇張力來呈現全劇，讓節奏和音量充滿對比，讓這份一九七九年的錄音至今聽來依然鮮明新穎。■2009.02■

§ 曲 目 §
CD 1:
1.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Overture - Menuet
2.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 1 "It must be so - or these vile Ammonites... Pour forth no more unheeded pray’rs" [Zebul]
3.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 1 "No more to Ammon’s god and king" [Chorus]
4.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 1 "But Jephtha comes... Virtue my soul shall still embrace" [Zebul, Jephtha]
5.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 1 "’Twill be a painful separation, Jephtha... In gentle murmurs will I mourn" [Storge]
6.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 1 "Happy this embassy, my charming Iphis... Dull delay, in piercing anguish" [Hamor]
7.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 1 "Ill suits the voice of love when glory calls... Take the heart you fondly gave" [Iphis]
8.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 1 "I go - My soul, inspir’d by thy command... These labours past, how happy we!" [Hamor, Iphis]
9.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 1 "What mean these doubtful fancies" [Jephtha]
10.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 1 "O God, behold our sore distress" [Chorus]
11.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 1 "Some dire event hangs o’er our heads... Scenes of horror, scenes of woe" [Storge]
12.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 1 "Say, my dear mother... The smiling dawn of happy days" [Iphis, Storge]
13.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 1 "Such, Jephtha, was the haughty king’s reply" [Zebul, Jephtha]
14.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 1 "When his loud voice in thunder spoke" [Chorus]

CD 2:
1.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 "Glad tidings of great joy to thee, dear Iphis" [Hamor]
2.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 "Cherub and Seraphim, unbodied forms" [Chorus]
3.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 "Up the dreadful steep ascending" [Hamor]
4.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 "’Tis well. Haste, haste, ye maidens... Tune the soft melodious lute" [Iphis]
5.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 "Again Heav’n smiles on his repentant people... Freedom now once more possessing" [Zebul]
6.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 "Zebul, thy deeds were valiant... His mighty arm, with sudden blow" [Jephtha]
7.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 "In glory high, in might serene" [Chorus]
8.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 Symphony
9.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 "Hail, glorious conqueror!... Welcome as the cheerful light" [Iphis, Chorus]
10.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 "Horror! confusion!... Open thy marble jaws, O tomb" [Jephtha]
11.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 "Why is my brother thus afflicted" [Zebul, Jephtha]
12.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 "First perish thou, and perish all the world!... Let other creatures die" [Storge]
13.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 "If such thy cruel purpose... On me let blind mistaken zeal" [Hamor]
14.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 "O spare your daughter" [Zebul, Storge, Hamor, Jephtha]
15.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 "Such news fly swift... Happy they! this vital breath" [Iphis]
16.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 "Deeper and deeper still" [Jephtha]
17.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 2 "How dark, O Lord, are Thy decrees!" [Chorus]

CD 3:
1.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 3 "Hide thou thy hated beams, O sun... Waft her, angels, through the skies" [Jephtha]
2.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 3 "Ye sacred priests... Farewell, ye limpid springs and floods" [Iphis]
3.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 3 "Doubtful fear and rev’rent awe" [Chorus]
4.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 3 "And they determin’d will declare"... Symphony [Chorus]
5.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 3 "Rise, Jephtha, and ye rev’rend priests... Happy, Iphis, shalt thou live" [Angel]
6.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 3 "For ever blessed be thy holy name" [Jephtha]
7.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 3 "Theme sublime of endless praise" [Chorus]
8.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 3 "Let me congratulate this happy turn... Laud her, all ye virgin train" [Zebul]
9.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 3 "O let me fold thee in a mother’s arms... Sweet as sight to the blind" [Storge]
10.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 3 "With transport, Iphis, I behold thy safety... ’Tis Heaven’s all-ruling pow’r" [Hamor]
11.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 3 "My faithful Hamor, may that Providence... Freely I to heaven resign" [Iphis]
18.Handel : Jephtha HWV70 : Part 3 "Ye house of Gilead, with one voice" [Chorus]

【得獎榮譽】