American Choral Review Archive

The work with which we are concerned at present, the...

The work with which we are concerned at present, the first version of Handel's Esther-probably performed originally in the fall of 1720-cannot be compared with Bach's St. Matthew Passion on artistic grounds, but from the point of view of Handel's development and of the development of the modern oratorio tradition in general, it assumes a decisive role.

It is true that Handel had become acquainted with the...

It is true that Handel had become acquainted with the form of the oratorio during his early years in Italy and that he tried his hand at it. But his mature works-those truly representative of the Handelian oratorio-are in no way a continuation of his early oratorio writing; they must be considered in terms of a new individual genre. This was doubtless also the impression these works gave to Handel's contemporaries and direct followers.

By what is the character of a given performance decisively...

By what is the character of a given performance decisively guided-by the work, the interpreter, or the audience? What are the problems of interpretation to which the varying quality of performance may be attributed? Can we base our verdict on anything but subjective criteria? Can we determine why one performance seems good, even perfect, and another one preposterous?

Even though it may be agreed among all concerned that...

Even though it may be agreed among all concerned that a modern performance ought to be guided as far as possible by the artistic effect intended by the composer, we have to face the fact that a modern performance cannot be an exact reproduction of a performance in Handel's time. Too much has changed in the intervening two centuries-it becomes obvious that an "ideal" performance, satisfying all demands of authenticity, is, in fact, unattainable. Every performance must in some way represent a compromise.

The overthrow of numerous old traditions after World War I...

The overthrow of numerous old traditions after World War I led to a fresh evaluation of Handel's work, most importantly and prominently, a rediscovery of Handel's operas-the so-called "Gottingen Handel Renaissance" that began in 1920.

Bibliography accompanying multiple articles on Handel choral output by Jens...

Bibliography accompanying multiple articles on Handel choral output by Jens Peter Larsen.