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Belshazzar HWV 61

William Christie, Les Arts Florissants, Rosemary Joshua (Soprano), Iestyn Davies (Alto), Jonathan Fa'afetai Lemalu (Bass), Caitlin Hulcup (Mezzo-soprano), Allan Clayton (Tenor)
2012, Levallois-Perret, Conservatoire Maurice Ravel

  • Act I

    • 1. Overture
      02:40
    • 2. Accompagnato ed Arioso 'Vain fluctuating state of human empire!' (Nitocris)
      04:28
    • 3. Aria 'Thou, God most high, and Thou alone' (Nitocris)
      04:37
    • 4. Recitative 'The Fate of Babylon, I fear, is nigh.' (Nitocris) - 'O much belov'd' (Nitocris, Daniel)
      01:15
    • 5. Air 'Lament not thus, O Queen, in vain!' (Daniel)
      04:59
    • 6. Chorus of Babylonians 'Behold by Persia's hero made'
      02:28
    • 7. Recitative 'Well may they laugh, from meagre famine safe' (Gobrias) - Accompagnato 'Oh memory' (Gobrias)
      01:27
    • 8. Aria 'Opprest with never ceasing grief' (Gobrias)
      03:57
    • 9. Aria 'Dry those unavailing tears' (Cyrus)
      01:54
    • 10. 'Be comforted: safe tho' the tyrant seem' (Cyrus) - Accompagnato 'Methought, as on the bank of deep Euphrates' (Cyrus)
      03:59
    • 11. Aria 'Behold the monstrous human beast' (Gobrias)
      03:47
    • 12. Recitative 'Can you then think it strange, if drown'd in wine' (Cyrus) - Aria 'Great God! Who yet but darkly known' (Cyrus)
      04:09
    • 13. Chorus 'All empires upon God depend'
      03:28
    • 14. Arioso 'O sacred oracles of truth!' (Daniel)
      04:54
    • 15. 'Rejoice, my countrymen: the time draws near' (Daniel) - Recitative 'For long ago' (Daniel) - Accompagnato 'Thus saith the Lord to Cyrus his anointed' (Daniel)
      03:01
    • 16. Chorus 'Sing, O ye Heav'ns, for the Lord hath done it'
      04:16
    • 17. Aria 'Let festal joy triumphant reign' (Belshazzar) - Recitative 'For you, my friends, the nobles of my court' (Belshazzar, Nitocris)
      06:45
    • 18. Aria 'The leafy honours of the field' (Nitocris)
      07:10
    • 19. Recitative 'It is the custom; I may say, the law' (Belshazzar, Nitocris)
      01:35
    • 20. Chorus of Jews 'Recall, O king, thy rash command'
      02:32
    • 21. Recitative 'They tell you true; nor can you be to learn' (Nitocris, Belshazzar)
      01:18
    • 22. Duet 'O dearer than my life, forbear' (Nitocris, Belshazzar)
      04:45
    • 23. Chorus of Jews 'By slow degrees the wrath of God to its meridian height ascends'
      06:08

  • Act II

    • 1. Chorus 'See, from his post Euphrates flies!' - Semichorus 'Why faithless river dost thou leave' - Semichorus 'Euphrates hath his task fulfil'd' - Chorus 'Of things on earth, proud man must own'
      06:33
    • 2. Recitative 'You see, my friends, a path into the city' (Cyrus) - Aria 'Amaz'd to find the foe so near' (Cyrus) - Chorus of Persians 'to arms, to arms, no more delay'
      06:07
    • 3. Chorus 'Ye tutelar gods of our empire, look down'
      02:52
    • 4. Aria 'Let the deep bowl thy praise confess' (Belshazzar)
      02:35
    • 5. Accompagnato and Chorus 'Where is the God of Judah's boasted pow'r?' (Belshazzar) - Recitative 'Call all our wisemen, sorcerers, Chaldeans' (Belshazzar)
      02:41
    • 6. Symphony
      01:45
    • 7. Recitative 'Ye sages, welcome always to your king' (Belshazzar) - Trio 'Alas! Too hard a task the king imposes' (Wisemen) - Chorus 'O misery! O terror! Hopeless grief!'
      02:12
    • 8. 'O king, live for ever!' (Nitocris, Belshazzar) - 'Art thou that Daniel, of the Jewish captives?' (Belshazzar) -'No: to thyself thy trifles be' (Daniel)
      02:58
    • 9. Accompagnato 'Yet to obey his dread command' (Daniel) - 'Thou, O King, hast lifted up thyself' (Daniel) - Recitative 'O sentence too severe! and yet too sure!' (Nitocris)
      03:54
    • 10. Aria 'Regard, O son, my flowing tears' (Nitocris)
      06:22
    • 11. Aria 'O God of truth! O faithful guide!' (Cyrus) - Recitative 'You, Gobrias, Lead directly to the palace' (Cyrus)
      05:16
    • 12. Chorus 'O glorious prince! thrice happy they'
      04:57

  • Act III

    • 1. Aria 'Alternate hopes and fears distract my mind' (Nitocris) - Recitative 'Fain would I hope. Is there not room to hope?' (Nitocris, Daniel)
      04:42
    • 2. Aria 'Can the black Aethiop change his skin?' (Daniel) - Recitative 'My hopes revive, here Arioch comes: by this' (Nitocris, Arioch, Messenger)
      03:26
    • 3. Chorus of Jews 'Bel boweth down! Nebo stoopeth!'
      01:29
    • 4. Aria 'I thank thee, Sesach, thy sweet pow'r' (Belshazzar) - A Martial Symphony
      02:05
    • 5. Aria 'To pow'r immortal my first thanks are due' (Gobrias) - Recitative 'Be it thy care, good Gobrias, to find out' (Cyrus)
      02:23
    • 6. Aria 'Destructive war thy limits know' (Cyrus)
      02:20
    • 7. Duett 'Great victor, at your feet I bow' (Nitocris, Cyrus) - Recitative 'Say, venerable prophet, is there ought' (Cyrus, Daniel)
      05:58
    • 8. Soli and Chorus 'Tell it out among the heathen, that the Lord is King' (Nitocris, Gobrias, Daniel)
      01:38
    • 9. Accompagnato 'Yes, I will build thy City, God of Israel' (Cyrus)
      01:37
    • 10. Anthem 'I will magnify Thee, O God my king' (Daniel, Nitocris, Chorus)
      07:00

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