Airy Textures Handel's 'Judas Maccabaeus' - heard by ROBERT ANDERSON '... the choral mood is everything.'

In 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie led the Jacobite rebellion a good way towards success; and it took the ruthless campaign by a son of George II to steady the Hanoverian grip on Britain and send Charlie back to France. 'Butcher' Cumberland became known in Scotland as 'Stinking Billy', but Thomas Morell as Handel's librettist seized the moment to provide 'This Faint Portraiture of a Truly Wise, Valiant, and Virtuous Commander'. The work was designed as a compliment to the Duke. Morell claims to have provided further relevant incidents in the text, but it seems to have been decided the oratorio would become too long. Nevertheless, Morell received a present from the Duke...

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL

UNITED KINGDOM

FRANCE