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R.M.20.e.7
- Record Id:
- 040-001948666
- Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:
- 032-001948397
- MDARK:
- ark:/81055/vdc_100000000293.0x00039c
- LARK:
- SLARK:
- Format:
- ISAD(G)
- Reference (shelfmark):
- R.M.20.e.7
- Title:
- George Frideric Handel: Esther (oratorio by Thomas Morell), HWV 50). Autograph
- Scope & Content:
-
ff. 1-67v are the first version (H-G. XL), while ff. 69-80 are the 1732 version (H-G.XLI); between ff. 76 and 77 is inserted a leaf ruled with staves but otherwise blank, foliated 76a; ff. 7, 68 and 76v are ruled with staves but otherwise blank. At the end of the volume is a note, dated 23 September 1933: "No f. 22 is found in volume, but none of the original MS. is missing. A blank leaf with the cataloguer, who presumably forgot to alter the foliation". See also R.M.20.g.9. (f. 18); for copies see R.M.18.d.1., R.M.18.d.2., R.M.19.g.8., R.M.19.b.2., R.M.19.e.10., R.M.18.c.5. (ff. 58-113); R.M.18.c.6. (ff. 15-19), R.M.18.c.7. (ff. 39-48), R.M.19.a.1. (ff. 62-65), R.M.19.d.11. (ff. 57-98), Eg. 2931, Add. MS. 31560. See also Donald Burrows and Martha J. Ronish, A Catalogue of Handel’s Musical Autographs (Oxford: Clarendon, 1994), pp. 118-120.
Points of note:
1. f. 1. ‘Haman and Mordecai Officers…’ (the rest illegible and cut in binding). ‘’Tis greater far’. Recitatives (H-G., p. 10).
2. f. 1v. ‘Pluck root and brunch’ (H-G., p. 10).
3. f. 3v. ‘Our souls with order’, recitative, and ‘Shall wee [sic] the God of Israel’, chorus. (H-G., p. 14). No tempo marked.
4. f. 7. Inserted leaf, a note in the hand of F. Nicolai.
5. f. 8. ‘Shall wee [sic] of servitude’. Chorus stet’ (pencil note in a later hand). Marked ‘Allegro’. (H-G., p.24).
6. f. 10. ‘Praise the Lord’ Air (S.); not ‘First Israelite’ (as in H-G., p. 27).
7. f. 13v. ‘Methinks I see’. Recitative (S.) with Continuo, in second version (H-G. XLI, p. 49) crossed out in ink. ‘O God who from’. Recitative (S.) (H-G., p. 34).
8. f. 14. ‘Sing song of praise’ (H-G., p. 34); at the end (f. 15v): ‘Da capo e poi si replica il coro precedente Shall wee of servitude complain. Der Chorus muss geschrieben werden’.
9. f. 16. ‘Scena 3, enter an Israelite’ (H-G., p. 38).
10. f. 17. ‘Ye sons of Israel, mourn’ (H-G., p. 39). ‘NB. Dies Chorus kom[m]t vor die Aria O Jordan, Jordan, ū wird hier wieder repetirt’.
11. f. 19. ‘O Jordan, Jordan’ (H-G., p. 42). No tempo marked. At the end (f. 21v): ‘Segue il Coro. Ye sons of Israel mourn si replica’.
12. f. 23. ‘Scena 4’. Recitatives, down to ‘shall die’ (H-G., p. 45). ‘’Hester’ – throughout the MS.
13. f. 23v. ‘NB. L’aria seguente invece di questa’. ‘How can I stay’ (H-G., p. 60). Originally set to ‘Haste to the King his mercy crave’ for the part of Mordecai. The latter name is crossed out, and ‘Assuerus’ substituted. At the end (f. 25v): ‘Segue sub litera B il recitativo Israelite with inward joy’.
14. f. 26. ‘I go before the King’, recit. and ‘Tears assist me’, air. (H-G., p. 48).
15. f. 28. ‘Save us, O Lord’ (H-G., p. 52).
16. f. 29. Inserted leaf, a note in the hand of F. Nicolai..
17. f. 30. ‘Who calls my parting soul’. (H-G., p. 54).
18. f. 31. Inserted leaf, a note in the hand of F. Nicolai.
19. f. 32. ‘Virtue, truth and innocence’. (H-G., p. 64). The words of the 1732 version (‘Tyrants may awhile’, H-G. XLI, p. 51) are partly written in. No tempo marked.
20. f. 36. ‘Jehovah crown’d’. (H-G., p. 72).
21. f. 39. ‘He comes to end our woes’ (H-G., p. 76), marked ‘Allegro’.
22. f. 45. ‘Scena 6ta’ (H-G., p. 88).
23. f. 67v. ‘The last three bars of ‘The Lord our enemy’ (H-G., p. 139) are wanting.
24. f. 68. Inserted leaf, a note in the hand of F. Nicolai.
25. f. 69. a. ‘O King of Kings’. Recit. (H-G., p. 20. Version Aa); at the end: ‘Segue Alleluya’. b. ‘With transport, lovely Queen’. (H-G., p. 28) ‘Segue l’aria di Mordecai so much beauty’.
26. f. 69v. ‘So much beauty.’ (H-G., p. 28).
27. f. 71. ‘Act 2. After Mordecai’s song, Dread not righteous Queen the Danger’. a. ‘O Heaven protect her’. Recit. (H-G., p. 64, version A.) ‘Segue Duetto Blessings descend on downy wings’. b. ‘In the last scene of ye 2 Act after the Recit: and all his wrath disarm’d’. ‘Beauty will her powr maintain’. Recit. and ‘Heaven has lent her’, air. (H-G., p. 81. Version A).
28. f. 73. At the end of ‘Heaven has lent her’: ‘The King will listen’, recit. (H-G., p. 90). ‘Segue Anthem Zadok the first part with other Words God is our Hope’.
29. f. 73v. ‘in the last Act after the Recit of Assuerus – who sav’d the King’. ‘Thro’ the nation he shall be’. (H-G., p. 113, version A).
30. f. 77. ‘Scena 2da’. Recitatives (H-G., p. 33, version A) and ‘Endless fame’ (H-G., p. 35).
Jean Racine, French poet: Dr John Arbuthnot, physician and wit: Alexander Pope, poet: Handel's 'Esther' (HWV50) to a libretto by Alexander Pope, and Dr John Arbuthnot after a text by Jean Racine: 18th cent.
Frederick Nicolay, royal musician and librarian: Handel's autograph scores annotated by: circa 1760- circa 1809: Autogr.
- Collection Area:
- Music Collections
- Project / Collection:
- Royal Music Library Manuscripts
- Hierarchy Record Ids:
- 032-001948397
040-001948666 - Is part of:
- R.M. : Royal Music Library Manuscripts
R.M.20.e.7 : George Frideric Handel: Esther (oratorio by Thomas Morell), HWV 50). Autograph - Hierarchy:
- 032-001948397[0232]/040-001948666
- Container:
- View / search within Archive / Collection: R.M.
- Record Type (Level):
- File
- Extent:
- 1 volume (80 folios)
- Digitised Content:
- http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=R.M.20.e.7 (digital images currently unavailable)
- Thumbnail:
-
- Languages:
- English
- Scripts:
- Latin
- Start Date:
- 1720
- End Date:
- 1732
- Date Range:
- 1720-1732
- Era:
- CE
- Access:
- Restrictions to access apply please consult British Library staff
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- User Conditions:
- Physical Characteristics:
-
9.25 x 11.5 in.
- Information About Copies:
- Digitised copy available on British Library Digitised Manuscripts: http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=R.M.20.e.7
- Publications:
- Händel-Gesellschaft XL, XLI; Hallische Händel-Ausgabe I/8, 1995.
- Material Type:
- Archives and Manuscripts
- Legal Status:
- Not Public Record(s)