During his lifetime, Handel revisited his score of Israel in Egypt many times to create a more ‘audience friendly work’, meaning that by the early nineteenth century there were several versions available, often vastly truncated to satisfy the musical appetites of the day.

During his career as a conductor Felix Mendelssohn conducted Handel’s oratorio Israel in Egypt more than any other work. While in London, Mendelssohn discovered the original score to the work, and consequently produced a new critical edition in line with this newly-discovered, much longer manuscript source.

Mendelssohn performed his new arrangement of Israel in Egypt at the Lower Rhine Musical Festival in Düsseldorf on 26 May 1833 and in doing so successfully returned the work to the concert stage.

CPO is delighted to add this sacred work to their catalogue to celebrate Handel’s 250th anniversary year.