Help
Skip to main content
Basket 0 items, $0.00

US TARIFFS UPDATE | August 2025 | No impact expected on your Presto orders | Read full details

Handel: Saul

Christopher Purves (Saul), Sarah Connolly (David), Robert Murray (Jonathan), Elizabeth Atherton (Merab), Joélle Harvey (Michal), Mark Dobell (High Priest), Jeremy Budd (Witch of Endor) & Stuart Young (Ghost of Samuel)

The Sixteen, Harry Christophers

Handel: Saul

Awards:

the choruses are always beautifully contoured, as is the incisive playing of The Sixteen's house band. Christopher Purves and Sarah Connolly all but steal the show: Purves's splenetic Saul is...

BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 20124 out of 5 stars

More reviews

Handel: Saul

Christopher Purves (Saul), Sarah Connolly (David), Robert Murray (Jonathan), Elizabeth Atherton (Merab), Joélle Harvey (Michal), Mark Dobell (High Priest), Jeremy Budd (Witch of Endor) & Stuart Young (Ghost of Samuel)

The Sixteen, Harry Christophers

Purchase product

3 CDs

$32.50

Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days

Download

From$8.00

Download

Audio formats guide

44.1 kHz, 16 bit, FLAC/ALAC/WAV

$11.00

320 kbps, MP3

$8.00

This release includes a digital booklet

Stream now lossless, 44.1 kHz, 16 bit
Free 30 day trial

Awards:

the choruses are always beautifully contoured, as is the incisive playing of The Sixteen's house band. Christopher Purves and Sarah Connolly all but steal the show: Purves's splenetic Saul is...

BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 20124 out of 5 stars

More reviews

About

Renowned for their Handel interpretations, Harry Christophers and his award winning choir, The Sixteen, add to their glittering catalogue of Handel discs with this new recording of Saul.

In his biblical oratorio, Saul, Handel wrote an epic work of great and noble drama and of thrilling musical inventiveness. Saul represents Handel’s first proper foray into oratorio and it is a masterpiece full of great and magical moments. It is bursting with exceptional music, extraordinary orchestration (replete with trombones, deepsounding drum and perky carillon), extended choruses both profound and ebullient, symphonies, concerto movements for organ, recitatives which explore the varying moods of the characters, and the most stunning arias.

In Saul Handel gifted soloists with roles of vivid characterisation and the artists on this disc are some of the finest Handelian interpreters of today including Christopher Purves - a baritone whose talent for dramatic realisation is matched by superb musical craftsmanship - and Sarah Connolly - whose intensely radiant performance of David on this CD confirms her status as one of our most sought-after Handel performers.

Both Christopher and Sarah sang with The Sixteen at the start of their careers, and Sarah released her first solo album Heroes and Heroines on CORO, and so it is with great pride that we welcome them back for this recording. Robert Murray, Elizabeth Atherton and Joélle Harvey along with Sixteen regulars, Mark Dobell, Jeremy Budd and Stuart Young, complete the stellar line-up of soloists on this new recording.

  • Release date: 3rd Sep 2012
  • Label: Coro
  • Catalogue number: COR16103
  • Length: 2 hours 41 minutes
  • Genre:

Contents and tracklist

Handel: Saul
Work length2:41:52
This work is only available as an album download.
Act 1, Overture
Track length11:55
This track is only available as an album download.
Act I, Scene I, "How Excellent Thy Name", (Chorus of Israelites)
Track length2:44
Act I, Scene I, Air. "An Infant Rais'd", (Merah)
Track length1:37
Act I, Scene I, "Along the Monster" (Chorus)
Track length1:02
Act I, Scene I, "The Youth Inspired" (Chorus of Israelites)
Track length1:48
Act I, Scene I, "How Excellent Thy Name" (Chours of Israelites)
Track length0:49
Act I, Scene I, "Hallelujah!" (Chorus of Israelites)
Track length1:40
Act I, Scene II, Recitive. "He Comes, He Comes!" (Michal)
Track length0:04
Act I, Scene II, Air. "O Godlike Youth" (Michal)
Track length3:15
Act I, Scene II, Recitative. "Behold, O King" (Abner, Saul, David)
Track length0:53
Act I, Scene II, Air. "O King, Your Favours" (David)
Track length5:23
Act I, Scene II, Recitative "Oh Early Piety!" (Jonathan)
Track length0:24
Act I, Scene II, Air. "What Abject Thoughts" (Merab)
Track length2:04
Act I, Scene II, Recitative. "Yet Think On Whom This Honor" (Merab)
Track length0:12
Act I, Scene II, Air. "Birth and Fortune I Despise!" (Jonathan)
Track length4:57
Act I, Scene II, Recitative. "Go On, Illustrious Pair!" (High Priest)
Track length0:19
Act I, Scene II, Air. "While Yet Thy Tide" (High Priest)
Track length2:04
Act I, Scene II, Recitative. "Thou, Merab, First in Birth" (Saul, Merab)
Track length0:18
Act I, Scene II, Air. "My Soul Rejects" (Merab, Michal)
Track length3:18
Act I, Scene II, Sinfonia
Track length1:04
Act I, Scene III, Recitative. "Already See the Daughters" (Michal)
Track length0:18
Act I, Scene III, "Welcome, Welcome, Mighty King!" (Chorus of Israelites)
Track length1:30
Act I, Scene III, Accompagnato. "What Do I Hear?" (Saul)
Track length0:24
Act I, Scene III, "David His Ten Thousand Slew" (Chorus of Israelites)
Track length0:31
Act I, Scene III, Accompagnato. "To Him Ten Thousands" (Saul)
Track length0:13
Act I, Scene III, Air. "With Rage I Shall Burst" (Saul)
Track length1:14
Act I, Scene IV, Recitative. "Imprudent Women!" (Johnathan, Michal)
Track length0:45
Act I, Scene IV, Air. "Fell Rage and Black Despair" (Michal)
Track length2:35
Act I, Scene V, Recitative. "Racked with Infernal Pains" (Abner)
Track length0:16
Act I, Scene V, Air. "Oh Lord Whose Mercies" (David)
Track length4:03
Act I, Scene V, Symphony (Harp)
Track length1:29
Act I, Scene V, Recitative. "'Tis All in Vain" (Jonathan)
Track length0:18
Act I, Scene V, Air. "A Serpent, in My Bosom Warm'd" (Saul)
Track length1:54
Act I, Scene V, Recitative. "Has He Escap'd My Rage?" (Saul)
Track length0:21
Act I, Scene V, Air. "Capricious Man" (Mehab)
Track length3:40
Act I, Scene VI, Accompagnato. "O Filial Piety!" (Jonathan)
Track length1:21
Act I, Scene VI, Air. "No, Cruel Father, No!" (Jonathan)
Track length1:23
Act I, Scene VI, Air. "O Lord, Whose Providence" (High Priest)
Track length1:27
Act I, Scene VI, "Preserve Him for the Glory" (High Priest)
Track length3:40
Act II, Scene I, "Envy, Eldest Born of Hell" (Chorus)
Track length2:59
Act II, Scene II, Recitative. "Ah, Dearest Friend" (Jonathan)
Track length0:34
Act II, Scene II, Air. "But Sooner Jordan's Stream" (Jonathan)
Track length2:10
Act II, Scene II, Recitative. "Oh, Strange Vicissitude!" (David, Jonathan)
Track length0:55
Act II, Scene II, Air. "Such Haughty Beauties Rather Move" (David)
Track length5:09
Act II, Scene II, Recitative. "My Father Comes" (Jonathan)
Track length0:52
Act II, Scene III, Air. "Sin Not, O King, Against the Youth" (Jonathan)
Track length2:05
Act II, Scene III, Air. "As Great Jehovah Lives, I Swear" (Saul)
Track length1:06
Act II, Scene III, Air. "From Cities Stormed, And Battles Won" (Jonathan)
Track length2:02
Act II, Scene IV, Recitative. "Appear, My Friend" (Jonathan, Saul)
Track length0:30
Act II, Scene IV, Air. "Your Words, O King, My Loyal Heart" (David)
Track length1:04
Act II, Scene IV, Recitative. "Yes, He Shall Wed My Daughter!" (Saul)
Track length1:01
Act II, Scene V, Duet. "O Fairest of Then Thousand Fair" (Michal, David)
Track length2:50
Act II, Scene V, "Is There a Man, Who All His Ways" (Chorus)
Track length1:39
Act II, Scene V, Sinfonia
Track length6:44
Act II, Scene VI, Recitative. "Thy Father Is As Cruel" (David)
Track length0:41
Act II, Scene VI, Duet. "At Persecution I Can Laugh" (David, Michal)
Track length1:11
Act II, Scene VII, Recitative. "Whom Dost Thou Seek?" (Michal, Doeg)
Track length0:41
Act II, Scene VII, Air. "No, No, Let the Guitly Tremble" (Michal)
Track length1:24
Act II, Scene VIII, Recitative. "Mean As He Was, He Is My New Brother" (Merab)
Track length0:52
Act II, Scene VIII, Air. "Author of Peace" (Merab)
Track length3:35
Act, II, Scene IX, Saul at the Feast of the New Moon. (Symphony)
Track length1:10
Act, II, Scene IX, Saul at the Feast of the New Moon. Accompagnato. "The Time At Length Is Come" (Saul)
Track length0:37
Act II, Scene X, Recitative. "Where Is the Son of Jesse?" (Saul, Jonathan)
Track length1:04
Act II, Scene X, "Oh Fatal Consequence" (Chorus)
Track length5:10
Act III, Scene I - Saul Disguised, at Endor: Accompagnato. "Wretch That I Am, of My Own Ruin Author!" (Saul)
Track length2:10
Act III, Scene I - Saul Disguised, at Endor: Accompagnato. "'Tis Said, Here Lives a Woman" (Saul)
Track length0:54
Act III, Scene II - Saul and the Witch of Endor: Recitative. "With Me What Would'st Thou?" (Witch, Saul)
Track length0:44
Act III, Scene II - Saul and the Witch of Endor: Air. "Infernal Spirits, By Whose Pow'r" (Witch)
Track length1:53
Act III, Scene III - Apparition of Samuel: Accompagnao. "Why Hast Thou Forc'd Me from the Realms of Peace?" (Samuel, Saul)
Track length3:17
Act III, Scene III - Appartition of Samuel: Sinfonia
Track length0:36
Act III, Scene IV, Recitative. "Whence Comest Thou?" (David, Amalekite)
Track length1:03
Act III, Scene IV, Air. "Impious Wretch, of Race Accurst!" (David)
Track length1:51
Act III, Scene IV, Dead March (Symphony)
Track length3:16
Act III, Scene V - Elegy on the Death of Saul and Jonathan: "Mourn, Israel, Mourn Thy Beauty Lost" (Chours)
Track length3:35
Act III, Scene V - Elegy on the Death of Saul and Jonathan: Accompagnato "Oh, Let It Not in Gath Be Heard" (High Priest)
Track length2:20
Act III, Scene V - Elegy on the Death of Saul and Jonathan: Air. "From This Unhappy Day" (Merab)
Track length2:37
Act III, Scene V - Elegy on the Death of Saul and Jonathan: Air. "Brave Jonathan Hi Bow Never Drew" (David)
Track length2:06
Act III, Scene V - Elegy on the Death of Saul and Jonathan: Chorus."Eagles Were Not So Swift As They..." (Israelites)
Track length0:21
Act III, Scene V - Elegy on the Death of Saul and Jonathan: Air. "In Sweetest Harmony They Lived" (Michal)
Track length4:01
Act III, Scene V - Elegy on the Death of Saul and Jonathan: Solo / Chorus. "Oh Fatal Day!" (David, Israelites)
Track length4:01
Act III, Scene V - Elegy on the Death of Saul and Jonathan: Recitative. "Ye Men of Judah, Weep No More!" (High Priest)
Track length0:28
Act III, Scene V - Elegy on the Death of Saul and Jonathan: Chorus. "Gird on Thy Sword, Thou Man of Might" (Israelites)
Track length5:22

Spotlight on this release

Awards and reviews

  • Gramophone Magazine
    October 2012
    Disc of the Month
  • Gramophone Awards
    2013
    Finalist - Baroque Vocal

Christmas 2012

the choruses are always beautifully contoured, as is the incisive playing of The Sixteen's house band. Christopher Purves and Sarah Connolly all but steal the show: Purves's splenetic Saul is a satisfyingly multi-layered creation...Connolly's 'O Lord, whose mercies' proves a spellbinding vindication of casting a sophisticated velvety mezzo
4 out of 5 stars

October 2012

[Christophers's] ever-sure handling of choruses, sensitivity to the needs of solo singers and affinity for the orchestral grandeur or Handel's most elaborate score mark him out as an honest, natural Handelian conductor...Purves charms, broods, fumes implacably, plots villainously and confronts his doom vividly in the manner of a Shakespearean tragedian...The Sixteen's first-class account of Saul is magnificent in every way that matters most.

October 2012

Christophers is, on the whole, a lively and mainstream Handelian...The set is worth having for Connolly's singing of [David's] aria alone...Purves's volatile Saul strikes me, too, as a prime asset...none of his colleagues in the older sets suggests the gradual slide into paranoia and derangement as Purves does here. His text is immaculate, his coloratura clean and precise, never blustery.

16th September 2012

Christopher Purves gives vent to Saul’s paranoia with trenchant diction and fulminating delivery of Handel’s angry coloratura. Sarah Connolly’s David is the other star, unusually but apparently authentically cast in a role once thought to have been written for a countertenor.

7th September 2012

With his acting chops and weighty bass-baritone, Purves in full cry is a splendid and fearful spectacle. But balm is at hand from Sarah Connolly’s David...She’s at her peak singing O Lord, Whose Mercies Numberless in Act I, channelling her eloquence through the words rather than any elaborately beautified tone...Buy with confidence.
4 out of 5 stars

Early Music Today

[Connolly's and Purves's] performances could not be bettered. Indeed, the whole cast is excellent, with Robert Murray (Jonathan) and Joélle Harvey (Michal) also on sparkling form, as are the chorus and orchestra. Christophers paces the drama perfectly, and draws out every emotional nuance throughout; he deserves the highest praise for this outstanding achievement.
View download progress

Download queue