Saul

Handel’s most ambitious dramatic work in English, Saul (1738) was the first piece in which he fully realised the potential of the oratorio. It tells the tragic story of a heroic leader’s moral collapse: Saul, divinely chosen as the first king of the Israelites, strays from God, who punishes him and replaces him with David. The score is full of innovations. This was Handel’s first dramatic work with a bass lead, the longest English music theatre work to date, with richer forces than any dramatic work previously heard in England. The unprecedented emotional range and character portrayal drew on Handel’s operatic experience. Saul’s inadequacy is suggested by giving him less to sing than virtually any other main character, and he’s never granted the dignity of a full-length operatic-style aria. The use of the chorus to represent the Israelite people is powerfully developed, as in “Preserve him for the Glory of thy Name” where they change allegiance to pray for David’s protection from Saul’s jealousy. The varied instrumentation is always closely linked to the drama. The supernatural scene where Saul visits the Witch of Endor (“Infernal Spirits”) makes chilling use of oboes and bassoons. Elsewhere, the bell-like carillon enlivens victory celebrations; three trombones add gravitas and foreboding; and Handel even borrowed military kettledrums from the Tower of London to enhance the battle music and famous “Dead March”.