Israel in Egypt | Southwell Festival Voices

If you enjoy Messiah you’ll love Handel’s oratorio Israel in Egypt. As with Messiah Handel sets a biblical text – the dramatic story of the Israelites’ departure from Egypt in the Book of Exodus; also like Messiah, Handel’s choir – a spectacular double chorus, is a leading character in the drama. Add orchestral writing that fizzes with originality and solo numbers of plangent beauty and this masterpiece will have you on the edge of your seat. And when the Israelites finally cross the Red Sea with the pursuing Egyptians drowning behind them there’s a choral celebration to rival the Hallelujah Chorus. As Marcus Farnsworth says: “Handel does joy like no one else; he makes you glad to be alive. If Bach does joy with dancing, Handel does it with fireworks.”