The people mourn the death of their leader Mattathias, but his son Simon tries to restore their faith and calls them to arms (Arm, arm, ye brave). Simon's brother, Judas Maccabaeus, assumes the role of leader and inspires the people with thoughts of liberty and victory through the power of Jehovah.
Part 2
The people have been victorious, but Judas is concerned that vanity will cause the people to claim victory for themselves. When news arrives that the Seleucid commander Gorgias is preparing to enact revenge, the people's joyous mood gives way to wailing and dejection (Ah! wretched Israel!). Again Judas rallies the people (Sound an alarm) and insists that the pagan altars must be destroyed and that false religions must be resisted.
Part 3
Victory has finally been achieved for the Jewish people (See, the Conqu’ring Hero Comes!). News arrives that Rome is willing to form an alliance with Judas against the Seleucid empire. The people rejoice that peace has at last come to their country (O lovely peace).
Description by Brian Robins
During Handel's lifetime, Judas Maccabaeus was one of the most popular of all his oratorios. Following its hugely successful first performance at London's Covent Garden Theater on April 1, 1747, the work was subsequently revived during Handel's oratorio seasons every year until his death in 1759, with the single exception of 1749. Yet the oratorio has its genesis in one of the bleaker periods of Handel's life. In 1745 he was forced to abandon his Covent Garden season for lack of support, and he was also in ill-health. Notwithstanding, Judas Maccabaeus was begun in the fall of that year. The work was temporarily laid aside in favor of The Occasional Oratorio, quickly composed and drawing heavily from preexisting material, as Handel's loyalist contribution to the fight to put down the serious Jacobite revolution launched by the Stuarts. Only after the threat of the rebellion's success was lifted following the bloodily conclusive battle of Culloden in April 1746 did Handel again take up the score, completing it on August 11.
With its warlike story of the triumph of a Jewish hero over invading forces, Judas Maccabaeus formed the ideal victory celebration, and was overtly planned as such by Handel and his librettist, the Rev. Thomas Morrell. Indeed the latter designed his book as "a compliment to the Duke of Cumberland upon his returning victorious from Scotland." Its main source is the first book of Maccabees, which appears in the Apocrypha. The oratorio falls into three acts, the first of which opens after one of Handel's finest overtures, with the mourning of the Israelites lamenting the death of Mattathias, the father of Judas Maccabaeus and the leader of Jewish resistance to the invading Syrians. This somber opening sequence includes one of Handel's most famous arias, "Pious orgies," with its mournful tones underpinned by dark bassoons. The Israelites are galvanized by Judas, and the remainder of the oratorio is dominated by a militaristic triumphalism illustrated through some of Handel's grandest and most stirring choruses, among which "Sound an alarm" (Act Two) and "Sing unto God" (Act Three) are notable examples. At the end of the oratorio the exploits of Judas and his forces ensure a peace guaranteed by Roman power, a moment celebrated in one of the oratorio's few moments of repose in "O lovely peace," the lovely pastoral aria sung by the Israelite Woman.
The famous number "See the conqu'ring Hero" is often associated with Judas, but was in fact originally composed for the oratorio's close relative, Joshua (1747); it was only later added to the present work. In keeping with the mood and scale of the work, Handel's lavish scoring includes trumpets, horns, and timpani in addition to the flutes, oboes, and the usual complement of strings. There are solo parts for soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, tenor, and two basses in addition to the usual four-part chorus. Judas Maccabaeus is one of the few oratorios to have remained popular from Handel's day through to the twenty-first century. A singular hit with the Jewish population of London at the time, it remains a celebration of the Feast of Hanukkah, which commemorates the events it depicts.
Parts/Movements
Overture in G minor
Mourn, ye afflicted children
Well may your sorrows
From this dread scene these, adverse powers
For Sion lamentation make
Not vain is all this storm of grief
Pious orgies, pious airs, decent sorrow
Oh Father, whose almighty power
I feel the Deity within
Arm, ye brave!
'Tis well, my friends
Call forth thy powers, my soul
To Heavens Almighty King we kneel
Oh liberty, thou choicest treasure
Come, ever smiling liberty
Oh Judas, may these noble views
'Tis liberty, dear liberty alone,
Come, ever smiling liberty
Lead on! Judah disdains the galling load of hostile chains
So will'd my father now at rest
Disdainful of danger, we'll rush on the foe, Semichorus
Ambition! If e'er honour was thine aim
No unhallow'd desire our breasts shall inspire
Oh Judas, may thy just pursuits
May balmy peace, and wreath'd renown
Far brighter than the morning
Haste we, my brethren
Hear us, oh Lord
Fall'n is the foe
Victorious hero! Fame shall tell
So rapid thy course is
May well we hope our freedom receive
Flowing joys do now surround me
Sion now her head shall raise
Oh let eternal honours crown his name,
From mighty Kings we took the spoil
Hail, Judea, happy land
Thanks to my brethren
How vain is man, who boasts in fight
Great in wisdom, great in glory
Oh Judas, of my brethen!
Oh! wretched Israel!
Be comforted
The Lord worketh wonders
My arms! against his Gorgias
Sound an alarm! Your silver trumpets sound
Enough! To heav'n leave the rest
With pious hearts, and brave as pious
Ye worshippers of God
Wise men, flatt'ring may decieve us
Oh! Never bow we down
Father of Heav'n!,
See yon flames, that from the altar broke
Oh grant it, Heav'n that our long woes
So shall the lute and harp awake
From Capharsalama, on eagle wings I fly
Pow'rful guardians of all nature
All his mercies I review
Happy, oh, thrice happy we
Yet more, Nicanor lies with thousands slain
But low! The conqueror comes
See the conqu'ring hero comes!
March in G major
March in F major
Sing unto God, and high affections raise
Sweet flow the strains, that strike my feasted ear
With honour let desert be crown'd
Peace to my countrymen
Oh! had I Jubal's lyre
To our great God be all the honour giv'n
Again the earth let gratitude descend
Oh lovely peace, with plenty crown'd
Rejoice, oh Judah! And, in songs divine
Hallelujah Chorus and Amen
Supplemental March in E flat major (fragment)
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