Handel - Mendelssohn: Israel in Agypten. The King's Consort Choir and Orchestra with soloists. Vivat, 2CDs
It became mostly forgotten after the premiere, but was revived by Mendelssohn in 1833 (reconstructed from fragments), with new numbers, changes in the order of numbers, different orchestrations, and particularly the introduction of the mellifluous and thrilling, pure-Mendelssohn overture.
He also used cellos and double bass in the recitatives and clarinets and flutes in the orchestral items sometimes to replace keyboard and organ.
Robert King, the founder and conductor of the top-class King's Consort, brings this work back to our attention with his large double choir, magnificently in voice, and the expert orchestra playing 19th-century instruments at an A=430 pitch.
The soloists who deliver excellently fine singing are sopranos Lydia Teuscher and Julia Doyle, alto Hilary Summers, tenor Benjamin Hulett and bass Roderick Williams.
There is 82 minutes of music presented in two discs (part 1 is "Exodus'' and part 2 "Moses'' Song.4)
Mendelssohn, who famously revived Bach's St Matthew Passion, was also a great fan of Handel's music, and does not dishonour his idol.
Although the work is sung in German, the bulky accompanying booklet contains a full translation in English and two interesting articles, one by Robert King himself.
He explains how he too had to reconstruct this edition of the oratorio from fragmentary survivals, initially for the 2014 Mendelssohn Festival in Leipzig.
Alas, however, the booklet deters readers with its light, very tiny typeface.
Verdict: Rich rewards of reconstruction, recomposing.
