84. O fatal Day

From Saul, HWV 53, Act III, Scene V

Composer	George Frideric Handel
Key	g sharp minor → E major
Meter	4/4
Length	72 measures

English text
Israelites
O fatal day! How low the mighty lie!
David; Israelites
O Jonathan! How nobly didst thou die,
For thy king and people slain.
David
For thee, my brother Jonathan,
How great is my distress!
What language can my grief express?
Great was the pleasure I enjoy’d in thee,
And more than woman’s love thy wondrous love to me!
David; Israelites
O fatal day! How low the mighty lie!
Where, Israel, is thy glory fled?
Spoil’d of thy arms, and sunk in infamy,
How canst thou raise again thy drooping head!
Opera Stanford

About the text

• Author: Charles Jennens

Instrumentation

Resources

• Full score: Hallische Händel-Ausgabe I/13, p. 280, p. 280
• Opera Stanford ›
• Scores at IMSLP ›
• Wikipedia ›

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