Theodora

Sacred oratorio
George Frideric Handel, 1749
HWV 68

Part I
	Ouverture	Ouverture str · 2 ob · bc		str · 2 ob · bc
	Trio	Trio str · 2 ob · bc		str · 2 ob · bc
	Courante	Courante str · bc		str · bc
Scene I
	Recitative	Tis Dioclesian’s natal day B · bc	B ·	bc
1.	Air	Go, my faithful soldier, go B · 2 ob · str · bc	B ·	2 ob · str · bc
2.	Chorus	And draw a blessing down SATB · 2 ob · 2 tr · timp · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · 2 tr · timp · str · bc
	Recitative	Vouchsafe, dread sir AB · bc	AB ·	bc
3.	Air	Racks, gibbets B · str · bc	B ·	str · bc
4.	Chorus	For ever thus stand fix’d the doom SATB · 2 ob · 2 cor · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · 2 cor · str · bc
Scene II
	Recitative	Most cruel edict! A · bc	A ·	bc
5.	Air	The raptur’d soul A · str · bc	A ·	str · bc
	Recitative	I know thy virtues T · bc	T ·	bc
6.	Air	Descend, kind Pity T · str · bc	T ·	str · bc
Scene III
	Recitative	Tho’ hard, my friends S · bc	S ·	bc
7.	Air	Fond, flatt’ring world, adieu! S · 2 vln · bc	S ·	2 vln · bc
	Recitative	O bright example A · bc	A ·	bc
8.	Air	Bane of virtue A · str · bc	A ·	str · bc
9.	Chorus	Come, mighty Father SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
Scene IV
	Recitative	Fly, fly, my brethren! AT · bc	AT ·	bc
10.	Air	As with rosy steps the morn A · str · bc	A ·	str · bc
11.	Chorus	All pow’r in heav’n above SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
Scene V
	Recitative	Mistaken wretches! T · bc	T ·	bc
12.	Air	Dread the fruits T · 2 vln · bc	T ·	2 vln · bc
	Recitative	Deluded mortal! ST · bc	ST ·	bc
13.	Accompagnato	O worse than death indeed! S · str · bc	S ·	str · bc
14.	Air	Angels, ever bright and fair S · str · bc	S ·	str · bc
Scene VI
	Recitative	Unhappy happy crew! AA · bc	AA ·	bc
15.	Air	Kind Heav’n A · str · bc	A ·	str · bc
Scene VII
	Recitative	O love, how great thy pow’r! A · bc	A ·	bc
16.	Chorus	Go, gen’rous, pious youth SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
Part II
Scene I
	Recitative	Ye men of Antioch B · bc	B ·	bc
17.	Chorus	Queen of summer SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
18.	Air	Wide spread his name B · 2 ob · str · bc	B ·	2 ob · str · bc
	Recitative	Return, Septimius, to the stubborn maid B · bc	B ·	bc
19.	Chorus	Venus, laughing from the skies SATB · 2 ob · 2 cor · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · 2 cor · str · bc
Scene II
20.	Sinfonia	(no title) 2 fl · str · bc		2 fl · str · bc
	Recitative	O thou, bright sun! S · bc	S ·	bc
21.	Air	With darkness deep S · str · bc	S ·	str · bc
22.	Air	(no title) 2 fl · bsn		2 fl · bsn
	Recitative	But why are thou disquieted, my soul? S · bc	S ·	bc
23.	Air	O that I on wings could rise S · 2 vln · bc	S ·	2 vln · bc
Scene III
	Recitative	Long have I known AT · bc	AT ·	bc
24.	Air	Tho’ the honours T · str · bc	T ·	str · bc
	Recitative	O save her, then AT · bc	AT ·	bc
25.	Air	Deeds of kindness A · str · bc	A ·	str · bc
Scene IV
	Recitative	The clouds begin to veil A · bc	A ·	bc
26.	Air	Defend her, Heav’n A · str · bc	A ·	str · bc
Scene V
	Recitative	Or lull’d with grief A · bc	A ·	bc
27.	Air	Sweet rose and lily A · 2 vln · bc	A ·	2 vln · bc
	Recitative	O save me, Heav’n SA · bc	SA ·	bc
28.	Air	The pilgrim’s home S · str · bc	S ·	str · bc
29.	Accompagnato	Forbid it, Heav’n! A · str · bc	A ·	str · bc
	Recitative	Or say, what right have I SA · bc	SA ·	bc
30.	Duet	To thee, thou glorious son of worth SA · bsn · str · bc	SA ·	bsn · str · bc
Scene VI
	Recitative	‘Tis night A · bc	A ·	bc
31.	Chorus	He saw the lovely youth SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
Part III
Scene I
32.	Air	Lord, to thee A · str · bc	A ·	str · bc
Scene II
	Recitative	But see! the good, the virtuous Didymus! SA · bc	SA ·	bc
33.	Air	When sunk in anguish S · 2 vln · bc	S ·	2 vln · bc
34.	Chorus + Solo	Blest be the hand SSATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SSATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
Scene III
	Recitative	Undaunted in the court AT · bc	AT ·	bc
35.	Accompagnato	O my Irene S · str · bc	S ·	str · bc
	Recitative	Stay me not S · bc	S ·	bc
36.	Duet	Whither, Princess, do you fly? SA · str · bc	SA ·	str · bc
	Recitative	She’s gone A · bc	A ·	bc
37.	Air	New scenes of joy A · str · bc	A ·	str · bc
Scene IV
	Recitative	Is it a Christian virtue, then AB · bc	AB ·	bc
Scene V
	Recitative	Be that my doom ST · bc	ST ·	bc
38.	Air	From virtue springs each gen’rous deed T · str · bc	T ·	str · bc
39.	Air	Cease, ye slaves B · str · 2 ob · bc	B ·	str · 2 ob · bc
	Recitative	‘Tis kind, my friends SA · bc	SA ·	bc
40.	Chorus	How strange their ends SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
	Recitative	On me your frowns SAB · bc	SAB ·	bc
41.	Air	Ye ministers of justice B · 2 ob · str · bc	B ·	2 ob · str · bc
Scene VI
	Recitative	And must such beauty suffer? SAT · bc	SAT ·	bc
42.	Air + Duet	Streams of pleasure SA · 2 vln · bc	SA ·	2 vln · bc
Scene VII
	Recitative	Ere this, their doom is past A · bc	A ·	bc
43.	Chorus	O Love Divine SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
Appendix I
Part I
Scene I
1.	Recitative	Go, my faithful soldier, go B · bc	B ·	bc
Scene V
2.	Recitative	Mistaken wretches! ST · bc	ST ·	bc
Part II
Scene II
3.	Recitative	O thou, bright sun! S · bc	S ·	bc
4.	Sinfonia	Sinfonia 2 fl · str · bc		2 fl · str · bc
5.	Air	Deeds of kindness A · 2 vln · bc	A ·	2 vln · bc
Scene V
6.	Accompagnato	Forbid it, Heav’n! A · str · bc	A ·	str · bc
7.	Recitative	Or say, what right have I SA · bc	SA ·	bc
Part III
Scene IV
8.	Recitative	Is it a Christian virtue, then AB · bc	AB ·	bc
Scene V
8.	Recitative	Be that my doom ST · bc	ST ·	bc
9.	Air	From virtue springs each gen’rous deed T · str · bc	T ·	str · bc
10.	Recitative	Ye ministers of justice B · bc	B ·	bc
Appendix II
Part I
Scene IV
1.	Recitative	Fly, fly, my brethren! AT · bc	AT ·	bc
Scene V
2.	Recitative	Mistaken wretches! ST · bc	ST ·	bc
Scene VI
3.	Recitative	Unhappy happy crew! AA · bc	AA ·	bc
Part II
Scene I
4.	Recitative	Ye men of Antioch B · bc	B ·	bc
5.	Recitative	Return, Septimius B · bc	B ·	bc
Scene III
6.	Recitative	Long have I known AT · bc	AT ·	bc
Scene V
7.	Recitative	Or lull’d with grief A · bc	A ·	bc
8.	Recitative	O save me, Heav’n SA · bc	SA ·	bc
9.	Recitative	Ah! what is liberty SA · bc	SA ·	bc
Part III
Scene II
10.	Recitative	But see! the good, the virtuous Didymus! SA · bc	SA ·	bc
11.	Air + Chorus	Blessed be the pow’r SSATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SSATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
Scene III
12.	Recitative	Is it a Christian virtue, then AB · bc	AB ·	bc
Scene IV
12.	Recitative	Be that my doom ST · bc	ST ·	bc
13.	Recitative	‘Tis kind, my friends SA · bc	SA ·	bc
14.	Air	Lost in anguish A · str · bc	A ·	str · bc
Scene VI
15.	Air	The leafy honours of the field S · str · bc	S ·	str · bc

Instrumentation

Valens, President of Antioch (Basso)
Didymus, a Roman officer, converted by, and in love with, Theodora (Alto)
Septimius, a Roman officer, his friend (Tenore)
Theodora, a Christian of noble birth (Soprano)
Irene, a Christian (Mezzosoprano)
Messenger (Tenore)
Flauto traverso I
Flauto traverso II
Oboe I
Oboe II
Fagotto I
Fagotto II
Corno I
Corno II
Tromba I
Tromba II
Timpani
Violino I
Violino II
Viola I
Bassi: Violoncello + Contrabbasso + Fagotto + Cembalo + Organo

Chorus of Christians

Soprano
Alto
Tenore
Basso

Chorus of Heathens

Soprano
Alto
Tenore
Basso

About the text

Author: Thomas Morell

Resources

Full score: Hallische Händel-Ausgabe I/29, p. 5
Scores at IMSLP ›
Wikipedia ›

Cataloguer

May Robertson

Theodora

Part I

Scene I

Scene II

Scene III

Scene IV

Scene V

Scene VI

Scene VII

Part II

Scene I

Scene II

Scene III

Scene IV

Scene V

Scene VI

Part III

Scene I

Scene II

Scene III

Scene IV

Scene V

Scene VI

Scene VII

Appendix I

Part I

Scene I

Scene V

Part II

Scene II

Scene V

Part III

Scene IV

Scene V

Appendix II

Part I

Scene IV

Scene V

Scene VI

Part II

Scene I

Scene III

Scene V

Part III

Scene II

Scene III

Scene IV

Scene VI

Instrumentation

Chorus of Christians

Chorus of Heathens

About the text

Resources

Cataloguer

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