An unprecedentedly popular oratorio: the story of the sufferings of the enslaved Israelites in Egypt and their determination to free themselves is awe-inspiring. No hero appears, even Moses himself remains in the background; the chorus alone describes the action. This work announces Handel’s inner volte-face, which is then fully expressed in Messiah. A chance to hear the inspiring Hervé Niquet and his Concert Spirituel in Halle for the first time.

EPSG:4326

Israel in Eqypt, Oratorio HWV 54

The Market Church

God save the King… and God save Handel, the most English of German composers! Having studied in Italy (resulting in a Master's degree not only in Opera Seria but also in Oratorio), the Hanoverian, an exact contemporary of Johann Sebastian Bach, crossed the English Channel in 1711 and immediately felt at home there. In addition to the brilliant and very brassy “Coronation Anthems” (of which football fans know the most famous of the four, “Zadock the Priest”, by heart), Hervé Niquet and his Concert Spirituel are offering the audience another magnificent work by Handel: a “Te Deum” composed in 1743 to celebrate the victory of the British and Hanoverians (!) over the French at the battle of Dettingen in Bavaria during the War of the Austrian Succession. A great show of humility from the French musicians!

Le Concert Spirituel

Jun 10, 2025

Israel in Eqypt, Oratorio HWV 54

Jul 24, 2021

God Save the King! – Hervé Niquet & Le Concert Spirituel

Le Concert Spirituel