Samson an Oratorio. The Words taken from Milton. [HWV 57]. [Full score]

London: Printed for I. Walsh in Catherine Street in the Strand, of whom may be had all Mr. Handel's Works, 1746. Folio. Full modern black cloth. 1f. (recto title, verso blank), 1f. (recto table, verso blank), [i] (blank), 91, [i] (blank) pp. Engraved throughout.

Small ink "x' in manuscript above first stave of p. 89; "da Capo" in pencil at conclusion.

Contains the overture and complete arias and duets, including the noted aria for soprano "Let the bright seraphim in burning row" to pp. 88-91. Named singers include Signora Avolio, Mrs. Cibber, Mr. Beard, and Mrs. Clive.

Provenance
Lisa Cox Music, with cataloguing indicating that the present volume is from the collection of noted British musicologist Alan Tyson (1926-2000).

Slightly worn and soiled; occasional small stains to margins of several leaves; small tear to p. 12 at lower inner margin, repaired with archival tape; very small loss to upper right corner of pp. 87-91. In very good condition overall. First Edition, fourth issue. Smith p. 135, no. 4. BUC p. 437. RISM H831 and HH831.

First performed in London at Covent Garden on 18 February 1743.

"Handel gave the first performance of Samson (18 February 1743) and introduced Messiah to London (23 March) in a Lenten season of concerts at Covent Garden Theatre, setting a pattern that, except for the 1744-5 season, he was to follow for the rest of his life. ... In Samson the combination of 'Church-Musick' and 'Airs of the Stage' was well exemplified in two styles of choral writing (exuberant and homophonic for the Philistines, solemn and polyphonic for the Israelites) and solo arias of many moods, encompassing the bleak despair of the blinded Samson's 'Total eclipse' and Dalila's seductive 'With plaintive notes'. A largely English cast brought their theatrical experience to the performances: they included the tenor John Beard as Samson, Mrs Cibber in the advisory role of Micah, and the leading comic actress Catherine ('Kitty') Clive as Dalila. Samson was well received: Horace Walpole, a supporter of the Italian opera, grudgingly admitted that 'Handel has set up an Oratorio against the Operas, and succeeds'." Anthony Hicks in Grove Music Online

A lifetime first edition, with distinguished provenance.