Israel in Egypt

E132016

"Israel in Egypt" is a 1739 oratorio by George Frideric Handel, renowned for its dramatic choral writing depicting the biblical Exodus story.

All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Israel in Egypt canonical 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf oratorio
basedOn Book of Exodus
catalogueNumber HWV 54
cityOfComposition London, England
surface form: London
composer George Frideric Handel
countryOfOrigin Great Britain
dateComposed 1738
followsWork Saul (Handel)
genre choral work
sacred oratorio
hasInfluenced later choral-oratorio tradition
hasTheme divine deliverance
judgment on Egypt
historicalContext composed for London oratorio season
language English
laterReception now regarded as one of Handel’s greatest choral works
librettist anonymous (compiled from biblical texts)
librettoLanguage English
librettoSource Book of Exodus
Bible
surface form: Old Testament
movementType choruses
few arias
recitatives
notableAspectOfReception initially received coolly by audiences
notableFeature dramatic choral depiction of the plagues of Egypt
extensive use of chorus
relatively few solo arias
part Part I: The Lamentation of the Israelites for the Death of Joseph
Part II: Exodus
Part III: Moses’ Song
period Baroque
placeOfFirstPerformance London, England
surface form: London
precededByWork Saul (Handel)
premiereDate 1739-04-04
premiereLocation King’s Theatre, Haymarket
surface form: King’s Theatre, Haymarket, London
scoring large chorus
orchestra with trumpets and timpani
voices and orchestra
structure three-part version (original)
two-part version (revised)
style late Baroque sacred music
subject Israelites
surface form: Israelites in Egypt

Moses
Pharaoh
biblical Exodus story
deliverance of the Israelites
plagues of Egypt
workByComposer George Frideric Handel
year 1739

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

George Frideric Handel notableWork Israel in Egypt