Saul – Edinburgh International Festival

Saul was reviewed at Usher Hall, Edinburgh as part of the Edinburgh International Festival.

Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

A number of factors seem to have played a role in the creation of Saul, a dramatic oratorio, written in 1738. Italian operas were becoming less popular, staging religious texts were forbidden by the Bishop of London, Edmund Gibson, and Handel had much success with church and coronation anthems. Saul is a setting of a biblical text from the book of Samuel with its starting point after David has slain Goliath in the story of the conflict between the Israelites and the Philistines.

Charles Jennens’ text allowed Handel to compose a work combining arias and recitatives associated with his operas with anthem-type choruses. There is even a hallelujah chorus, celebrating David’s feat. But the work is also of interest because of some effects that were unusual for the time: solo harp, trombones and even a carillion.

John Butt’s direction of The English Concert and Choir produced a performance full of vigour and heart, sweetness and evil, sprightliness and elegance. The cast of soloists, the ‘goodies’ seated on one side and the ‘baddies’ on the other, was the ideal team for oratorio singing, with other roles performed by members of the choir.

Neal Davies’ performance as Saul embodied, vocally and dramatically, the switch from admiration to seething envy and vengeance; Andrew Haji as Jonathan’s pure voice matched the integrity and truth of the role’s standing up to his father; James Gilchrist sensitively nudged the narrative along, with clarity and warmth; the two sisters, two sides of a coin, Merab, a piece of work if ever there was, aloof and haughty in character and rich in Sophie Bevan’s wide-ranging voice, contrasting with Michal, innocence and youth, beautifully articulated by Liv Redpath.

Iestyn Davies filled the hall with pure sound, poise, the highest quality musicality, and simply consistent brilliance. It was a privilege to hear this singing. There were so many highlights, but if forced to choose, David’s soulful entreaty, ‘Brave Jonathan, his bow ne’er drew’, was exquisite, as was the balance and sheer elegance of David and Michal’s duet, ‘O fairest of ten thousand fair’. Sadly, it seemed unclear from the programme notes who sang the Samuel role, but his singing was rich and full of gravitas.

The orchestra performed the interludes with aplomb, brass and winds providing character, pomp and emotions, strings and continuo elegance and rhythm. Oliver Wass, the solo harp, deserved his applause. Saul is known for the ‘Dead March’, featuring the brass, winds and death-rattling tympani. In the end, love does triumph, and David is put into his rightful place, evil recedes.

The performance was filmed and will be available on the Edinburgh International Festival and English Concert websites. Well worth a watch.

Fraser Grant