{"product_id":"handels-oratorios-and-eighteenth-century-thought-hardback-9780521402651","title":"Handel's Oratorios and Eighteenth-Century Thought (Hardback) 9780521402651","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003eHandel's Oratorios and Eighteenth-Century Thought\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRuth Smith sheds new light on Handel's oratorio librettists and explores literature, music, aesthetics, politics and religion to reveal his texts as conduits for eighteenth-century thought.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eRuth Smith (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9780521402651, Cambridge University Press\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eHardback, published 4 May 1995\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e500 pages, 4 tables\u003cbr\u003e23.6 x 15.8 x 4.5 cm, 0.931 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e'… highly interesting and suggestive book.' British Journal for Eighteenth-Century Studies\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eIn this wide-ranging and challenging book, Ruth Smith shows that the words to Handel's oratorios reflect the events and ideas of their time and have far greater meaning than has hitherto been realized. She explores literature, music, aesthetics, politics and religion to reveal Handel's works as conduits for eighteenth-century thought and sensibility. She provides a full picure of Handel's librettists and shows how their oratorio texts express key moral-political preoccupations and engage with contemporary ideological debate. British identity, the need for national unity, the conduct of war, the role of government, the authority of the Bible, the purpose of literature, the effect of art - these and many more concerns are addressed in the librettos. The book thus enriches our understanding of Handel, his times, and the relationships between music and its intellectual contexts.\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eIntroduction\u003cbr\u003e Part I. English Origins of English Oratario: 1. Artistic norms\u003cbr\u003e 2. The purpose of art\u003cbr\u003e 3. Music, morals and religion\u003cbr\u003e 4. The biblical sublime\u003cbr\u003e 5. The survival of the epic\u003cbr\u003e 6. The defence of Christianity\u003cbr\u003e 7. Towards oratorio\u003cbr\u003e Part II. The Patriot Libretto from the Excise Bill to the Jew Bill: Israelite Oratarios and English Politics: 8. Political events and political thought\u003cbr\u003e 9. Allegorical politics\u003cbr\u003e 10. Moral politics\u003cbr\u003e 11. Esther to Athalia\u003cbr\u003e 12. In time of war\u003cbr\u003e 13. Images of government\u003cbr\u003e 14. The conflict of public and private interests\u003cbr\u003e 15. Coda: the end of Handel's Israelite oratorios\u003cbr\u003e Appendices\u003cbr\u003e Notes\u003cbr\u003e Index.\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eSubject Areas: Western \"classical\" music [\u003ca title=\"See our other books on Western \" classical music href=\"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/search?q=%22Western%20\"\u003eAVGC\u003c\/a\u003e]\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"Cambridge University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46004497056024,"sku":"9780521402651","price":114.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0730\/2037\/5320\/products\/9780521402651i_5883ded2-f5ed-44e9-b51d-63ef6470c050.jpg?v=1691381165","url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/handels-oratorios-and-eighteenth-century-thought-hardback-9780521402651","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}