Close Shave!

Here we see a depiction of Saul(Bass) trying to kill David(moi)

I was fortunate enough to participate(as David) in a production of Handel's neglected oratorio Saul this prior weekend at the Univ of Illinoi (GO ILLINI!) with someone that all William Jewell students will affectionately recall as Chet.

What a cool piece of music! Consider the following lines..............

David(aria): "Impious wretch of race accursed, and of all that race the worst... ...Fall on him, smite him, let him die. On thy own head thy blood shall lie"

David(recit) : "His arm he raised, with rage grown stronger. By my guiltless head the javelin whizzing flew, and in the wall mocked once again his impotence of malice" (V-I)

David(aria): "Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised..."

David(aria): "And drank the blood of slaughtered foes... ...drew his sword in vain, it reek'd where'er he dealt his foes with entrails of the mighty slain"

The only thing better than violence is biblically sanctioned violence................the only thing better than biblically sanctioned violence is the chance to sing about biblically sanctioned violence. If only Quentin Tarantino had written Baroque oratorio instead of modern screenplay!

Anyhoo, the gig was a success, the other singers were amazing, the conductor was great, and the chance to sing the word uncircumcised in the context of an aria was quite profound!


PS. I've used far to many parenthesis in this post.....and elipsis to boot!