CD 1
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| HÄNDEL, Georg Friedrich (1685-1759) | |
| ACT ONE - Scene 1, Before the prison in Gaza | |
| 1. | Recit: This day a solemn feast (Samson) | 0:32 | |
| 2. | Chor: Awake the trumpet's lofty sound | 1:54 | |
| 3. | Air: Ye men of Gaza (Philistine woman) | 3:51 | |
| 4. | Chor: Awake the trumpet's lofty sound | 0:29 | |
| 5. | Air: Loud as the thunder's awful voice (Philistine man) | 3:07 | |
| 6. | Air: Then free from sorrow (Philistine woman) | 2:34 | |
| 7. | Chor: Awake the trumpet's lofty sound | 0:28 | |
| 8. | Recit: Why by angel (Samson) | 0:52 | |
| 9. | Air: Torments, alas! are not confin'd (Samson) | 3:56 | |
| 10. | Recit: O change beyond report (Micah) | 0:56 | |
| 11. | Air: O mirror of our fickle state (Micah) | 2:44 | |
| 12. | Recit: Whom have I to complain of? (Samson/Micah) | 2:36 | |
| 13. | Air: Total eclipse (Samson) | 3:28 | |
| 14. | Recit: Since light so necessary is to life (Micah) | 1:12 | |
| 15. | Chor: O first created beam | 3:34 | |
| 16. | Recit: Ye see my friends (Samson/Micah) | 1:59 | |
| 17. | Recit: Brethren and men of Dan (Manoa/Micah) | 0:33 | |
| 18. | Recit: O miserable change (Manoah) | 0:44 | |
| 19. | Recit: O ever failing trust (Philistine man) | 0:15 | |
| 20. | Air: God of our fathers (Israelite man) | 3:00 | |
| 21. | Recit: The good we wish for (Manoa) | 1:04 | |
| 22. | Air: Thy glorious deeds (Manoah) | 4:35 | |
| 23. | Recit: Justly these evils (Samson/Manoah) | 1:35 | |
| 24. | Recit: My griefs for this forbid mine eye (Samson) | 0:54 | |
| 25. | Air: Why does the God of Israel sleep? (Samson) | 4:34 | |
| 26. | Recit: There lies our hope! (Micah) | 0:21 | |
| 27. | Chor: Then shall they know | 2:19 | |
| 28. | Recit: For thee, my dearest son - My genial spirits droop (Manoah/Samson) | 2:56 | |
| 29. | Air: Then long eternity (Micah) | 5:26 | |
| 30. | Chor: Then round about the starry throne | 2:09 | |
CD 2
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| ACT TWO - The same scene. Samson, Manoa, Micah and Israelites. | |
| 1. | Recitative | 1:25 | |
| 2. | Air: Manoa | 3:26 | |
| 3. | Recitative | 0:46 | |
| 4. | Air: Micah | 8:38 | |
| 5. | Recitative | 3:15 | |
| 6. | Air: Dalila | 7:06 | |
| 7. | Recitative | 0:54 | |
| 8. | Air: Samson | 3:36 | |
| 9. | Recitative: Dalila | 0:30 | |
| 10. | Duet: Dalila and virgin | 6:14 | |
| 11. | Air: Dalila | 4:53 | |
| 12. | Samson | 1:27 | |
| 13. | Duet: Dalila and Samson | 1:57 | |
| 14. | Air: Micah | 4:12 | |
| 15. | Recitative: Samson | 0:22 | |
| 16. | Chorus | 2:31 | |
| 17. | Recitative | 1:38 | |
| 18. | Air: Harapha | 5:40 | |
| 19. | Recitative: Samson | 0:10 | |
| 20. | Air: Samson | 2:53 | |
| 21. | Recitative: Samson and Harapha | 0:41 | |
| 22. | Duet: Samson and Harapha | 2:16 | |
| 23. | Recitative: Micah | 0:46 | |
| 24. | Chorus of Israelites. | 3:14 | |
| 25. | Recitative: Harapha | 0:13 | |
| 26. | Air: Philistine man | 4:04 | |
| 27. | Choruses of Philistines | 1:57 | |
| 28. | Chorus of Israelites and Virgins | 3:03 | |
CD 3
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| ACT THREE | |
| 1. | Recit: More trouble is behind (Micah/Samson/Harapha) | 1:23 | |
| 2. | Air: Presuming slave (Harapha) | 3:01 | |
| 3. | Recit: Reflect then, Samson (Micah/Samson) | 0:50 | |
| 4. | Chor: With thunder arm'd | 2:55 | |
| 5. | Recit: Be of good courage (Samson/Micah/Harapha) | 2:23 | |
| 6. | Air: Thus when the sun (Samson) | 3:54 | |
| 7. | Recit: With might endued (Micah) | 0:25 | |
| 8. | Air/Chor: The holy one of Israel - To fame immortal (Micah) | 2:22 | |
| 9. | Recit: Old Manoa with youthful steps (Micah/Manoa) | 0:26 | |
| 10. | Air/Chor: Great Dagon (Philistine man) | 4:28 | |
| 11. | Recit: What noise of joy was that? (Manoa/Micah) | 0:47 | |
| 12. | Air: How willing my paternal love (Manoa) | 3:36 | |
| 13. | Recit/Sinfonia/Recit/Chor: Your hopes... Heav'n! What noise - Hear us, our God (Micah/Manoa) | 1:57 | |
| 14. | Recit: Noise call you this? (Micah/Manoa) | 0:40 | |
| 15. | Recit: Whre shall I run? (Messenger/Micah/Manoa) | 3:49 | |
| 16. | Air/Chor: Ye sons of Israel now lament - Weep Israel, weep (Micah) | 3:20 | |
| 17. | Recit: Proceed we hence (Manoa) | 0:46 | |
| 18. | March | 3:06 | |
| 19. | Recit: The body comes (Micah/Manoa) | 1:10 | |
| 20. | Chor: Glorious hero (Manoa/Israelite woman) | 5:12 | |
| 21. | Recit: Come, come, no time (Manoa/Micah) | 1:02 | |
| 22. | Air/Chor: Let the bright seraphim (Israelite woman) | 6:25 | |
One of Handel's most popular oratorios during his lifetime, composed within weeks of messiah.
Samson proved to be one of Handel's most popular oratorios during his lifetime, composed within weeks of Messiah. Thomas Randle sings a commanding title role ("Samson with attitude...: The Independent), with Lynda Russell's vocally seductive Dalila, and Catherine Wyn-Rogers' rich and expressive Micah. Samson opens with a pagan festival and closes with an elegy. Its finale is rightly established as one of the most famous arias of all time" "Let the bright Seraphim in burning row/ Their loud, uplifted angel-trumpets blow."
"Powerful choral singing from The Sixteen and alert playing by the period-instrument band make this the most pleasurable Samson yet recorded." - Sunday Times
"I was struck by the unusual clarity of the texture in the choruses, attributable to Christophers' direction and insistence on firm tone and incisive articulation and to the work of the engineers. Altogether a welcome issue." - Gramophone
