Handel’s ‘Joshua’ Emerges From the Haze

Despite the received wisdom about Handel reaching the peak of his powers as an oratorio composer, most of his 30-some oratorios remain obscure. “Joshua” is one of those sleepers known for one or two popular excerpts (the air “Oh! had I Jubal’s lyre” was a famous vehicle for Golden Age soprano Elisabeth Schumann) yet as a whole is seldom performed or recorded. And even now, some widely distributed “Joshua” vocal scores have several terrific numbers omitted by well-meaning editors who were just trying to move it along.

Yet as performed by the enterprising All Saints Choir, allied with the Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra, at Beverly Hills’ All Saints Episcopal Church on Sunday afternoon, “Joshua” turns out to be quite a powerful piece of work--all of it. Written midway through Handel’s streak of oratorios during the 1740s, “Joshua” abounds with top-drawer, festive, contrapuntal choruses and passages of foreboding dramatic impact, as well as lighter, inventively scored numbers for the lovers Othniel and Achsah.

The title role gives plenty of opportunities for a first-class tenor to shine and the All Saints performance had such a performer in Jonathan Mack, his deepened lyric tenor flowing in long, rolling, commanding streams throughout. Soprano Camille King had no trouble sailing through Achsah’s florid passages--everything was clear and focused. Countertenor Jason Snyder dispatched the role of Othniel with a forthright flair, and baritone William Hanrahan’s Caleb and soprano Corey Carleton’s Angel were also well-sung.

On the whole, one could have imagined a crisper, more sharply defined performance than provided by conductor Thomas Foster, the choir and the period-instrument orchestra. This might have been partly a function of the church’s acoustics; at times, particularly in the stirringopening numbers in Part 2, it sounded as if a blanket had been thrown over the ensemble. Nevertheless, more than enough of “Joshua” emerged through the haze to convince us of its strengths.