''Abimelech'' is an

oratorio An oratorio () is a musical composition with dramatic or narrative text for choir, soloists and orchestra or other ensemble. Similar to opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguisha ...

in three acts written by

Christopher Smart Christopher Smart (11 April 1722 – 20 May 1771) was an English poet. He was a major contributor to two popular magazines, ''The Midwife'' and ''The Student'', and a friend to influential cultural icons like Samuel Johnson and Henry Fiel ...

and put to music by Samuel Arnold. It was first performed in the

Haymarket Theatre The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre in Haymarket, London, Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in ...

in 1768. A heavily revised version of the oratorio ran at

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist sit ...

in 1772. ''Abimelech'' was the second of two oratorio

librettos A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major l ...

written by Smart, the first being '' Hannah'' written in 1764. Just like ''Hannah'', ''Abimelech'' ran for only one night, each time. It was to be Smart's last work dedicated to an adult audience. ''Abimelech'' retells the biblical story of

Abraham Abraham (originally Abram) is the common Hebrews, Hebrew Patriarchs (Bible), patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father who began the Covenant (biblical), covenanta ...

and

Sarah Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch, prophet, and major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pious woma ...

when they met the King of Gerar,

Abimelech Abimelech (also spelled Abimelek or Avimelech; ) was the generic name given to all Philistine kings in the Hebrew Bible from the time of Abraham through King David. In the Book of Judges, Abimelech, son of Gideon, of the Tribe of Manasseh, is ...

, and he tries to take Sarah as his wife. After God intervenes in a dream, Sarah, who was previously barren, is restored to Abraham and made fertile. The oratorio emphasizes the sexual jealousy and the sexual fidelity of spouses.

Background

Years before, Smart wrote a libretto for an

called ''Hannah''.Sherbo p. 245 Like ''Hannah'', Smart most likely wrote the work out of a need to earn money.Anderson p. 49 However, his previous oratorio only lasted a few nights, and Smart hoped that his second could succeed where the other failed. This would be the last work in Smart's final years that was written completely for adults. An advertisement for ''Abimelech'' ran in the "Musical Intelligencer" section of the ''

Public Advertiser The ''Public Advertiser'' was a London newspaper in the 18th century. The ''Public Advertiser'' was originally known as the ''London Daily Post and General Advertiser'', then simply the ''General Advertiser'' consisting more or less exclusively o ...

'' on 16 March, which said: ''Abimelech'' was performed once at the Theatre Royal on 18 March 1768 and once, after Smart's death, at Covent Garden on 25 March 1772.Smart (1983) p. 160 There are no surviving scores for ''Abimelech'', but the libretto was sold during its run at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, in 1768 and the run of the revised version of the oratorio at the Covent Garden in 1772.Smart (1983) p. 161 These works were published anonymously but

Charles Burney Charles Burney (7 April 1726 – 12 April 1814) was an English music historian, composer and musician. He was the father of the writers Frances Burney and Sarah Burney, of the explorer James Burney, and of Charles Burney, a classicis ...

, Smart's friend, attributes the libretto to Smart and pasticcios from Handel in his ''General History of Music''. The "pasticcios" were musical selections from Handel used by the composer Samuel Arnold.

Abimelech

''Abimelech'' tells the story of Abraham and Sarah at Gerar (Genesis 20) in three acts. Although there are multiple versions of the story with different characters, Smart relies on the version in which Abraham pretends that Sarah is his sister, and the king of Gerar, Abimilech, wishes to marry her.Smart (1983) p. 159 God intervenes by telling Abimelech that Sarah is married and should be returned to Abraham; Abimelech returns Sarah to Abraham but criticizes Abraham for lying. The oratorio leaves out the final portion of Abimelech's biblical story in which Sarah is made fertile by God along with Abimelech's women. There is an emphasis on the sexual jealousy of Abraham over Abimelech's treatment of Sarah. This was partly done for "theatrical effect". However, there is also an emphasis on the impious actions of the Gentiles of Gerar and of their inability to love properly, especially when Hagar sings: :Lo, her ears :Have suffer'd profanation from the lips :Of an enamour'd Gentile - Couldst think, :That men remoter from the truth of God, :And more of brutal nature, should controul :Their appetite from such a form as Sarah's? ::(''Abimelech'' 94-99) As the oratorio continues, there is emphasis that only those who follow the true God are capable of understanding the proper ways to act.

Roles

* Abraham * King Abimelech * Phichol Chief Captain * Sarah * Hagar * Queen of Gerar * Officers, soldiers, and other attendants

Critical response

After the second version of ''Abimelech'' ran at the Covent Garden, a reviewer in ''The Theatrical Review'' claimed that the oratorio was changed "greatly for the better". Another review in ''The Theatrical Review'' claimed that ''Abimelech'' was "a very pleasing Oratorio, though there is great sameness in the songs, but the chorusses are masterly and grand". Later, Thomas Busby claimed that "the applause obtained by this his second oratorical production

bimelech Bimelech (February 27, 1937 – 1966) was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who won two Triple Crown races and was a Champion at both age two and three. He was ranked #84 among U.S. racehorses of the 20th century. After retiring to stud, he sire ...

established the reputation of its composer rnold. The ''Monthly Review'' and ''Critical Review'' ignored ''Abimelech'', which prompted Arthur Sherbo, a later critic, to claim that they "were kind to Smart and Arnold" for their silence.Sherbo p. 246 Another later critic, Moira Dearnley, said, "devotion and human relationships is uneasy, not to say ridiculous."Dearnley p. 217 Another critic, Frances Anderson, said: "it was not reprinted and seemed of mediocre quality". However, this turned out to be untrue.

Notes

References

* Anderson, Frances E. ''Christopher Smart''. New York: Twayne Publishers, Inc., 1974. 139 pp. * Dearnley, Moira. ''The Poetry of Christopher Smart''. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1969. 332 pp. * Mounsey, Chris. ''Christopher Smart: Clown of God''. Lewisburg: Bucknell University Press, 2001. 342 pp. * Sherbo, Arthur. ''Christopher Smart: Scholar of the University.'' Michigan State University Press, 1967. 303 pp. * Smart, Christopher. ''The Poetical Works of Christopher Smart, II: Religious Poetry 1763-1771''. Ed. Marcus Walsh and Karina Williamson. Oxford: Clarendon, 1983. 472 pp. {{DEFAULTSORT:Abimelech (Oratorio) Compositions by Samuel Arnold 1768 operas 1768 poems 1772 operas 1772 poems Christian literature English-language operas Operas Opera oratorios Libretti by Christopher Smart Cultural depictions of Abraham