Die ihr aus dunkeln Grüften HWV208 has a stealthy bass line and strongly characterized violin solo part similar to the aria ‘Forte e lieto’ in
Tamerlano. The operatic version represents Bajazet’s stubbornness in conflict with filial love, and introduces a character whose actions are frequently misconceived. Brockes’s poem makes that rhetorical character in the music even stronger, with the singer advising that those who dig for gold and gems waste their time in the dark while they should instead be experiencing the real treasure of God’s creation.
from notes by David Vickers © 2007
Menuhin Hall, Yehudi Menuhin School, Stoke d'Abernon, Cobham, Surrey, United Kingdom
