When Handel brought an end to his involvement with Italian opera in London by embarking on a new career as a composer of oratorios, his initial success subsequently experienced setbacks for a number of reasons. In 1746, however, he clearly proved he had rebounded with the composition of Judas Maccabaeus, an oratorio which remains one of his most successful.

Conductor Rafael Kubelík commits himself in this recording to the Handel Edition of the work by the north German musical scholar Friedrich Chrysander. Dating from the second half of the 19th century, it’s a historic work of scholarship, more representative of Germany than England, Handel’s artistic home. In addition to the dated German translation of the English text, there are the notable extensive cuts that Chrysander made to the work.

This historical live recording from 1963 features Fritz Wunderlich as Judas, together with Agnes Giebel, Julia Falk, Naan Pöld and Ludwig Welter.

Re-release of sold-out C475992

Cast:
- Judas Maccabaeus Fritz Wunderlich
- Simon, Eupolemus: Ludwig Welter
- Israelite Woman: Agnes Giebel
- Israelite Man: Naan Pöld