Carissimi - Jephte | Farrant Singers

English 17th century anthems make up the the first half of this concert with music from Orlando Gibbons and Henry Purcell including Gibbons's 'This is a record of John' and Purcell's 'Hear my prayer'

After the interval is the early oratorio by Giacomo Carissimi, the story of Jephte.

Jephte or Historia di Jephte is an important exemplar of the mid 17th century Historia Sacra form composed by Giacomo Carissimi around 1650 (probably 1648), based on the story of Jephtha in the Old Testament Book of Judges. The work follows what is considered the classic early Baroque oratorio form with a Biblical text related by soloists and chorus linked by a narrator

Jephte led the Israelites in battle against Ammon and, in exchange for defeating the Ammonites, made a vow to sacrifice whatever would come out of the door of his house first. When his daughter was the first to come out of the house, he immediately regretted the vow, which would require him to sacrifice his daughter to God. With a heavy heart Jephte then carried out his vow.