Joshua (Handel)

Joshua (HWV 64) is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel. It was composed in a month, between 19 July 1747 and 19 August 1747, six months before the beginning of the oratorio season, and is Handel's fourth oratorio based on a libretto by Thomas Morell. The oratorio premiered on 9 March 1748 at the Covent Garden Theatre, London. Joshua is based on the Biblical story of Joshua as the leader of the Children of Israel. The story follows the Israelites from their passage over the Jordan River into Caanan and through the Battle of Jericho. The work also includes a fictitious love story between Achsah, Caleb's daughter and Othniel, a young soldier.

Joshua is one of Handel's later works, from the height of his late creative period. It was the fourth oratorio Handel had written within the span of twenty months. Following the Jacobite Rising in England, Handel produced a series of English oratorios based on military themes: Occasional Oratorio, Judas Maccabaeus, Alexander Balus, Joshua, and Solomon. With these compositions, Handel brought to prominence the English oratorio, combining religious themes and England's native tongue. Joshua was one of his shortest oratorios, containing no genuine overture, only a brief orchestral movement simply titled, "Introduction." Joshua also included at least five pieces borrowed from other Handel compositions. Part one was completed on 30 July 1747, Part two on 8 August and Part three on 19 August.

Contrary to the popular style of monody, Handel's oratorios enhanced the role of the chorus in the drama. Handel's second-most-famous chorus, "See the Conq'ring Hero Comes" was first penned for Joshua. It was an immensely popular number and Handel soon added it to Judas Maccabaeus, which had premiered the season before. The chorus is more often thought of in connection with that oratorio (Judas) because of its relatively greater fame.

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