Saul and the Witch of Endor, also known as the Saul and the Witch of Endor Purcell, is a biblical story found in the First Book of Samuel in the Old Testament. The story takes place during the time when Saul was the king of Israel. In the story, Saul finds himself in a dire situation as the Philistines gathered their armies to fight against Israel. Filled with fear and desperation, Saul sought the guidance and assistance of God. However, God did not answer him, and Saul was left without a solution to his impending battle. In his desperation, Saul decided to seek out a medium, known as the Witch of Endor.
8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
There is a lot of mystery here, but I think we must understand that God never commanded the Israelites to attack any peoples whom he had not considered it morally right to judge because of the pure evil of their actions. 20 Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
In his desperation, Saul decided to seek out a medium, known as the Witch of Endor. Mediums were individuals who claimed to be able to communicate with the dead. This was strictly forbidden by God's law, but Saul disregarded this and sought the witch's help.
Saul and the qitch of endor purcell
Remains of the final battle by Jane Mackay, used with many thanks to the artist. Jane Mackay’s Sounding Art website can be found here
Saul and the witch at Endor, Z134 – Purcell realization for soprano, tenor, bass voices and piano (pre 21 November 1945, Britten aged 32)
Dedication Cuthbert Kelly, a singer who was in the New English Singers with Peter Pears
Text Anon
Language English
Duration 12′
Audio clips with thanks to Hyperion
https://goodmorningbritten.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/saul-and-the-witch-original.mp3 Original version, In guilty night, with Susan Gritton (soprano), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Michael George (bass) and the King’s Consort / Robert King
https://goodmorningbritten.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/saul-and-the-witch-realization.mp3 Realization, with Sarah Walker (mezzo-soprano), John Mark Ainsley (tenor), Simon Keenlyside (baritone) and Graham Johnson (piano)
Background and Critical Reception
This is the most substantial of Britten’s Purcell realizations, and was performed for the first time in the first of the two Wigmore Hall concerts given to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the composer’s death, on 21 November 1945.
Purcell sets the Old Testament tale of King Saul of Israel, who is about to fight the Philistines but is getting desperate as his pleas to God have not been answered, and he has driven all mediums and witches from the land. In his desperation he gets his men to call on a medium from the village of Endor, asking her to raise the prophet Samuel from the dead to see what can be done. She is horrified to see her visitor is the King, but he promises not to harm her. Samuel then appears, but tells Saul he is beyond rescue and that he should prepare to die the next day. The tale ends with a sorrowful farewell, the king resigned to his fate. Although the music ends here the tale does not, with Saul and his sons perishing the next day in the Battle of Gilboa.
Purcell’s work is rare among his output, evading almost all categorisation except perhaps that of ‘dramatic scena’. Writing about the work for Hyperion, Robert King sees Purcell as encompassing elements of the devotional song, the cantata and even the oratorio. In his words, ‘The closing chorus, setting just two words, ‘Oh, Farewell’, is a magical ending to one of the most remarkable compositions of the age’.
Britten’s realization is for soprano (the witch), tenor (Saul) and bass (Samuel), with piano accompaniment – which would have been performed in the Wigmore Hall concert by Margaret Ritchie, Peter Pears and Owen Brannigan, accompanied by Britten himself.
In an extremely interesting chapter on Realizing Purcell in the book Britten’s Unquiet Pasts , published by Cambridge University Press, Heather Wiebe suggests that in Saul and the witch of Endor ‘Britten seems to have found…a site for the expression of excessive feeling, in this case shame and abandonment. She also talks of the ‘misty’ figuration of the opening, and the moment when Samuel’s ghost returns to the underworld as ‘almost disappearing off the bottom of the piano’.
On the face of it this would have been the ideal subject matter and text for Britten to set as a first Canticle – and perhaps the only reason he did not do so was because Purcell had already achieved that. Saul and the witch of Endor does nonetheless act as something of a prototype for a form he made his own.
It is an extraordinary setting. The opening notes are sparse and deeply troubled, but the moment when Samuel rises from the dead, his voice down in his boots, is truly chilling. Here the piano is also right down in the lower register, and one can sense the mists of another world that should not have been disturbed.
The tortured mental state of Saul is truly laid bare here, and Britten deliberately does not add much treble to the piano part, with much of it held well below middle ‘C’. There is brief hope in the middle section, as the witch manages to locate Samuel, but his news is bad and the final farewell harrowing in the extreme.
Purcell’s lines ensure the full dramatic potential of the story is revealed, as Saul teeters on the edge of insanity, the witch spends much of the time in fearful obedience and Samuel is vexed at his return to the world. It is a potent combination of extreme emotions, and Britten’s responsive piano part ensures that no dramatic stone is left unturned. Because of this, Saul and the witch of Endor is perhaps his boldest and most unsettling realization of Purcell to date.
Recordings used
Sarah Walker (mezzo-soprano), John Mark Ainsley (tenor), Simon Keenlyside (baritone) and Graham Johnson (piano) (Hyperion)
My personal preference would be for a performance of this to have less vibrato than the three singers here use, especially having heard the very sparse and moving interpretation from Andrew Parrott. That said, this is incredibly well sung, a powerful interpretation that is also deeply troubling, especially when Samuel comes back from the dead.
Unfortunately the version above is the only version of Britten’s realization, and is not available on Spotify. However two versions of the original can be accessed. An emotionally bare account from the Taverner Consort and Players under Andrew Taverner can be accessed here, while Alfred Deller – one of Purcell’s chief exponents in the 1940s and 1950s, takes the role of Saul here, accompanied by the Deller Consort.
Also written in 1945: Schoenberg – Prelude to Genesis Suite for Chorus and Orchestra, Op. 44
Next up: Lord, what is man?
This argument of a change in God’s attitude from one testament to the next cannot hold water. Wright quotes bible scholar John Wenham who summarizes things well:
Saul disguised himself and went to the witch's dwelling. When Saul requested the witch to summon the spirit of the prophet Samuel, she initially refused, fearing she would be punished if caught by the authorities. However, Saul assured her that she would not be persecuted, and she agreed to his request. The witch performed her rituals and called upon the spirit of Samuel. To their surprise, Samuel's spirit appeared and spoke to Saul. Samuel predicted Saul's death in battle and informed him that God had turned away from him due to his disobedience. This encounter with Samuel's spirit left Saul filled with fear and despair. The story of Saul and the Witch of Endor serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of seeking supernatural guidance from sources outside of God. It reinforces the biblical belief in the importance of seeking God's wisdom and following his commands. Additionally, it highlights the consequences that one may face when they disregard God's laws and try to take matters into their own hands. While this story has been the subject of various interpretations and debates, the main lesson remains clear – one must be cautious and obedient to God's commands, seeking His guidance and not turning to alternative sources of spiritual assistance..
Reviews for "Saul's Fear and Desperation: A Catalyst for the Encounter with the Witch of Endor Purcell"
1. Jane - 2/5 stars - I found "Saul and the Witch of Endor Purcell" to be quite underwhelming. The storyline lacked depth and failed to hold my interest. The characters felt one-dimensional and lacked development. Additionally, the pacing was inconsistent, with some scenes dragging on while others felt rushed. Overall, I was left feeling disappointed and not fully invested in the story.
2. Mark - 1/5 stars - "Saul and the Witch of Endor Purcell" was a complete letdown for me. The writing style was confusing and often used unnecessary jargon, making it hard to follow the plot. Furthermore, the dialogue felt forced and unnatural, hindering my ability to connect with the characters. The story itself seemed disjointed and failed to provide a cohesive narrative. I would not recommend this book to others as it did not live up to my expectations.
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - As a fan of supernatural fiction, I was excited to read "Saul and the Witch of Endor Purcell." However, I found the execution to be lacking. The paranormal elements felt forced and were not integrated smoothly into the overall plot. The pacing was slow, and the story failed to generate any real sense of suspense or excitement. Additionally, some of the character motivations and actions felt contrived and unrealistic. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied with this novel.