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Handel: Music for Royal Celebrations
George Frederic Handel (1685-1759)
Coronation Anthem No.1 Zadok the Priest
Coronation Anthem No.2 My Heart Is Inditing
Coronation Anthem No.3 The King Shall Rejoice
Coronation Anthem No.4 Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened
The Messiah: the Hallelujah & Amen Choruses
Water Music Suite
Academy of Ancient Music
Director Richard Eggar
This programme is placed under the sonorous vault of drums and trumpets proclaiming the glory of the Kings of England. The Royal Chapel of Versailles is therefore an ideal setting for it.
The Saxon-born Handel met with his earliest successes at the Hamburg Opera before undertaking a decisive journey to Italy, where he wrote his first masterpieces, including Agrippina and the Dixit Dominus. The composer travelled to England shortly before the arrival of a new king, George I, who was also German (crowned in 1714) — and the Elector of Hanover, in whose service Handel had been since 1710, although he was not present in Saxony because he had been on a ”journey” to London since 1711. His career as a composer for the Court of England´s great official ceremonies was set out for him.
This concert features the four great anthems for the Royal Coronation of George II in 1727, majestic choral masterpieces for a lavish performance at Westminster Abbey intended to achieve unprecedented musical pomp. Handel´s distinctive sense of melody blossoms in his massive choral works, of which this is the most splendid example.
Handel´s official music also includes two outdoor orchestral masterpieces. King George I commissioned Water Music as a ”concert on the river”. In July 1717 an orchestra sailing on a vessel beside the royal barge performed the famous piece on the Thames. It was instantly successful and has been popular ever since. The strong wind section, which is more audible outdoors, gives this elegiac yet lively orchestral suite a special colour.
In 1749 Handel wrote Music for the Royal Fireworks to accompany a pyrotechnic show in honour of the Peace Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. Twelve thousand people attended the rehearsal, causing traffic jams in London. Unfortunately, the official ceremony two days later was a disaster because a fire broke out, but Handel´s triumphal music became the benchmark for great ceremonial compositions.
Lastly, the most famous two choruses of the Messiah (1741) recall how easily Handel made the most of any sacred or secular musical opportunity.
Music director and organist Richard Eggar will conduct London´s famous Academy of Ancient Music for this very ”pomp and circumstance” event.
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