Featuring the Brandenburg performing the Priest Paul Dyer AO Artistic Director, Conductor 2019 Australian Brandenburg Brandenburg Choir SYDNEY Emma Black (Vienna) Baroque City Recital Hall Wednesday 24 July 7pm PROGRAM Friday 26 July 7pm Handel No. 1 , HWV 258 Saturday 27 July 2pm (Matinee) Handel No. 4 My Heart is Inditing, HWV 261 Saturday 27 July 7pm Wednesday 31 July 7pm Handel Coronation Anthem No. 2 Let Thy Hand be Strengthened, Friday 2 August 7pm HWV 259

You’re connected, personally Handel Coronation Anthem No. 3 The King Shall Rejoice, HWV 260 BRISBANE QPAC Interval Tuesday 30 July 7:30pm Handel Concerto for Oboe No. 3 in G minor, HWV 287 At Macquarie Private Bank you have the power of being i Grave ii Allegro iii Largo iv Allegro MELBOURNE connected, personally. You control your financial future, Melbourne Recital Centre and we find your way there together. Handel Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV 351 i Ouverture ii Bourée iii La Paix iv La Réjouissance v Menuet 1 & 2 Saturday 3 August 7pm Sunday 4 August 5pm Macquarie are proud to be a long-standing supporter CHAIRMAN’S 11 and Principal Partner of the Brandenburg since 2007. Proudly supporting our guest artists. Concert duration is approximately 110 minutes, including one interval. Please note concert duration is approximate only and is subject to change. We kindly request that you switch off all electronic devices prior to the performance. This concert will be broadcast on ABC Classic on 11 August at 12noon. QPAC performance is proudly supported by Brisbane Schools Choir. The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra would like to give special thanks to Brisbane Girls Grammar School, Brisbane Grammar School, Brisbane State High School, and John Paul College.

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Macquarie Private Bank is a division of Macquarie Bank Limited AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 237502 (MBL). This information doesn’t take HANDEL'S & FIREWORKS 1 into account your objectives, financial situation or needs – please consider whether it’s right for you. The Quire stalls at . The original medieval quire stalls were replaced in the 18th century and again by the present ones in 1848. The black and white marble floor dates from 1677. CREDIT © DEAN AND CHAPTER OF WESTMINSTER

16 AUSTRALIAN BRANDENBURG ORCHESTRA HANDEL'S ANTHEMS & FIREWORKS 17 Program Notes Program Notes Handel's Anthems & Fireworks Handel's Anthems & Fireworks

George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) An anthem is a sacred choral work sung during an Mr Hendel has composed the Musick for the The rehearsal went well, according to the Norwich Anglican church service, and anthems have been Abbey at the Coronation, and the Italian Voices Gazette, which reported that there were: 40 Voices, Handel was one of the most acclaimed composers part of the coronation liturgy for centuries. They are [Italian singers from Handel’s opera company], and about 160 Violins, Trumpets, Hautboys [], of the Baroque period. Although he came from sung at significant points in the ritual, with the same with above a Hundred of the best Musicians will Kettle-Drums, and 's proportionable; besides an Germany, most of his career was spent in London, texts frequently used, taken from the or the perform; and the Whole is allowed by those Judges Organ, which was erected behind the Altar: And both where he became very successful as a composer Anglican Book of Common Prayer. the Musick and the Performers were the Admiration mostly of operas and later oratorios. Unlike most in Musick who have already heard it, to exceed of all the Audience. other composers in the eighteenth century, Handel According to the eighteenth-century English music any Thing heretofore of the same Kind: It will made his living as a freelance musician and was historian Charles Burney, Handel had words sent be rehearsed this Week, but the Time will be kept London was full of people for such a major event, never employed long-term by a court or church. to him, by the bishops, for the anthems; at which private, lest the Crowd of People should be an and the Earl Marshall issued notice of traffic Nevertheless he developed a close relationship he murmured, and took offence, as he thought it obstruction to the Performers. arrangements on the day and detailed instructions with the British royal family, and was commissioned implied his ignorance of the Holy Scriptures: “I have PARKER’S PENNY POST, 4TH OCTOBER 1727 listing all the people who would take part, what by them to write ceremonial works which would read my Bible very well, and shall chuse for myself.” they had to wear, and the order in which they would process. ‘The Herb-woman, with her Maidservants, become his most famous: the anthems for the Some of the texts Handel chose had in fact been strewing sweet Herbs &c.’ came first, and the coronation of King George II in 1727, including the used at previous , and are all from the king came last. Then as now, there were to be no instantly recognisable Zadok the priest, and Music Old Testament: Zadok is based on I Kings, Let Thy interlopers entering Westminster Abbey but only for the Royal Fireworks. Hand Be Strengthened is from Psalm 89, The King those with official tickets ‘signed and marked with shall rejoice comes from Psalm 21, and My heart ANTHEMS FOR THE CORONATION OF KING my Name and Seal’, and peers and peeresses were GEORGE II is inditing is based on passages from Psalm 45 sternly told not to bring their servants. Zadok the priest, HWV 258 and Isaiah. About the coronation service itself, however, we have Let thy hand be strengthened, HWV 259 Handel’s was not the only music in the service. only two pieces of information. One of these was the The King shall rejoice, HWV 260 Unusually for an age when most music had a order of service. One hundred copies were printed, My heart is inditing, HWV 261 very short ‘shelf life’, much of the music for the but only the Archbishop of Canterbury’s copy still Coronation Service was to be old, tradition dictating George II asked Handel to compose the anthems survives, with his hand-written notes in the margins. the choice of works dating back as far as the late for his coronation and that of his wife, Queen The other record of the ceremony was the Chapel Renaissance, including music by Thomas Tallis and Caroline, which was to take place on 11 October 1727 Royal’s list of the music as it was actually performed. at Westminster Abbey. This was a task that only a Gibbons, and from the seventeenth century, British subject could perform, so it was lucky that by and . From these, it appears that the coronation did shortly before he died King George I had signed into not go according to plan, at least as far as the law ‘An Act for naturalizing… , music was concerned. The first anthem (not one of and others’. Handel’s) was omitted altogether ‘by the Negligence of the Choir of Westminster’ as the Archbishop of The English coronation ceremony has remained Canterbury noted tersely. Then, where the printed essentially unchanged since it was first devised order listed Handel’s second anthem The King shall more than a thousand years ago. Heavy with rejoice, the fourth, Let thy hand be strengthened, religious symbolism, it consists of a series of rituals was performed instead. The Archbishop scribbled designed to impress those present with the wealth Memorial to George Frideric Handel crossly, ‘The Anthem all in confusion: All irregular and power of the monarch and to emphasise that at Westminster Abbey in the Music’. the monarch derives his or her power from God. CREDIT © DEAN AND CHAPTER OF WESTMINSTER

18 AUSTRALIAN BRANDENBURG ORCHESTRA HANDEL'S ANTHEMS & FIREWORKS 19 Program Notes Program Notes Handel's Anthems & Fireworks Handel's Anthems & Fireworks

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR Its contrapuntal ‘Alleluia’ ending is more affirming Handel called on all his operatic experience in The Coronation Anthems were composed for than exultant. composing this anthem, first creating a gentle Britain’s most significant ceremonial occasion and ambience to represent the Queen, before trumpets The King shall rejoice should have been sung first for the reverberant space of Westminster Abbey, and drums enter to add a stately lustre to the in the coronation service, at the Recognition, when so Handel composed powerful, extrovert, ‘big conclusion of the first movement. The words ‘Kings’ the people are asked to pay homage to the monarch. picture’ music which exploited the extraordinarily daughters were among thy honourable women’ are ‘The People signifie their Willingness and Joy, by large number of players and singers recruited for then symbolically introduced by the upper voices of loud and repeated Acclamations, all with one Voice the occasion. the choir, while ‘Upon thy right hand did stand the crying out, ‘God Save King George the Second’. Queen in vesture of gold’ unfolds in appropriately The text of Zadok the Priest relates to the Then the Trumpets sound. And the choir sing this luxuriant, rich harmonies. In the final section of the of King and the words have been used at Anthem.’ Whether it was actually sung at that point, anthem the rushing fanfare-like figures of the violins every English coronation since 973. It is sung at the or later during the Crowning, remains unclear. This and oboes are again reinforced by the trumpets most crucial point of the coronation, the Anointing, anthem is in four distinct, contrasted movements. and drums, creating a thrilling climax to the whole when the monarch is anointed on hands, head, The future composer of can be heard in the ceremony. chest, shoulders and elbows with holy oil to show pastoral triplets of the second movement, and in the he or she has been chosen by God. Handel’s setting long seemingly endless vocal melismas which depict Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet anointed was immediately popular and is the only piece the word ‘blessings’ in the third (listen for a little of Solomon King. And all the people rejoiced, and said: of music to be performed at every subsequent ‘Worthy is the lamb’ and ‘And he shall purify’). The God save the King! Long live the King! May the King coronation of a British monarch. It must have made final movement is a weighty and majestic ‘Alleluia’, live for ever, Amen, Alleluia. an astonishing impact, with its long whisper-quiet again with all voices and instruments blazing, My heart is inditing of a good matter: I speak of instrumental introduction and sudden thundering underlining the legitimacy of George II’s power. the things which I have made unto the King. Kings power of the first choral entry with all voices and The fourth anthem, My heart is inditing, was sung daughters were among thy honourable women instruments sounding, including three trumpets during the coronation of the Queen, which took Upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in vesture and timpani. Handel’s dynamic marking in the score place towards the end of the ceremony. All the texts of gold and the King shall have pleasure in thy at that point is simply, ‘loud’. The music’s sense The Coronation Chair in St George’s Chapel come from the King James’ version of the Bible, and beauty. Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and of inexorability is enhanced by its being in three CREDIT © DEAN AND CHAPTER OF WESTMINSTER the meaning can be somewhat obscure. In modern queens thy nursing mothers. continuous movements, ending in shouts of ‘God usage the first two lines of this anthem would be, save the King!’ and a jubilant Alleluia. Let thy hand be strengthened and thy right hand be ‘My heart overflows with a noble theme as I address exalted. Let justice and judgment be the preparation Let thy hand be strengthened should have been my verses to the King’. Similarly, the final line, ‘Kings of thy seat! Let mercy and truth go before thy face. sung when the king finally ascended the throne shall be thy nursing fathers, and Queens thy nursing Let justice, judgment, mercy and truth go before towards the end of the ceremony, but it was actually mothers’ might now be expressed as: ‘kings shall thy face. Allelujah. performed early in the coronation at the point known be your guardians and their queens your nurses’. as the Recognition, where the king is presented This comes from the Old Testament Book of Isaiah, The King shall rejoice in thy strength, O Lord to the people as their sovereign. This anthem, in which God promises the Jewish people that their Exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation. like the other three, is in three sections, but it is enemies will be defeated and all other nations Glory and great worship hast thou laid upon him. the only one scored without trumpets and timpani. will serve them, and was probably intended as a Thou hast prevented him with the blessings of It is more reflective and less overtly grand than the metaphor for the power of the king of Great Britain goodness and hast set a crown of pure gold upon other anthems, its second section in a minor key, ‘Let relative to those of other nations. his head Allelujah. justice and judgment’, being particularly subdued.

20 AUSTRALIAN BRANDENBURG ORCHESTRA HANDEL'S ANTHEMS & FIREWORKS 21 Program Notes Program Notes Handel's Anthems & Fireworks Handel's Anthems & Fireworks

CONCERTO FOR OBOE NO. 3 IN G MINOR, HWV 287 This is both Handel’s earliest concerto and the oldest MUSIC FOR THE ROYAL FIREWORKS HWV 351 Not to mention King George II himself, who said that Grave surviving concerto for solo oboe. The oboe had been Ouverture: Adagio – Allegro – Lentement - Allegro he did not want any music but if there had to be any, Allegro an orchestral instrument from the mid-seventeenth Bourrée it must be ‘martial musick … and he hoped there Sarabande: Largo century but the early eighteenth century saw a rush La Paix [The Peace] would be no fidles [violins].’ Allegro of composers keen to exploit its haunting and lyrical La Réjouissance [Rejoicing] Initially the event was advertised as having ‘a Band sound. Both Handel and Bach used the oboe as Menuet 1 In 1703, when he was eighteen, Handel moved from of a Hundred Musicians’ including forty trumpets an obbligato (solo) instrument in vocal music, and Menuet 2 his home town of Halle to take up a job with the and twenty French horns, ‘with 100 cannon to go concertos for solo oboe were composed by Vivaldi Hamburg opera orchestra. He stayed there until late Handel composed the suite known as Music for off singly at intervals.’ As late as three weeks before and Albinoni, among many others. 1706, playing the violin and later the harpsichord. the Royal Fireworks to accompany an elaborate the event Handel threatened to pull out if he could This concerto is believed to date from the same WHAT TO LISTEN FOR fireworks display which celebrated the conclusion not have violins, although this may have been an period although its origin is not clear, and for a time This concerto is in four movements (the of the War of the Austrian Succession, which had ambit claim to reduce the unworkably high numbers it was thought not to be by Handel at all. Handel was three-movement concerto had not yet been lasted from 1740 to 1748 and had involved most of of brass instruments wanted by Montagu and a renowned re-user of his own work, but while the popularised by Vivaldi), and features the mixture Europe. The celebrations had initially been intended Frederick. concerto does not use material from any of his other as rather low-key, but the peace treaty’s conditions of French and Italian styles then fashionable in To partially defray the huge cost of the exercise early compositions, there are similarities with the were not that favourable to Britain, and the Hamburg. The dotted rhythms in the first movement Montagu decided that the rehearsal was to be a operas he is known to have composed in the same government decided that something was needed are reminiscent of a French overture, while the third public concert at the pleasure gardens at Vauxhall. period. He re-used the final Allegro in his Organ to play up the role of the King and downplay their movement is a very expressive Sarabande, a French Handel would not agree, probably because he had Concerto in G minor Op 4 No 3 (HWV 291). own role. dance form. The two Allegro movements feature planned his own fee-paying concert of the music fast passage-work and interplay between the oboe All London watched for months as an elaborate which was to take place only a month later at the and first violin. Doric temple on which the fireworks would be Foundling Hospital, but he was obliged to go ahead displayed was slowly erected in Green Park. The when the Duke of Montagu threatened in turn to use temple was in Palladian style, 34 metres high and another composer’s music instead. The rehearsal 124 metres long, with a lower wing at either side and was so well-attended (although more likely by 3,000 a pavilion at each end. Made of wood and canvas people than the reported 12,000) that carriages on whitewashed to look like stone, it was ornamented London Bridge caused London’s first traffic jam, and with a false balustrade, translucent windows lit from probably Handel was among those delayed, as the behind, statues, and the King’s arms. Hundreds of rehearsal started two hours late. men worked feverishly to finish the building in time, After such a tremendous build-up, the event itself scandalising the population by working on Sundays. was bound to be an anticlimax, and so it proved, A view of the fire-workes and according to politician and man of letters Horace illuminations at His Grace the Duke From the outset the event was plagued by poor Walpole: of Richmond's at Whitehall and on the planning and disagreements between all involved: the managers appointed by parliament, the Duke of River Thames on Monday 15 May 1749. The next day were the fire-works, which by no Montagu and Charles Frederick, the French theatre Performed by the direction of Charles means answered the expense, the length of designer charged with building the ‘Machine’ to Fredrick Esq. preparation, and the expectation that had been display the fireworks, the Italian firework makers, raised; indeed, for a week before, the town was Hand coloured etching showing the and the German composer, Handel, who seems to like a country fair, the streets filled from morning Royal Fire-workes and Illuminations in have been asked to compose the accompanying Whitehall and on the River Thames. music almost as an afterthought. to night, scaffolds building wherever you could or could not see, and coaches arriving from 22 AUSTRALIAN BRANDENBURG ORCHESTRA HANDEL'S ANTHEMS & FIREWORKS 23 Program Notes Handel's Anthems & Fireworks

every corner of the kingdom. … The rockets and WHAT TO LISTEN FOR whatever was thrown up into the air succeeded The exact instruments Handel ended up using mighty well, but the wheels and all that was to on the day are not known, but his autograph score compose the principal part, were pitiful and ill- indicates that it was indeed a particularly warlike conducted, with no changes of coloured fires and band which would have suited the King: twenty-four shapes: the illumination was mean, and lighted oboes in three parts, nine horns in three parts, nine so slowly that scarce anybody had patience to wait trumpets in three parts, twelve in two the finishing; and then what contributed to the parts, a contrabassoon, and three sets of timpani. awkwardness of the whole, was the right pavilion The score shows that he doubled the woodwind catching fire, and being burned down in the with strings, with the number of players reduced, and it was this orchestration that he used for the middle of the show. performance at the Foundling Hospital in London. The musicians, conducted by Handel, performed Modern performances now follow this model. between 6 and 7 o’clock, just as well, as it was the pavilion in which they were seated which caught The work begins with a particularly grand fire. Smoke obscured the grand sun on the top of first movement, the splendid Ouverture in the the building with ‘Vivat Rex’ (long live the King) triumphant key of D major. All instruments play in in the centre, and in the resulting confusion the this extended movement, distributed across fifteen remaining fireworks were let off in the wrong order separate musical parts, with trumpets and timpani and the effect was lost. Emotions ran high among dominating. By comparison with the very weighty the organisers and Servandoni, who designed the texture of the first movement, the second movement building, drew his sword on Charles Frederick. is a light and elegant dance in four parts without any brass instruments, and even the woodwinds There is no record of what anyone thought about drop away on the repeats, leaving just strings. the music. La Paix (the peace) is also a graceful dance, played by all instruments except timpani. The sense of royal occasion returns with La Réjouissance (rejoicing) and the commanding final Menuet. In both movements Handel keeps the interest across several repeated sections by varying the instrumentation.

Handel’s first page of the ‘Ouverture’ from the Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV 352

PROGRAM NOTES & TIMELINE © LYNNE MURRAY 2019

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