Handel and the Crown
Donald Macleod explores Handel鈥檚 crucial relationship with the British monarchy, and how he and the Georgian Kings helped forge a new sense of British culture and identity.
Donald Macleod explores Handel鈥檚 crucial relationship with the British monarchy, and how he and the Georgian Kings helped forge a new sense of British culture and identity.
What could be more quintessentially British than a rousing chorus of Handel鈥檚 Hallelujah Chorus? Or his anthem Zadok the Priest, which has been performed at every British coronation since 1727? Yet, though the composer became was a naturalised British subject, he was born in Germany and kept his German accent all of his life. The same was true of the two Kings Handel served, George I and George II. This week, as we head towards a royal jubilee weekend, Donald Macleod explores Handel鈥檚 crucial relationship with the British monarchy, and how he and the Georgian Kings helped forge a new sense of British culture and identity.
Music Featured:
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
Agrippina, Act 2: "Pensieri, voi mi tormentate"
Handel: Concerto Grosso in B flat, Op 3 No 1
Rinaldo, Act 1: 鈥淐ara Sposa鈥�
鈥楿trecht鈥� Jubilate
Te Deum in D, 鈥楺ueen Caroline鈥� (Mvts 1 & 2)
Water Music (excerpt)
Radamisto, Act 2: 鈥淥mbra caro di mia sposa鈥�
I will magnify thee
Overture to Admeto
Riccardo primo, re d鈥橧nghilterra, Act 2 鈥楾鈥檃mo si鈥�
My Heart is Inditing
Ariodante Act III: 鈥楧opo Notte鈥� and Finale
Zadok the Priest
Funeral Anthem for Queen Caroline: I. Introduction, II. The Ways of Zion do Morn
Messiah: 鈥楨very valley shall be exalted鈥� and No 4 鈥楢nd the glory of the Lord shall be revealed鈥�
Israel in Egypt: (extracts from Parts II and III)
Concerto Grosso No 12 in B minor
鈥楧ettingen鈥� Te Deum: 鈥榁ouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day鈥�
Occasional Oratorio: Overture
Handel Organ Concerto Op 4 No 1: II. Allegro
Judas Maccabaeus, Part 2: 鈥楽ee! The Conquering Hero Comes鈥�, 鈥楽ing Unto God鈥� and 鈥極 Lovely Peace鈥�
Music for the Royal Fireworks
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
Presented by Donald Macleod
Produced by Chris Taylor
For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Handel and the Crown /programmes/m0017m2m
And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we鈥檝e featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z
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Composer of the Week
Donald Macleod explores the life and work of composers.
