Ode to the Birthday of Queen Anne HWV 74

During Handel’s first visit to England, lasting eight months, he was favourably received at the court of Queen Anne. Within three months of his return to England he was asked to write the music for a Thanksgiving Service for the Treaty of Utrecht [1713] heralding the queen’s role as a peacemaker and the end to the lengthy War of the Spanish Succession. 

The work is in nine movements and contains much variety, but it is in the opening movement where we see the most inspired writing. Highly influenced by the works of Purcell it is a ravishing duet for alto and trumpet, the text by poet and dramatist Ambrose Philips, compares the monarch to the sun and the trumpet and voice echo each other with double warmth. The vocal part of this movement, according to his manuscript score was written for Mr. Richard Elford, countertenor who was described by his colleagues as giving such a due Energy and proper Emphasis to the Words of his Musick.