Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne

Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (HWV 74) is a secular cantata composed by George Frideric Handel to a libretto by Ambrose Philips, of which the first line, "Eternal source of light divine", provides an alternative title for the work. It was probably composed during January 1713 for a performance on 6 February 1713, although there is no record of the performance having actually taken place.[1] Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xlviA; and HHA i/6.[1]

Overview

The cantata celebrates Queen Anne's birthday, and the accomplishment of the Treaty of Utrecht (negotiated by the Tory ministry of Anne in 1712) to end the War of the Spanish Succession. Queen Anne was said by the Duke of Manchester to be "too careless or too busy to listen to her own band, and had no thought of hearing and paying new players however great their genius or vast their skill."[2] Nevertheless, and whether or not she ever heard this ode for her birthday, she granted Handel a "pension" (subsidy for living expenses) of two hundred pounds a year, for life.[2]

Structure

Queen Anne
Ambrose Phillips, author of the text of "Eternal Source of Light Divine"
Handel, about 1720
Hampton Court Palace, Chapel, by Charles Wild, 1819 - royal coll 922125 313698 ORI 2

Each of the seven stanzas of the ode concludes with the following words sung by the chorus:

The day that gave great Anna birth,
Who fix'd a lasting peace on Earth.
Eternal source of light divine
With double warmth thy beams display
And with distinguish'd glory shine
To add a lustre to this day.
The day that gave great Anna birth
Who fix'd a lasting peace on earth.
Let all the winged race with joy
Their wonted homage sweetly pay
Whilst towr'ing in the azure sky
They celebrate this happy day.
The day that gave great Anna birth
Who fix'd a lasting peace on earth.
Let flocks and herds their fear forget
Lions and wolves refuse their prey
And all in friendly consort meet
Made glad by this propitious day.
The day that gave great Anna birth
Who fix'd a lasting peace on earth.
Let rolling streams their gladness show
With gentle murmurs whilst they play
And in their wild meanders flow
Rejoicing in this blessed day.
The day that gave great Anna birth
Who fix'd a lasting peace on earth.
Kind Health descends on downy wings
Angels conduct her on the way.
T'our glorious Queen new life she brings
And swells our joys upon this day.
The day that gave great Anna birth
Who fix'd a lasting peace on earth.
Let envy then conceal her head
And blasted faction glide away.
No more her hissing tongues we'll dread
Secure in this auspicious day.
The day that gave great Anna birth
Who fix'd a lasting peace on earth.
United nations shall combine
To distant climes their sound convey
That Anna's actions are divine
And this the most important day!
The day that gave great Anna birth
Who fix'd a lasting peace on earth.

Selected recordings

Although composed for countertenor, it is often sung by sopranos. For example:

References

  1. 1 2 Hicks, Anthony (2001). Sadie, Stanley; Tyrrell, John, eds. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. x (2 ed.). London: Macmillan. p. 784.
  2. 1 2 King, Robert. "Program notes for "Music for Royal Occasions'" (PDF). Hyperion Records. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
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