London Handel Festival Performs World Premiere Of Anna Clyne's IN THY BEAUTY

On Wednesday, March 23, 2022 at 7:00pm, the London Handel Festival presents their 2022 Opening Night Celebration, featuring the world premiere of London-born composer Anna Clyne's In thy Beauty. Held at St. George's, Hanover Square-the church at which Handel himself was a regular worshiper-the program additionally includes six triumphant works by the Baroque composer. Laurence Cummings serves as Musical Director for the evening and directs the Academy of Ancient Music and the National Youth Choir of Great Britain.

Anna Clyne's In thy Beauty (2022) resets text by Henry Purcell for Handel's coronation anthem, My Heart is Inditing, created for the 1685 coronation of James Ii. Purcell's text consists of a shortened adaptation of verses from Psalm 45:1,10,12 and Isaiah 49:23: "My heart is inditing of a good matter: / I speak of the things which I have made unto the King. / Kings daughters were among thy honourable women / Upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in vesture of gold / and the King shall have pleasure in thy beauty. / Kings shall be thy nursing fathers / and queens thy nursing mothers." Clyne's new 7-minute composition for soprano, chorus, and Baroque chamber orchestra helps keep the inspiration of Handel alive today.

Clyne has also written two additional choral works recently: The Heart of Night for a cappella chorus (premiere date to be announced, originally postponed from 2020), with a music video coming soon from Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and The Years for choir and orchestra, premiering in May 2022 by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra with a text by Stephanie Flesichmann. When Clyne wrote The Years in 2020, she reflected, "The Years is a musical and literary response to the present moment of enforced isolation, whilst it also resonates with any moment in time. I have drawn from my experiences during the pandemic in 2020, which range from quiet solitude, to the alarm of a system being fractured."

Concert Information

London Handel Festival Opening Night Celebration
Wednesday, March 23, 2022 at 7:00pm
St. George's, Hanover Square | The Vestry, 2A Mill St | London
Tickets: £15 - £75
Link: www.london-handel-festival.com/show/2022-opening-night-celebration/

HANDEL: Zadok the Priest HWV 258
HANDEL: Music for the Royal Fireworks HWV 351
HANDEL: As Pants the Heart HWV 261
HANDEL: The Cuckoo Concert HWV 295
HANDEL: Concerto Grosso Op.6 No. 11
ANNA CLYNE: In thy beauty [World premiere]
HANDEL: The King Shall Rejoice HWV 260

Laurence Cummings, Musical Director
Academy of Ancient Music
National Youth Choir of Great Britain Chamber Choir