“This royal throne of Kings, this sceptred isle…” So wrote William Shakespeare about the island of Britain during the reign of one of its most celebrated and intriguing monarchs, Queen Elizabeth I. This programme pairs music from the 16th century and the last 70 years in a celebration of ‘Good Queen Bess’ and her modern ancestor, Queen Elizabeth II. 

In the first half we have sacred works by the two Fathers of English Music, Thomas Tallis and William Byrd, directly reflected by contemporary composers. In the second, we move to the secular music of madrigals, so popular in Shakespeare’s time and still admired and built upon by some of Britain’s most famous modern composers, such as Finzi, Ireland and Britten. The programme culminates with a specially commissioned reflection of the first work, William Byrd’s O Lord, make thy servant Elizabeth.

Join us on this bridge between the two Elizabethan ages; a musical reflection on the history of this island nation.

William Byrd - O Lord, Make Thy Servant Elizabeth

Thomas Tallis - 4 Psalms from Archbishop Parker’s Psalter

Roxanna Panufnik - Kyrie after Byrd*

William Byrd - Sing Joyfully

Thomas Tallis - If Ye Love Me

Alexander L’Estrange - Show Me Deare, Christ*

Thomas Tallis - 4 Psalms from Archbishop Parker’s Psalter

Kerry Andrew - Archbishop Parker’s Psalme 150*

Thomas Tallis - Come Holy Ghost

William Byrd - Praise the Lord, All Ye Gentiles

Interval

Richard Allain - If Music Be the Food of Love

Ellis Gibbons - Long Live Fair Oriana

John Ireland - The Hills

Benjamin Britten - Gloriana Dances

John Hilton - Fair Oriana, beauty’s queen

John Rutter - Be Not Afeard

Gerald Finzi - White-flowering days

Edward Johnson - Come, blessed Byrd

New Commission by Bob Chilcott - O Lord, Make Thy Servant Elizabeth*

*ORA commissions