Fu scritta per l'incoronazione del Re Edoardo VII e della Regina Alessandra di Danimarca nel 1902 e dedicata "per concessione speciale a Sua Graziosa Maestà Re Edoardo VII", ma l'Incoronazione fu posticipata[1] a causa di una malattia del re, quindi la prima esecuzione avvenne non prima del 2 ottobre 1902 al Festival di Sheffield, a cura del Coro Sheffield, i solisti Agnes Nicholls, Muriel Foster, John Coates e David Ffrangcon Davies, sotto la direzione di Elgar. La prima di Londra fu al Covent Garden il 26 ottobre 1902.
Storia della composizione
La Regina Vittoria morì nel gennaio del 1901 e presto iniziarono i preparativi per l'incoronazione di suo figlio Re Edoardo VII. Alla fine di quell'anno il Covent Garden Grand Opera Syndicate commissionò a Elgar la stesura di una composizione che avrebbe dovuto essere presentata in anteprima durante un galà reale alla vigilia dell'Incoronazione che era prevista per luglio dell'anno successivo. Lo stesso Elgar invitò Arthur Christopher Benson (forse su istanza del re) a fornire il libretto: Benson era un musicista e anche uno scrittore e la collaborazione fu stretta ed coronata da successo.
Il re suggerì a Elgar che le parole potevano essere prese dalla sezione Trio della prima Pomp and Circumstance March, che gli piaceva: Elgar accettò il suggerimento del re[2] e chiese a Benson di adattare le parole in modo che la melodia potesse formare il punto culminante dell'Ode.
Elgar iniziò a scrivere nel febbraio 1902 ed alla fine di marzo aveva terminato la partitura vocale, che a quel tempo consisteva nelle parti I, III, IV, V e VI. Benson poi si rese conto che doveva esserci una canzone che si riferisse alla Regina Alessandra e aggiunse Daughter of ancient Kings (Figlia di antichi re) che Elgar pose con riluttanza dopo Crown the King (Incorona il re), perché avrebbe voluto farlo seguire da Britain, ask of thyself (Gran Bretagna, chiedi a te stessa).
Gli editori, Booseys, rendendosi conto della sua popolarità, chiesero a Elgar di rivedere Land of hope and glory (Terra di speranza e gloria) in modo che potesse essere pubblicato come una canzone separata e questo fu effettivamente realizzato e cantato da Clara Butt con grande successo in un "Concerto di incoronazione" una settimana prima che l'Ode fosse rappresentata per la prima volta a Londra.
Il lavoro fu pubblicato per cinque occasioni reali:[3]
l'incoronazione di Re Edoardo VII nel 1902 – "Daughter of ancient Kings", scritto appositamente per la Regina Alessandra, fu usato solo in questa occasione – parti usate furono: I, II (b), III, IV (a & b), V e VI
l'incoronazione di Re Giorgio V nel 1911 – "The Queen" sostituì "Daughter of ancient Kings" e la preghiera "Peace, gentle peace" fu (in modo inquietante) omessa – parti usate: I, II (a), III, IV (a & b) e VI
l'Edizione del Giubileo d'argento per Re Giorgio V nel 1935 parti usate: I, II (a), IV (a & b) e VI solo
l'incoronazione di Re Giorgio VI nel 1937, parti usate: I, II (a), IV (b) e VI solo
l'incoronazione della Regina Elisabetta II nel 1953 – "Crown the King" divenne "Crown the Queen" – le parti utilizzate furono: I, II (a & b), III, IV (a & b) VI solo
Movimenti
Ci sono sei parti:
I – Introduzione: "Crown the King", per solisti e coro.
II – (a) "The Queen", per coro; (b) "Daughter of ancient Kings", per coro
III – "Britain, ask of thyself", per basso solista e coro maschile
IV – (a) "Hark upon the hallowed air" per soprano e tenore solisti, seguito da (b) "Only let the heart be pure", per solisti: soprano, contralto, tenore e basso
V – "Peace, gentle peace", per soprano, contralto, tenore e basso solisti e coro non accompagnato
I – "Crown the King" – Introduction Soloists and Chorus
Crown the King with Life!
Through our thankful state
Let the cries of hate
Die in joy away;
Cease ye sounds of strife!
Lord of Life, we pray,
Crown the King with Life!
Crown the King with Might!
Let the King be strong,
Hating guile and wrong,
He that scorneth pride.
Fearing truth and right,
Feareth nought beside;
Crown the King with Might!
Crown the King with Peace,
Peace that suffers long,
Peace that maketh strong,
Peace with kindly wealth,
As the years increase,
Nurse of joy and health;
Crown the King with Peace!
Crown the King with Love!
To his land most dear
He shall bend to hear
Ev'ry pleading call;
Loving God above,
With a heart for all;
Crown the King with Love!
Crown the King with Faith!
God, the King of Kings,
Ruleth earthly things;
God of great and small,
Lord of Life and Death,
God above us all!
Crown the King with Faith!
God shall save the King,
God shall make him great,
God shall guard the state;
All that hearts can pray,
All that lips can sing,
God shall hear today;
Crown the King with Life
with Might, with Peace, with Love, with Faith!
God shall save the King,
God shall make him great,
God shall guard the state;
All that hearts can pray,
All that lips can sing,
God shall hear today;
God shall save the King!
(a) "The Queen" (b) "Daughter of ancient Kings"
II – (a) "The Queen" – Chorus
True Queen of British homes and hearts
Of guileless faith and sterling worth,
We yield you ere today departs,
The proudest, purest crown on earth!
We love you well for England's sake,
True you shall prove, as you have proved;
The years that come shall only make
Your name more honoured, more belov'd.
Oh kind and wise, the humblest heart
That beats in all your realms today
Knows well that it can claim its part
In all you hope, in all you pray.
II – (b) "Daughter of ancient Kings" – Chorus "A Greeting to Her Gracious Majesty, Queen Alexandra"
Daughter of ancient Kings,
Mother of Kings to be,
Gift that the bright wind bore on his sparkling wings,
Over the Northern sea![4]
Nothing so sweet he brings,
Nothing so fair to see,
Purest, stateliest, daughter of ancient Kings,
Mother of Kings to be!
"Britain, ask of thyself"
III "Britain, ask of thyself" – Solo Bass and Chorus (Tenor and Bass)
Britain, ask of thyself, and see that thy sons be strong,
See that thy sons be strong,
Strong to arise and go,
See that thy sons be strong,
See that thy navies speed, to the sound of the battle-song;
Then, when the winds are up, and the shuddering bulwarks reel,
Smite, the mountainous wave, and scatter the flying foam,
Big with the battle-thunder that echoeth load, loud and long;
Britain, ask of thyself, and see that thy sons be strong,
See that thy sons be strong,
Strong to arise and go,
If ever the war-trump peal;
See that thy squadrons haste, when loos'd are the hounds of hell;
Then shall the eye flash fire, and the valourous heart grow light,
Under the drifting smoke, and the scream of the flying shell,
When the hillside hisses with death, and never a foe in sight.
Britain, ask of thyself, and see that thy sons be strong.
So shall thou rest in peace, enthron'd in thine island home.
So shall thou rest in peace,
Enthron'd in thine island home,
So shall thou rest in peace, enthron'd in thine island home.
Britain, ask of thyself,
Britain, ask of thyself, see that thy sons be strong,
Strong to arise, arise and go, see that thy sons be strong.
See that thy sons be strong,
Strong to arise and go, if ever the war-trump peal!
(a) "Hark, upon the hallowed air" (b) "Only let the heart be pure"
IV (a) "Hark, upon the hallowed air" – Soli (Soprano and Tenor)
Tenor
Hark, upon the hallow'd air,
Spirits pure of sight and sense,
Hov'ring visions, rich and fair,
Lend their radiant influence!
Airy powr's of Earth and Sky
Bless our meet solemnity.
Soprano
Music, sweetest child of heav'n,
At thy touch the heart is free,
Ancient wrongs by thee forgiv'n,
Cares uplifted, heal'd by thee,
Listen smiling, borne along
In the sacred, sacred tide of song.
Tenor
Music, music of the poet's heart!
Widening yet the echoes roll;
Fiery secrets, wing'd by art,
Light the lonely list'ning soul,
Till the aching silence rings
With the beat of heav'nly wings.
Soprano
Magic web of woven hues,
Tender shadow, linked line,
Sweet mysterious avenues
Opening out to Light Divine!
Painter-poet, thou canst teach
More than frail and falt'ring speech.
IV (b) "Only let the heart be pure" – Quartet (S.A.T.B.)
Only let the heart be pure,
Pure in steadfast innocence,
Stainless honour, strong and sure,
Stem the ardent tide of sense!
So shall Wisdom, one with Truth,
Keep undimm'd the fires of youth,
Strong to conquer, strong to bless,
Britain, Heaven hath made thee great!
Courage knit with gentleness,
Best befits thy sober state.
As the golden days increase,
Crown thy victories with peace!
"Peace, gentle peace"
V "Peace, gentle peace" – Soli (S.A.T.B.) and Chorus unaccompanied
Peace, gentle Peace, who, smiling through thy tears,
Returnest, when the sounds of war are dumb ...
Replenishing the bruised and broken earth,
And lifting motherly her shattered form,
When comest thou, Our brethren, long for thee
Thou dost restore the darken'd light of home,
Give back the father to his children's arms
Thou driest tenderly the mourner's tears,
And all thy face is lit with holy light
Our earth is fain for thee! Return and come.
"Land of hope and glory"
VI – "Land of hope and glory" – Finale (Contralto Solo and Tutti)
Solo
Land of hope and glory,
Mother of the free,
How shall we extol thee,
who are born of thee?
Truth and Right and Freedom,
each a holy gem,
Stars of solemn brightness,
weave thy diadem.
Chorus
'Tho thy way be darken'd,
still in splendour drest,
As the star that trembles
o'er the liquid West.
Thron'd amid the billows,
thron'd inviolate,
Thou hast reign'd victorious,
thou hast smil'd at fate.
Soloists and Chorus
Land of hope and glory,
Fortress of the free,
How shall we extol thee?
praise thee, honour thee?
Hark! a mighty nation
maketh glad reply;
Lo, our lips are thankful;
lo, our hearts are high!
Hearts in hope uplifted,
loyal lips that sing;
Strong in Faith and Freedom,
we have crowned our King!
Dame Felicity Lott (soprano), Alfreda Hodgson (contralto), Richard Morton (tenore), Stephen Roberts (basso), Cambridge University Musical Society, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Band of the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall diretta da Sir Philip Ledger, registrata alla Chapel of King's College, Cambridge, February 1977 EMI CLASSICS 5 85148 2
Note
^The coronation was originally scheduled for 26 June 1902, but two days before then the King was diagnosed with appendicitis and had to undergo an emergency life-saving operation: so the coronation was postponed until 9 August.
^This was despite strong advice to the contrary, notably from his friend August Jaeger
.jpg)
