Coronation Ode

Festival di Sheffield Edward Elgar (direttore)

Messo in musica per soprano, contralto, tenore e basso soli, coro e orchestra.

Coronation Ode, Op. 44 è una composizione scritta da Edward Elgar per soprano, contralto, tenore e basso solisti, coro e orchestra, con parole di Arthur Christopher Benson.

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 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.

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 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:

Ci sono sei parti:

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!

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!     Nothing so sweet he brings,     Nothing so fair to see, Purest, stateliest, daughter of ancient Kings,     Mother of Kings to be!

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!

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!

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.

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!

Seven Lieder (1885-1894): "Like to the Damask Rose" (1892), "Queen Mary's Song" (1889), "A Song of Autumn" (1892), "The Poet's Life" (1892), "Through the Long Days" (1885), "Rondel" (1894), "The Shepherd's Song" (1892)

"Is she not passing fair?" (1886) · "As I laye a-thynkynge" (1888) · "The Wind at Dawn" (1888) · "The Shepherd's Song" (1892) · "After" (1900) · "A Song of Flight" (1900)

Sea Pictures (1899): "Sea Slumber Song", "In Haven", "Sabbath Morning at Sea", "Where Corals Lie", "The Swimmer" (1897–99)

"Dry those fair, those crystal eyes" (1899) · The Pipes of Pan (1899) · "Always and Everywhere" (1901) · "Come, Gentle Night!" (1901) · "In the Dawn" (1901) · "Speak, Music!" (1901) · "There are seven that pull the thread" (1901) · "In Moonlight" ((1904) · "Follow the Colours" (1907) · "Pleading" (1908) · "A Child Asleep" (1909) · "Oh, soft was the song" (1910) · "Was it some Golden Star?" (1910) · "Twilight" (1910) · "The Chariots of the Lord" (1914) · "Fight for Right" (1916) · "Inside the Bar" (1917)

The Fringes of the Fleet (1916): "The Lowestoft Boat", "Fate's Discourtesy", "Submarines", "The Sweepers"

Pageant of Empire (1924): "The Blue Mountains", "Shakespeare's Kingdom", "The Islands", "The Heart of Canada", "Sailing Westward", "Merchant Adventurers", "The Immortal Legions", "A Song of Union", "The Immortal Legions"