Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Great British Music

Dr David Starkey's exploration of how the monarchy shaped Britain's music reaches the 18th century, which brought such patriotic classics as God Save the King.

Dr David Starkey's exploration of how the monarchy shaped Britain's music reaches the 18th century, when Great Britain became a dominant military and economic power, and the century which brought us patriotic classics such as God Save the King - the world's first national anthem - and Rule Britannia. Yet this was a time when the monarchy had never been more fragile, having lost much of its political and religious power and imported its ruling house from abroad. The supreme irony was that it was a musician from Germany, George Frideric Handel, who gave Great Britain and its new royal dynasty its distinctive musical voice.

Featuring specially recorded performances from Westminster Abbey Choir and a full baroque orchestra of Handel's Hallejulah Chorus and Zadok the Priest. And the Academy of Ancient Music performs extracts from Handel's operas and other works. Soloists joining the performances include Elin Manahan Thomas, singing Eternal Source of Light Divine, which was written for Queen Anne's birthday in 1714 and was performed by Elin to a global audience at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Also featuring what is believed to be the first public performance for 300 years of the music written for the Act of Union between England and Scotland in 1707 - sung by the choir of St Paul's Cathedral just as it was back then.

David also discovers the true stories behind Handel's Water Music, written to accompany George I on a trip along the Thames, as well as his Music for Royal Fireworks, full of military instruments at the insistence of the soldier-king George II. He also visits the country estate of Cliveden in Buckinghamshire, where Thomas Arne's Rule Britannia was first performed as an act of defiance by an heir to the throne.

1 hour

Music Played

  • Thomas Arne

    God save the King

    Performer: William Purefoy. Performer: Julian Forbes. Performer: Ashley Riches. Performer: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Richard Egarr.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Zadok the Priest

    Performer: Choir of Westminster Abbey. Performer: St James's Baroque. Conductor: James O鈥橠onnell.
  • William Croft

    Te Deum in D

    Performer: Choristers of St. Paul's Cathedral. Performer: The Parley of Instruments. Conductor: John Scott.
  • William Croft

    Live in peace

    Performer: Choristers of St. Paul's Cathedral. Conductor: Andrew Carwood.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Laschia ch'io pianga

    Performer: Rebecca Bottone. Performer: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Richard Egarr.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Rinaldo - Overture

    Performer: Aradia Ensemble. Conductor: Kevin Mallon.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Ode of the Birthday of Queen Anne - Eternal source of light divine

    Performer: Elin Manahan Thomas. Performer: David Blackadder. Conductor: Richard Egarr.
  • William Croft

    The Lord is a sun and a shield

    Performer: Choir of New College Oxford. Performer: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Edward Higginbottom.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Water Music - Minuet

    Performer: The English Concert. Conductor: Andrew Manze.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Water Music - Alla hornpipe

    Performer: The English Concert. Conductor: Andrew Manze.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Radamisto - Ombra Cara

    Performer: Rebecca Bottone. Performer: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Richard Egarr.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Giulio Cesare - Al lampo dell'armi

    Performer: Tim Mead. Performer: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Richard Egarr.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Suite in E Major - Allemande

    Performer: Nathaniel Mander.
  • George Frideric Handel

    The King shall rejoice

    Performer: Choir of Westminster Abbey. Performer: St James's Baroque. Conductor: James O鈥橠onnell.
  • Thomas Arne

    Artaxerxes - Overture

    Performer: The Parley of Instruments. Conductor: Roy Goodman.
  • Thomas Arne

    Alfred - Overture

    Performer: Collegium Musicum 90. Conductor: Simon Standage.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Music for the Royal Fireworks - La Paix

    Performer: London Classical Players. Conductor: Sir Roger Norrington.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Music for the Royal Fireworks - La Rejouissance

    Performer: London Classical Players. Conductor: Sir Roger Norrington.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Music for the Royal Fireworks - Ouverture

    Performer: Le Concert Spirituel. Conductor: Herv茅 Niquet.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Messiah - If God be for us

    Performer: Rebecca Bottone. Performer: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Richard Egarr.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Judas Maccabaeus - See the conquering hero comes

    Performer: Choir of New College Oxford. Performer: King's Consort. Conductor: Robert King.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Judas Maccabaeus - Arm, arm ye brave

    Performer: Ashley Riches. Performer: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Richard Egarr.
  • George Frideric Handel

    The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba

    Performer: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Messiah - Hallelujah Chorus

    Performer: Choir of Westminster Abbey. Performer: St James's Baroque.
  • Hubert Parry

    Jerusalem

    Performer: Susanna Hurrell.

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter David Starkey
Series Producer Peter Sweasey
Producer Christopher Walker
Director Christopher Walker

Broadcasts

Extended Performances

Watch full excerpts of some of the musical pieces featured in the series.