Chandos Anthem No. 9: O Praise the Lord with One Consent, HWV 254 (Silas) (Score: Chrysander; Parts: Novello) - set of parts

Handel?s three anthems (My song shall be alway HWV 252 O come let us sing HWV 253 O praise the Lord HWV 254) were composed in 1717 and 1718 for Cannons a country estate near to London. They take their nickname the ? Chandos Anthems? from the owner of the estate the First Duke of Chandos .The three pieces are noteworthy for their festive character and their varied orchestral accompaniment. Handel borrows older material from his Italian period and his earlier works for the Chapel Royal in London a standard procedure for this composer who reused particularly successful pieces as starting points for his later works. The scoring for solo voices chorus oboe strings and continuo was tailored to the musical resources of the small country estate. Two additional recorders are needed for ?O come let us sing unto the Lord?.The anthems present the Urtext from the ?Halle Handel Edition? and include uncomplicated and easy-to-play piano reductions. In addition to the original English words the full scores and vocal scores also include a singing translation in German.?The clarity found in these Bärenreiter scores and the excellent keyboard reductions make them very attractive for performers.?(Church Music Quarterly Sept. 2008)

In this new publication in the Novello Handel Edition under the general editorship of Donald Burrows Graydon Beeks has prepared the first modern performing edition to have examined all known sources of Handel's ever popular so-called Chandos Anthem No. 9 HWV 254 written between 1717 and 1719 for his patron Earl of Carnarvon.

FANFARE PRELUDE: O GOD OUR HELP IN AGES PAST is based on the hymn-tune ?St. Anne ? which was used by G.F.Handel in the Chandos anthem ?O Praise the Lord ? and by J.S.Bach in his triple fugue in E-flat ?The St. Anne Fugue.? James Curnow?s FANFARE PRELUDE: O GOD OUR HELP IN AGES PAST captures the thoughts of this magnificent hymn which speaks of our country?s reliance upon God. The unusual 4/4 meter setting with artfully crafted re-harmonizations and lush counterpoint gives each listener cause to reflect on the importance and meaning of this melody to patriotic Americans everywhere.Inspired!