March 31

The Royal Wedding: The Service

FURTHER DETAILS ON THE WEDDING OF HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES AND MRS CAMILLA PARKER BOWLES

MUSIC FOR THE SERVICE OF PRAYER AND DEDICATION, ST GEORGE’S CHAPEL, WINDSOR, 8TH APRIL 2005

A combination of choral and orchestral music will be played during the Service of Prayer and Dedication at St George’s Chapel, Windsor.

The music, which has been chosen by HRH The Prince of Wales and Mrs Parker Bowles, includes some of their favourite pieces such as Bach’s Cantata "Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland" and excerpts from Handel’s Water Music.

Among the musicians performing at the Service are members of the Philharmonia Orchestra, of which The Prince of Wales is Patron, and the St George’s Chapel Choir. Founded in 1348, the Chapel Choir is made up of 23 boy choristers (all pupils from St George’s School situated in the Castle grounds) and 12 Lay clerks singing alto, tenor and bass. The choir sings regularly in the presence of The Queen and other members of the Royal Family, and often tours abroad.

A Russian version of The Creed, set to music by Gretchaninov, will be sung by Ekaterina Semenchuk, a young Russian contral to who has been specially flown over as a wedding gift from the Mariinsky Theatre Trust of St Petersburg, of which HRH The Prince of Wales is Patron and a benefactor. Ekaterina is a highly acclaimed young singer who was a finalist at the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in 2001.

At the beginning of the Service of Prayer and Dedication, a number of organ and orchestral pieces will be played. These include Farewell to Stromness by The Master of the Queen’s Music, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and which has been specially arranged by Rosemary Furniss for strings. Other pieces include works by Walton, Bach, Handel, Finzi, Grieg and Elgar.

As The Prince of Wales and Mrs Parker Bowles join the congregation, the orchestra will play the Adagio movement of Albinoni’s Oboe Concerto in D minor.

During the Service, three hymns will be sung, all of which are The Prince’s and Mrs Parker Bowles’s favourites. They are: Immortal Invisible (tune: St Denio), Love Divine All Loves Excelling (tune: Blaenwern), and Praise My Soul The King of Heaven (tune: Goss).

After the concluding blessing, a verse of the National Anthem will be sung, followed immediately by a specially commissioned "Celebration Fanfare" by the Welsh composer Alun Hoddinott.

The Service will conclude with the orchestra playing excerpts of Handel’s Water Music and excerpts from works by Bach for organ.

The organist for the Service will be Roger Judd and the choir will be conducted by the Director of Music of St George’s Chapel Timothy Byram-Wigfield.

The Philharmonia Orchestra will be conducted by Christopher Warren-Green.

Until Next Time,
David Flint


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