Two great court odes celebrating English female monarchs.  Henry Purcell wrote ‘Come, ye sons of arts’ for Queen Mary’s birthday, on 30 April 1694.  We perform it in Rebecca Herissone’s radical reconstruction of Purcell’s original score; it only survives in a later re-orchestration.  ‘Eternal source of light divine’, written for Queen Anne’s birthday on 6 February 1713, is Handel’s eloquent tribute to the English style, beginning with the beautiful countertenor solo with trumpet obbligato.  Purcell’s grand orchestral setting of the Te Deum and Jubilate was written for St Cecilia’s Day in 1694 and was regularly performed in St Paul’s for state occasions.

Peter Holman’s vivid performances of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century music have delighted SVF audiences for many years.  In this concert he is joined by our resident choir and orchestra, and by SVF favourites Philippa Hyde and Daniel Auchincloss. James Hall made a great impression in Arne’s Alfred during last year’s Festival.