It just so happens that this week is full of musical events to commemorate; everything from anniversaries of the premieres of Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals and Grieg’s Peer Gynt to the announcement of Taylor Swift’s new album(!)

I want to draw focus to today, 23^rd February, upon which we can celebrate the two most influential composers in the UK’s history of pre-popular music. The day happens to be both the birthday of George Friderich Handel in 1711 and the death date of Sir Edward Elgar in 1934. Both are giants in the British music world and formed their own style of ‘English music’, although both composers wrote music heavily influenced from elsewhere in Europe, particularly Germany (with Handel being German born-and-bred before finding home in London). There are many pieces by both composers which I would encourage you to dedicate a few minutes to absorbing and enjoying; however, we recommend a slightly lesser-known collaboration between the two. As well as writing a significant amount of vocal and choral music, the Baroque Handel was a skilled orchestrator and wrote grand and regal instrumental works. This overture is an arrangement, made in 1923 by Elgar, of an overture to “In the Lord put I my Trust”, which Handel wrote in 1718, when he was resident composer for the Duke of Chandos at Cannons House. Enjoy this musical work which is over 200 years in the making!

Mr Mercer, Head of Co-Curricular Music