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This is a collection of program notes, lectures and other writings by Dr. Laurence R. Taylor (1937-2004). Most of them were written for the Princeton Symphony and Opera Festival of New Jersey but some were for the Newtown Chamber Orchestra and Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra as well as some recitals. I am trying to get these online as fast as possible. There will be some strange formatting. Whenever you see a phrase in ALL CAPS he meant italics. Somehow pressing that little i button was too much trouble :) I will edit them to make that change when time allows. Suggestions are also welcome. Also you will find that LRT used British orthography even though he lived most of his life in New Jersey. Those spellings will remain since in his words "[I have had a] Close lifelong with British musical life – with annual return visits to refresh the soul by rejoining British friends, and drinking in a wide range of musical life there."


You may reprint any of the materials posted here for no charge as long as credit is given in the printed material to Laurence R. Taylor. I'd be delighted to receive a copy too.

Gene De Lisa

Saturday, October 16, 1999

Handel The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba

The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

Handel, after a brilliant period in London as composer of Italian operas, responded to a shift in public taste away from opera by a shrewd career move, writing oratorios, large quasi-operatic works (with English texts) on religious subjects, designed for performance during Lent, when theatres were closed, and musical activity sharply curtailed. “Solomon” is one of Handel’s later oratorios, dating from 1749. The “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba” is actually the name given to the Sinfonia (“Overture”) to Act III by the 20th century conductor, Sir Thomas Beecham. It is a buoyant, buzzing movement full of bright fiddle-faddle figuration in the strings, punctuated by brief interjections from a pair of oboes, creating a mood of festive anticipation quite appropriate for the splendour of the dramatic situation.

NCO concert
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