Queen Alexandra's Memorial Ode is an

ode An ode (from grc, ᾠδή, ōdḗ) is a type of lyric poetry. Odes are elaborately structured poems praising or glorifying an event or individual, describing nature intellectually as well as emotionally. A classic ode is structured in three majo ...

''"So many true Princesses who have gone"'' written by

John Masefield John Edward Masefield (; 1 June 1878 – 12 May 1967) was an English poet and writer, and Poet Laureate from 1930 until 1967. Among his best known works are the children's novels '' The Midnight Folk'' and '' The Box of Delights'', and the po ...

and set to music for choir and orchestra by Sir

Edward Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet, (; 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestr ...

for the occasion of the unveiling of Sir

Alfred Gilbert Sir Alfred Gilbert (12 August 18544 November 1934) was an English sculptor. He was born in London and studied sculpture under Joseph Boehm, Matthew Noble, Édouard Lantéri and Pierre-Jules Cavelier. His first work of importance was ''The ...

memorial A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, Tragedy (event), tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objec ...

Queen Alexandra Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 January 1901 to 6 May 1910 as the wife of K ...

on 8 June 1932 outside

Marlborough House Marlborough House, a Grade I listed mansion in St James's, City of Westminster, London, is the headquarters of the Commonwealth of Nations and the seat of the Commonwealth Secretariat. It was built in 1711 for Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Mar ...

in London.

History

It was Masefield's first commission as

Poet Laureate A poet laureate (plural: poets laureate) is a poet officially appointed by a government or conferring institution, typically expected to compose poems for special events and occasions. Albertino Mussato of Padua and Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) ...

, and Elgar, as Master of the King's Musick, was requested to set the verses in mid-May 1932, shortly before his seventy-fifth birthday. Elgar originally set the poem to an orchestral accompaniment but, due to a change of plan, the accompaniment was hurriedly re-arranged by Captain Andrew Harris of the

Welsh Guards The Welsh Guards (WG; cy, Gwarchodlu Cymreig), part of the Guards Division, is one of the Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. It was founded in 1915 as a single-battalion regiment, during the First World War, by Royal Warrant of George V. ...

so it could be played by a

military band A military band is a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the tit ...

. The day chosen for the unveiling of the memorial by the

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the ti ...

was Alexandra Rose Day. At the beginning of the ceremony outside Marlborough House, Elgar, wearing magnificent robes, conducted the chorister children of the Chapels Royal, the choir of

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...

, and the band of the Guards in a performance of the Ode. The orchestra and band parts have since been lost. The only manuscript of the work is in the Library of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle: a vocal score handwritten by the composer, which includes indications of the orchestral instrumentation.

The music

The work starts with a short fanfare-like figure, followed by a lengthy prelude by the orchestra (or band) before the choir enters, unaccompanied, with the words "So many true princesses who have gone". It is notable that though the work is in the key of E-flat it ends in the subdominant key of B-flat, giving a feeling of incompleteness: it is not known if the composer had intended to extend the work or if the effect was intentional. However the effect of the whole is of appropriate simplicity and wistfulness, and seems to ask for delicacy of instrumentation. There are four verses of four lines, and the performing time is about six minutes.

Lyrics

The lyrics to the song were written by John Masefield.

So many true princesses who have gone Over the sea, as love or duty bade, To share abroad, till Death a foreign throne, Have given all things, and been ill repaid. Hatred has followed them and bitter days. But this most lovely woman and loved Queen Filled all the English nation with her praise; We gather now to keep her memory green. Here, at this place, she often sat to mark The tide of London life go roaring by, The day-long multitude, the lighted dark, The night-long wheels, the glaring in the sky. Now here we set memorial of her stay, That passers-by remember with a thrill: "This lovely princess came from far away And won our hearts, and lives within them still".

Revival and recordings

* Choir and piano: ''So many true princesses who have gone (Queen Alexandra Memorial Ode)'' and other music by Elgar, performed by Barry Collett (piano) and Tudor Choir. On CD – The Unknown Elgar – Pearl SHECD9635 * Choir and orchestra: ''Queen Alexandra's Memorial Ode'' arranged by John Morrison for choir and small orchestra,The orchestration is for one flute, one oboe, two each of clarinets, bassoons and horns, and string section performed by

Bristol University , mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'') , established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter , type ...

Musical Society, a
St. George's Church Concert Hall, Bristol
in 2002 * Choir and orchestra: ''So Many True Princesses'' included with other revivals by Anthony Payne of Elgar's music (Third Symphony, 6th Pomp and Circumstance March). Adrian Partington Singers, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, cond. Richard Hickox. On CHANDOS CHSA5057 * Choir and military (wind) band

– arrangement of ''Queen Alexandra's Memorial Ode'' for choir and wind band by John Morrison in 2010 * Wind band: ''Queen Alexandra's Memorial Ode'' arranged by John Morrison

22 October 2011 * Choir and organ: Westminster Abbey Choir, conducted by James O'Donnell with Robert Quinney (organ) includes ''Queen Alexandra Memorial Ode'' (ed. Witt and Quinney) and other music by Elgar. On HYPERION CDA67593

Notes

References

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External links

*{{IMSLP2, work=Queen Alexandra's Memorial Ode (Elgar, Edward), cname=Queen Alexandra's Memorial Ode 1932 compositions Alexandra of Denmark Choral compositions Compositions by Edward Elgar