Homage to the Queen

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Homage to the Queen, Op. 42, by Malcolm Arnold was written as the official coronation ballet in 1953, commissioned by the Sadler's Wells Ballet in honour of Queen Elizabeth II, the ballet company's musical adviser Humphrey Searle having recommended Arnold for the job. The original choreography was created by Frederick Ashton. It was first performed by the Sadler's Wells Ballet on Coronation night 2 June 1953 at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, with original scenery and costumes by Oliver Messel. The Orchestra was conducted by Robert Irving.

Amongst the original performers were:

Nadia Nerina as Queen of the Earth
Violetta Elvin as Queen of the Waters
Beryl Grey as Queen of Fire
Margot Fonteyn as Queen of the Air
John Hart^[1]

The ballet became part of the Sadler's Wells Ballet's regular repertoire during the mid-1950s. In the 1990s the Queen of the Air segment was revived.

2006 recreation

To celebrate the 80th birthday of Queen Elizabeth the ballet was revived in 2006. Apart from the Entree and the Queen of the Air, much of Ashton's original choreography was lost during the years, so new choreography was created for three of the sequences based on surviving material.

Earth by David Bintley
Water by Michael Corde
Fire by Christopher Wheeldon

Concert suites

The composer extracted a 17-minute concert suite, Op. 42a, from the ballet. There are also a version for wind band and a 9-minute solo piano version.

References

^ "John Hart". OUP. Retrieved 16 June 2015.

Official website Malcolm Arnold

v t e Malcolm Arnold
Ballet	Homage to the Queen Sweeney Todd
Orchestral music	Symphony No. 1 (1949) Symphony No. 2 (1953) Symphony No. 3 (1957) Symphony No. 4 (1960) Symphony No. 5 (1961) Symphony No. 6 (1967) Symphony No. 7 (1973) Symphony No. 8 (1978) Symphony No. 9 (1986) English Dances Four Scottish Dances Peterloo Tam O'Shanter Overture
Concertante	Concerto for Two Violins and String Orchestra Clarinet Concerto No. 2 Concerto for Harmonica and Orchestra
Miscellaneous	The River Kwai March
Film score	Wings of Danger (1952) The Sound Barrier (1952) Stolen Face (1952) The Holly and the Ivy (1952) It Started in Paradise (1952) The Captain's Paradise (1953) Albert R.N. (1953) Hobson's Choice (1954) You Know What Sailors Are (1954) The Sleeping Tiger (1954) The Belles of St Trinian's (1954) The Sea Shall Not Have Them (1954) The Night My Number Came Up (1955) 1984 (1956) Trapeze (1956) The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) The Roots of Heaven (1958) Dunkirk (1958) The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958) The Key (1958) Tunes of Glory (1960) Whistle Down The Wind (1961) No Love for Johnnie (1961) The Inspector (1962) The Lion (1962) Nine Hours to Rama (1963) Tamahine (1963) The Chalk Garden (1964) The Heroes of Telemark (1965) Sky West and Crooked(1966) Africa Texas Style (1967) The Reckoning (1969) David Copperfield (1969)
Named for Arnold	Malcolm Arnold Academy
Related articles	Curse of the ninth
List of compositions by Malcolm Arnold Category:Compositions by Malcolm Arnold

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