Foundling Hospital Anthem

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Foundling Hospital Anthem (HWV 268) is a choral work composed by George Frideric Handel in 1749. It was written for the Foundling Hospital, a London institution founded in 1739 for the education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children. The anthem is one of Handel's lesser-known works but is significant for its charitable context and its role in the history of music performed for philanthropic causes.

Composition and Background

The Foundling Hospital Anthem was composed by Handel to be performed at a benefit concert intended to raise funds for the Foundling Hospital. The institution had a chapel where regular musical performances were held, and Handel was a significant contributor to these events. The work was first performed on May 27, 1749, in the chapel of the Foundling Hospital, and Handel conducted the performance himself.

The anthem includes texts from the Book of Psalms and the Book of Lamentations, specifically chosen for their themes of hope and redemption, which resonated with the mission of the Foundling Hospital. The music combines elements of both the sacred and the operatic, a hallmark of Handel's choral works, and features choruses, arias, and recitatives.

Structure

The Foundling Hospital Anthem is structured in several movements, including:

• An instrumental overture
• Choruses and arias that utilize texts from the scriptures
• A concluding Hallelujah Chorus, which Handel borrowed from his earlier work, the Messiah (HWV 56), composed in 1741.

This blending of new compositions with well-known pieces was typical of Handel's approach to benefit performances, allowing him to draw in larger audiences with familiar music while introducing them to new works.

Legacy

The Foundling Hospital Anthem played a crucial role in establishing the tradition of benefit concerts in England, a practice that continues to this day. Handel's involvement with the Foundling Hospital did not end with this composition; he donated a copy of the Messiah to the institution and performed it there annually, significantly contributing to the hospital's finances through these concerts.

The anthem itself, while not as frequently performed as Handel's more famous works, remains an important part of his oeuvre, showcasing his commitment to using music as a means of supporting charitable causes. The manuscript of the Foundling Hospital Anthem is preserved in the British Library, and the work is occasionally revived for performances, especially those aimed at raising funds for charitable organizations.

See Also

• George Frideric Handel
• Messiah (Handel)
• Charity concert
• Foundling Hospital