James Brydges James Brydges, initially known as the Earl of Carnarvon and later created the first Duke of Chandos, amassed considerable wealth through his role as Privy Paymaster during the War of the Spanish Succession.[2][5] After acquiring the Cannons estate northwest of London, he had it remodeled into a contemporary Palladian residence and employed numerous musicians, including George Frideric Handel, who served as Brydges's composer-in-residence.[2][3] During his time at Cannons, Handel composed various works, including the 'Pastoral' Acis and Galatea, the oratorio Esther, the so-called 'Chandos' or 'Cannons' Anthems, and a Te Deum. Performances of the Anthems took place in the restored St. Lawrence Church in Little Stanmore, with the ensemble consisting of strings (excluding violas), oboes, bassoon, and organ. Over time, Brydges's musical ensemble grew, which influenced Handel's compositions for Cannons.
Among the Cannons anthems, 'O come, let us sing unto the Lord' stands out, featuring a powerful tenor aria and a festive final chorus. This work is also connected to Acis and Galatea, which Handel prepared for a performance in Cannons in the spring of 1718. Another significant composition from this period is the monumental anthem 'As pants the hart', based on psalm-based texts from the Book of Common Prayer and characterized by virtuosic string passages and a contrapuntal structure. Handel dedicated this work to Dr. John Arbuthnot, a close friend and physician to Queen Anne.
Another important Cannons anthem is 'I will magnify thee, O God', which incorporates thematic elements from Handel's psalm settings. The piece concludes with an imitative choral movement, which later reappears in Handel's larger compositions. The music created in Cannons is characterized by rich instrumentation, pronounced counterpoint, and a dramatic rendering of the text. Handel's Cannons works had a profound influence on his later compositions for the Chapel Royal and for oratorios, demonstrating his predilection for reusing his own musical material.
The Cannons works had a profound influence on his later compositions for the Chapel Royal and for oratorios, and reveal his predilection for reusing his own musical material.