The Arrival of the Quuen of Sheba is probably the most well known piece from Solomon, (HWV 67), an oratorio by George Frideric Handel. The anonymous libretto – currently thought to have been penned by the English Jewish poet/playwright Moses Mendes (d.1758) – is based on the biblical stories of the wise king Solomon from the First Book of Kings and the Second Book of Chronicles, with additional material from Antiquities of the Jews by ancient historian Josephus. The then Bishop of London would not permit a drama based on a Biblical story to be acted out on the stage, and therefore Handel presented Esther in concert form, thus giving birth to the English oratorio. The music was composed between May and June 1748, and the first performance took place in March 1749 with Caterina Galli in the title role at the Covent Garden Theatre in London, where it had two further performances. Handel revived the work in 1759.
Solomon is richly orchestrated by the standards of its day, calling for an orchestra of flutes, oboes, bassoons, horns, trumpets, timpani, strings, and basso continuo instruments. Many of the grand and varied choruses are in eight parts (“a double chorus”) instead of the more usual four parts. The final number of Act I is the chorus “May no rash intruder”, usually called the Nightingale Chorus, with flutes imitating birdsong over a gentle rustling effect created by strings divided into numerous different parts.
Act 3 begins with the very famous sinfonia known as “The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba”, a bright and sprightly orchestral piece featuring oboes which has often been used outside the context of the oratorios as a processional piece. Sir Thomas Beecham is believed to have given the name “The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba” to this sinfonia, perhaps in 1933 when he made a recording of it, or perhaps in 1955 when he recorded the oratorio in an abridged and re-orchestrated form.
In the Book of Kings, the Queen of Sheba travels from afar to visit the splendid court of King Solomon, arriving, as the Bible puts it, “with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices, very much gold, and precious stones.” Handel’s music admirably captures the excitement of a lavish state visit of an exotic foreign queen, and first-night London audiences would have had no problem reading into Handel’s depiction of an elaborate compliment of their reigning monarch, King George II.
“The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba” interlude is a widely appreciated processional set piece. It often was (and it continues to be) played during wedding ceremonies. A noted public performance of the piece occurred during the opening ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic Games as James Bond (Daniel Craig) goes to meet the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
