Solomon (HWV 67) is an oratorio—a type of musical composition with dramatic or narrative text to be interpreted by an ensemble of some sort, e.g. choir, soloists and orchestra—that George Frideric Handel composed in 1758. It’s a beautiful example of Baroque music. The sinfonia that opens the act III, originally written for two oboes, strings and basso continuo, is known as ‘The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba’. Nowadays, it’s usually performed on its own as a concert piece, which has made it very famous.

I have a personal connection with this sinfonia, because it was played by a string quartet at my wedding, many moons ago. For this reason, I was delighted to hear it on my favourite instrument, the saxophone, in this arrangement by the London saxophone quartet Marici Saxes:

Beyond the beauty of the piece, this is also a great example of how different saxophones sound together. What you’re seeing on the video, from left to right, are a baritone, a tenor, an alto, and a soprano. Don’t they make a wonderful team?

I hope that you enjoyed this piece, and that the end of April treats you well 🙂