I’m currently watching the Duke and Duchess of Sussex live on the BBC during their procession through the streets of Windsor whilst writing this. The wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle was absolutely beautiful and on a wonderful Spring day with clear blue skies that made the occasion even more magnificent! I loved every minute of an incredibly touching ceremony and so many people all over the world were fortunate to have been able to watch it live and in such high quality!
There’s so much to comment on in terms of the music throughout the ceremony but for the moment I’d like to write about three of the beautiful pieces that were performed.
After the Duke and Duchess took their vows and left the quire to sign the wedding registers, the 600 or so guests were treated to a performance by 19-year old cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason who won the 2016 Young Musician of the Year award.
He was personally requested by Meghan Markle to perform at the wedding and here is a clip of his wonderful performance on the big day! Prince Harry had seen him perform last June at a charity event for the Halo foundation.
Alongside the orchestra he performed three pieces, these were:
- ‘Sicilienne’ by Maria Theresia von Paradis (1759-1824)
- ‘Après un rêve’ by Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)
- ‘Ave Maria’ by Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Kanneh-Mason sat framed beneath a beautiful archway adorned with a natural canopy of green foliage laced with flowers for the duration of his performance.
First up is ‘Sicilienne’ by Maria Theresia von Paradis who was Austrian and although the piece is attributed to her it is thought to have been derived from a violin sonata by another composer. However, according to the Royal wedding’s order of service, the piece is attributed to Von Paradis.
You can listen to a version of it here:
The second piece was ‘Après un rêve’, which was my personal favourite. The title translates to ‘after a dream’ and was published in 1878. There is a version for voice and piano with quite beautiful lyrics that were written by Romain Bussaine, who was a friend of Fauré. The lyrics detail a romantic dream where two lovers take flight. The beauty of the dream and of moving towards ‘the light’ leaves the dreamer with a desire to return to the dream and the ecstatic mystery of the imagined versus the reality of his awakened self.
You’re in for a treat because here is a video of Kanneh-Mason performing the piece himself in the video below but alas, not at the wedding venue itself!
The last piece is ‘Ave Maria’ by Franz Schubert and a piece that’s well-known by so many and was accompanied in the chapel by the orchestra, as well as by the official harpist to the Prince of Wales. It was delicate, sweet and tender and I hope you enjoy listening to all three of these wonderful pieces one by one.
After the emotion of the ceremony it was a wonderful moment to sit and reflect on the ceremony and was the perfect accompaniment and interlude before the return of the newly appointed Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the singing of the national anthem.
It all sounds rather grand and the ceremony was but personally, I felt rather touched to see Prince Harry, who so many of us have grown-up watching in the media share this tender moment with the woman he loves. I admit, I had a few tears running down my face the moment he lifted the veil of Meghan’s face and whilst watching them take their vows!
More to follow on the music that featured in the wedding but just wanted to share these three that I felt best expressed the tenderness and intimacy of love! Congratulations to the happy couple!
CLASSICALISTA 
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