Handel’s Dixit Dominus is widely regarded as one of the most electrifying choral works of the Baroque era. It is a dazzling explosion of youthful energy, virtuosic writing, and fiery expression.
Composed in 1707 during his formative years in Italy, when Handel was just twenty-two, the piece captures the exuberance of a composer eager to prove his mastery of the Italian style. From its thunderous opening, cascading vocal lines echoing the majesty of the psalm’s text, “The Lord said unto my Lord”, to its final, triumphant “Gloria Patri,” the work brims with intensity, drama, and brilliance. The result is not a polite exercise in church music, but a vivid spiritual spectacle that feels alive, urgent, and gloriously theatrical.
Returning to Festival of Voices, acclaimed conductor Elizabeth Scott leads this choral workshop, guiding singers through Handel’s virtuosic sound world with her trademark precision and passion. For choirs today, Dixit Dominus remains a thrilling experience and an early glimpse of Handel’s genius at full burn. It is both a declaration of artistic intent and a testament to youthful audacity, where sacred text meets operatic passion!
Handel wrote Dixit Dominus in Rome in 1707. Roman pitch was very low in comparison to today, around a whole tone lower than A=440. As a result, Handel had to score it relatively high on the stave to suit the voices. As pitch has risen over the centuries, we are left with a manuscript which is now too high, especially for the soprano 1s and tenors who frequently are required to sing top A and Bb.
At Festival of Voices in 2026, choristers in the Classical Choral Workshop will perform a brand-new transposed edition from UK composer and conductor Greg Beardsell. Greg worked alongside top period players to sensitively rewrite the parts where necessary and ensure that as little change was made to the original work as possible. Intended for performance on modern instruments, it means that this version can be paired with modern works in concert.
The transposed score and rehearsal tracks will be emailed to all workshop participants.
For enquiries and further information, please contact [email protected].
I am very much looking forward to returning to Festival of Voices again to workshop and conduct the massed choral work. This year we will perform Handel’s Dixit Dominus – one of Handel’s greatest and most exciting works, filled with electric semiquaver runs and energetic Baroque harmonies!
Come and join us – either for the Come Sing Handel workshops where you will sing Handel’s two of his most famous choral works, the Hallelujah Chorus and Zadok the Priest, or for the more experienced choral singers , jump on board for the exciting adventure that will be the rollercoaster of the Dixit!
– Dr Elizabeth Scott
Early bird-priced tickets are now SOLD OUT
Image credit: Alastair Bett
