Spring in Splendour

Spring in Splendour by Roxanna Panufnik is a 4-minute work for soprano, violin and harpsichord. It was conceived as a companion piece for Handel’s Nine German Arias with a libretto by Barthold Heinrich Brockes. In this new work, the writer Jessica Duchen takes three of Brockes’ texts and creates a new single poem in an English translation. The work celebrates the beauty of the order of nature and uses baroque influences throughout the song, with plentiful ornamentation, trills and dotted rhythms.

Commissioned by Barnes Music Festival as part of its 10th anniversary celebrations, the work was premiered by soprano Mary Bevan, baroque violinist Davina Clarke and harpsichordist Tom Foster on the 14th of March 2022 at St Mary’s Church, Barnes.