Music for the Service

Before the service

The music before the Service began with a selection of organ pieces: Fantasia in G (Pièce d'orgue à 5) by Johann Sebastian Bach, followed by Veni Creator Spiritus by the Master of The Queen's Music, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies; Prelude on St. Columba Op. 28 by Sir Charles Villiers Stanford and Sonata for Organ Op. 28 (Allegro maestoso and Allegretto) by Edward Elgar.

Following this were seven orchestral pieces:

Serenade for Strings in E minor Op. 20 (Allegro piacevole, Larghetto and Allegretto) by Edward Elgar

Courtly Dance V: Galliard from Gloriana (Symphonic Suite) Op. 53a no. 7 by Benjamin Britten

Fantasia on Greensleeves by Ralph Vaughan Williams

Farewell to Stromness by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies

On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring by Frederick Delius

Touch Her Soft Lips and Part from Henry V Suite by William Walton

Romance for String Orchestra Op. 11 by Gerald Finzi

Canzona from Organ Sonata in C minor by Percy Whitlock.

Processional music

The Service began with a Fanfare by The State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry to mark the arrival of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. The Fanfare was followed by three Processionals.

The Procession of The Queen: March from The Birds by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry.

Procession of the Clergy: Prelude on Rhosymedre by Ralph Vaughan Williams

Procession of the Bride: I was Glad by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry.

hymns

Prince William and Miss Middleton chose three hymns for the Service:

'Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer', words by William Williams, translated by Peter Williams and others, and music by John Hughes.

'Love Divine All Love Excelling', words by Charles Wesley and music by William Penfro Rowlands.

'Jerusalem', by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, words by William Blake.

the anthem and motet

The Anthem, 'This is the day which the Lord hath made', was composed specially for the occasion by John Rutter. It was commissioned by Westminster Abbey as a wedding present for Prince William and Miss Middleton and was performed by both the Choir of Westminster Abbey and the Chapel Royal Choir. Mr. Rutter is a British composer, conductor, editor and arranger who specialises in choral music.

The Anthem was followed by the Motet 'Ubi caritas' by Paul Mealor, a Welsh composer, who is currently Reader in Composition at The University of Aberdeen. Mr. Mealor's composing studio is on the Isle of Anglesey, where Prince William and Miss Middleton live. This version of 'Ubi caritas' was written on Anglesey and premiered at the University of St. Andrews in November 2010.

The National Anthem was sung immediately before the Signing of the Registers.

the signing of the registers and the recessional

During the Signing of the Registers, the choirs sang 'Blest pair of Sirens', words by John Milton, from At a Solemn Musick, music by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry.

Following the Signing, there was a Fanfare by the Fanfare Team from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force. The Fanfare, called Valiant and Brave, after the motto of No. 22 Squadron (Search and Rescue Force) was specially composed for this Service by Wing Commander Duncan Stubbs, Principal Director of Music in the Royal Air Force.

The Recessional, for the Procession of the Bride and Bridegroom, was Crown Imperial by William Walton.