In association with
Going in to the church any church organist will suggest the traditional and rather stately 'Bridal March' from Wagner's Lohengrin and, as with Clarke's Trumpet Voluntary' it's as good as anything for getting the congregation 'in the mood'. But you might like Handel's Arrival of the Queen of Sheba', used in the film four Weddings and a Funeral for something a little faster.
Signing of the register
This can take ten minutes, so you will need a musical impression. It is hard to beat a good soprano singing an Ave Maria. Gounod's heavily romanticised, but very beautiful arrangement of a Bach solo keyboard work is probably the most popular, but Catholic Weddings still tend to opt for the more understated serenity of the Schubert. If you have a really good soprano or chorister you might like to emulate Royal weddings with Mozart's motet Exsultate, jubilate', 15 minutes of celebratory vocal fireworks for a high voice with a famous closing Alleluia. perhaps the most sublimely beautiful of all vocal wedding favourites, Mozart's 'Laudate Dominium, from his Solemn Vespers has a soprano or boy treble solo soaring gloriously above a choir. All of these works can be accompanied by, or arranged for, organ piano. Our personal choice would be Britten's exquisite arrangements for two-voices and piano of Purcell's 'Sound of the Trumpet' lasting just three minutes. or a tenot signing Franck's 'Panis Angelicus'. You could combine this with Bach's 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' or something non-choral, anything by Bach; perhaps of a solo cello suite, would be the ticket.
Going out of the church
The most famous piece of music associated wirh weddings is, that favourite processional, the 'Wedding March'from Mendelssohns' Midsummer Night's Dream. Prince Charles chose the fourth of Elgar's magnificent 'Pomp and Circumstance' Marches. But if that is too grand, Widows 'Toccata' is a wonderful way to leave a euphoric congregation. For more information: Try one of the popular monthly classical music magazines like the excellent Classic CD magazine published by Future Publishing, available at all good newsagents.
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