Description

THOMAS ARNE: Rule Britannia
Arranged for bassoon quartet by Michael A. Grant
 
The music for ‘Rule Britannia’ was written by Thomas Arne in 1740, with the lyrics taken from a poem of a similar name by James Thomson. It quickly became popular, and over the years has been quoted by such composers as Handel, Beethoven, Wagner, Sullivan and Elgar. It is strongly associated with the Royal Navy, and is also traditionally performed at the BBC’s ‘Last Night of the Proms’ (in an orchestral arrangement by Sir Malcolm Sargent).
 
This arrangement can be performed as a bassoon quartet or (by eliminating the optional 4th part) as a trio.