Advent Sunday music spot: "The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" from Handel's "Solomon"


This lovely Sinfonia from the start of Act III of Handel's oratorio "Solomon," immediately precedes the story of the visit to King Solomon of the Queen of Sheba and has long been nicknamed "The arrival of the Queen of Sheba."

Today is Advent Sunday, the first day in the Christian Church's year, and the official start of the lead-in to Christmas.

Advent means arrival, and the Rector of St James' church in Whitehaven had this piece played at the start of her sermon this morning, to use the arrival of the Queen of Sheba as a metaphor for the arrival of the baby Jesus at Christmas, to which we look forward at Christmas.

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