The hymn tune “St. Anne” was composed in 1708 by William Croft, the organist at St. Anne’s Church, Soho, London. The words, “O God Our Help in Ages Past” were written by Isaac Watts, also in 1708, as a paraphrase of Psalm 90. For a hymn, the tune is remarkably strong and resolute and has often been used by other composers, notably J. S. Bach and Handel, as the basis for different compositions.

This particular “fanfare overture” setting of the tune is somewhat in keeping with the contrapuntal uses that were in fashion when the tune was originally composed. Instead of standard percussion, for example, timpani alone are used, a reference in style to the celebratory percussion and trumpet combinations of the 18th century.