Handel composed his "Te Deum" in B flat major HWV 281 in 1718 for the future Duke of Chandos, which explains the nickname "Chandos Te Deum". In this edition, the work is named after the place of its first performance: "Te Deum for Cannons".

The unusual instrumentation consisting of flute, oboe (one of each), one bassoon, one trumpet, two violins, basso continuo, and choir (one soprano, three tenors, and one bass) might have been a result of the number of musicians available for performance. Incidentally, the masque "Acis und Galatea", composed around the same time, is also scored for three tenors. The work bears some resemblance to the "Utrecht Te Deum", however, the intimate scoring results in a chamber music feel.

This academic-critical edition reflects the most current research in musical, philological, and historical respects. As the scoring is somewhat unusual and the work's transmission rather complex, the part of the preface dealing with performance practice should be of special interest.