Andrew Lloyd Webber, the English composer who created the scores for blockbuster musicals akin to Cats, The Phantom of the Opera and Evita, has written the anthem for King Charles III’s coronation, adapting a bit of church music that encourages singers to make a “joyful noise.”
The work by Webber is one in every of a dozen new items Charles commissioned for the grand event going down Might 6 at Westminster Abbey. It consists of phrases tailored from Psalm 98 and is scored particularly for the abbey’s choir and organ.
“I hope my anthem displays this joyful event,” Webber stated in a press release distributed by Buckingham Palace.
This system for the king’s coronation ceremony consists of older music and new compositions because the palace seeks to mix conventional and trendy parts that mirror the realities of recent Britain. New items have been composed by artists with roots in all 4 of the UK’s constituent nations, in addition to within the Commonwealth and international international locations which have despatched so many individuals to its shores.
The service will embrace works by William Byrd (1543–1623), George Frideric Handel (1685–1759), Edward Elgar (1857–1934), Henry Walford Davies (1869–1941), William Walton (1902–1983), Hubert Parry (1848–1918) and Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958), whose music has featured in earlier coronations, together with a bit from the modern Welsh composer Karl Jenkins.
There may even be new works by Sarah Class, Nigel Hess, Paul Mealor, Tarik O’Regan, Roxanna Panufnik, Shirley J. Thompson, Judith Weir, Roderick Williams and Debbie Wiseman.
“The choice to mix outdated and new displays the cultural breadth of the age through which we dwell,” stated Andrew Nethsingha, the organist and grasp of choristers at Westminster Abbey.
“Coronations have taken place in Westminster Abbey since 1066. It has been a privilege to collaborate along with his majesty in selecting high-quality musicians and accessible, communicative music for this nice event,” Nethsingha stated.
In all, six orchestral commissions, 5 choral commissions and one organ fee — spanning the classical, sacred, movie, tv and musical theater genres — have been created for the coronation.
This system may even embrace private touches, together with a musical tribute to Charles’ late father, Prince Philip, who was born a Greek prince. The brand new monarch requested Greek Orthodox music, which might be carried out by the Byzantine Chant Ensemble.
Although specifics on among the materials are being saved beneath wraps, one hymn will certainly be a part of the service: Handel’s “Zadok the Priest.”
The hymn, with its strong refrain of “God Save the King,” has been performed at each coronation because it was commissioned for the coronation of King George II in 1727.
