Coronation Anthems

The Hymnes of crowning ( Coronation Anthems ) were composed by George Frideric Handel (1685 – 1759).

History

One of the last acts of the king George Ier of Great Britain before dying in 1727 was to sign " an Act of naturalization of George Frideric Handel and autres". The first placed order with Heandel, as a British citizen lately naturalized, consisted in writing the music of the crowning which took place later in the same year. The four anthems made up for crowning of the king George II of Great Britain and of the queen Caroline the October 11th 1727 always had the popular favor. They were regularly rejoués in concerts and festivals during its life and then. It incorporated substantial extracts of them, without much of change, except the text, in several oratorios, in particular Esther and Deborah. (Incidentally, two of them were with the concert of inauguration, in 1748, of Oxford (NDT: Room intended for the Chamber music).

Their success perhaps contributed to the popular image of Handel as a grandiloquent type-setter requiring a very significant number singers and instruments ( more there is, better it is ), character stigmatized by Berlioz like a barrel with pig and beer ! In fact Handel always adapted its music to the occasion and the framework for which she was written, and no occasion could have been larger than a crowning. The ceremonious style of the Anthems differs from its music for the theater to some extent like its music of fireworks , conceived for interpretation in outside, differs from the instrumental concertos. It is completely extraverti in the tonality, managing the important masses and contrasts rather than the delicate color: it was not going to waste its energy at points of detail in the middle of the space reverberations of the abbey.

The means of which it laid out were important for the time: The chorus of the royal Vault was increased by 47 people with an orchestra which perhaps reached 160 people! Per moment, the chorus was divided into 6 or 7 groups (tenors remaining plain) and a large body of cords included/understood three groups of violins (and not three as it is of use).

Four Anthems of crowning

" Zadok the Priest " (HWV 258) - the priest ''

(of which the words are adapted chapter first First Book of the Kings) opens by a feat of ingenuity which no degree of familiarity could return wearying. Length ritornello, based on crescendo of arpeggios of the violins plated on agreements richly spaced of (low?) cords and of wood, traces the voice with a resplendent apotheosis when in plays the voices enter, in 7 groups, jointly with the trumpets and drums.

Handel does not indicate any tempo and any dynamics except soft at the beginning and strong at the beginning of the chorus, but the music itself claims a length crescendo constant which translates a crushing direction of anticipation and suspense. During three of the sections of the anthem, the chorus plays as a majority in way so that the text gets along clearly; there is almost no counterpoint.

There is little harmonic surprise and work is firmly anchored in major tonic (key dictation by the old trumpets without pistons). This made of Zadok a supreme example of the capacity of Handel create a single talk starting from simple means.

the words of Zadok the priest were sung with each crowning since that of King Edgar in year 973, and the arrangement of Handel was it with each one of them as from 1727.

" The King Shall Rejoice" (HWV 259) - the King is delighted ''

Repend a text of psalm 21. Handel placed each one of the four sentences and final Allelouia in section musical separate.

the first movement, full with a festive pump and flutter with the brass bands with a length ritornello of introduction, uses the full force of the chorus and the orchestra.

the second movement, without trumpets nor drums, is played on one three given rhythm times and it engages the sections of the highest cords and lowest in a mischievous exchange and being expressed per third in one involving rising triplet. The chorus enters in plays only 4 parts (excessively happy). The short outburst of triumphing third movement, with its extraordinary surprised harmonic, connects it directly to the fourth.

This one is again one three times but its counterpoint is more that of a running away and Handel builds passion gradually by adding instruments: initially cords, then oboes and finally trumpets and drums.

the final movement is an exuberant double fugue (a running away with two simultaneous melodies measuring one with the other as of the beginning) which gives to the piece a conclusion magnificiently large and refined which, carried out at the exact moment of crowning lasting the real ceremony, matches there perfectly.

" My Heart Is Inditing" (HWV 260) - heart feels guilty ''

This part is a shortened adaptation of verses of Psalm 45 and Isaïe 49. It is a text which was developed by Henry Purcell for the crowning of 1685. In 1727, he was sung at the end of the service for the crowning of the queen Caroline, the adaptations of Handel returning to words more appropriate to a queen.

the music is characterized by an air more refined and more distinguished than the other anthems, and would have could be also suitable for the crowning of the queen.

the opening of the first movement, rather than a blazing fanfare of trumpets, is an andante at three times and the first section is started by soloists (at the origin 2 singers of each group so that they balance over the width of the orchestra) before the whole of the chorus does not come into play.

the second section, also an elegant andante, proposes

one, and the melody starts with a long note followed by an off-hand dotted rate/rhythm, rythmant the words " Kings' daughters" ( girls of the kings ).

the third movement is once again an andante which maintains this air of grace and femininity until the dotted rate/rhythm joyeus reappears on the words " and the King shall cuts pleasure".

Handel manages to maintain its allegro until the end, and the orchestra begins the final movement with a virtuoso ritornello shining before the choruses enter with all the ceremonious pump of the other anthems. Handel keeps its trumpets holds some until the any end where they add another triumphal dimension to the final one.

" Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened" (HWV 261) - my hands are firmer ''

(NDT: no the source in English…)

External bonds

You will find extracts musical and texts concerning the pieces (Zadok the Priest, The King Shall Rejoice, Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened and My Heart is Inditing) on the " " ( Public library choral society ).

NDT: The Choral Public domain Library (CPDL) is a whole of musical files centered on the vocal music and choral society who is in the public domain.

References

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