The musical programme for King Charles III’s Coronation service has been officially unveiled, with 12 pieces specifically commissioned by The King and a range of performers from a variety of musical genres represented.
Buckingham Palace announced the news today, noting that a range “of musical styles and performers blend tradition, heritage and ceremony with new musical voices of today, reflecting The King’s life-long love and support of music and the arts.”
King Charles chose all musical elements himself, putting together a mix of UK and Commonwealth performers for the Coronation. In total, there will be six orchestral commissions, five choral commissions, and an organ commission for the 6 May ceremony.
Andrew Lloyd Webber has been commissioned to compose a new Coronation Anthem; Patrick Doyle will compose a Coronation March; a Commonwealth-inspired organ piece has been arranged by Iain Farrington; and other pieces by composers Sarah Class, Nigel Hess, Paul Mealor, Tarik O’Regan, Roxanna Panufnik, Shirley J. Thompson, Judith Weir, Roderick Williams, and Debbie Wiseman, are in the works.
For the choral elements of the Coronation, The Choir of Westminster Abbey; The Choir of His Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace; female performers from the Chapel Choir of Methodist College, Belfast; and Truro Cathedral Choir will feature.
The King’s Scholars of Westminster School will perform the ‘Vivat!’ acclamations while The Ascension Coir—a specially-formed choir—will also perform.
Vocal soloists include Sir Bryn Terfel, Pretty Yende, Roderick Williams; organ players include Peter Holder (who is the Sub-Organist of Westminster Abbey) and Matthew Jorysz (Assistant Organist of Westminster Abbey); fanfares will be performed by The State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry and The Fanfare Trumpeters of the Royal Air Force; and the Royal Harpist, Alis Huws, will perform,“in recognition of The King’s long-standing and deeply held relationship and affiliation with Wales,” according to Buckingham Palace.
Ahead of the Coronation, The Monteverdi Choir and the English Baroque soloists will provide music at the Abbey, conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
The Coronation Service’s musical programme will be overseen by Andrew Nethsingha, who is the Organist and Master of the Choristers of Westminster Abbey; while Sir Antonio Pappano, who serves as Music Director of the Royal Opera House, will conduct the Coronation Orchestra.
The Coronation Orchestra has been specially formed with musicians from orchestras that were previously supported by King Charles when he was still heir to the throne, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, according to Buckingham Palace.
Nethsinga said in a statement, “All Coronation Services are a mixture of deep-rooted tradition and contemporary innovation. As was the case in the four twentieth-century Coronations, the choice of music reflects the cultural breadth of the age in which we live. Coronations have taken place in Westminster Abbey since 1066. It has been a privilege to collaborate with His Majesty in choosing fine musicians and accessible, communicative music for this great occasion.”
King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be crowned on May 6 2023 at Westminster Abbey.
