Coronation Concert

Some of the greatest and most famous choral music ever written has been composed for or performed at coronations of British monarchs going back centuries. The coronation of King Charles III will be no exception, with no fewer than twelve new compositions having been commissioned for the ceremony, alongside traditional works performed at previous coronations. This concert will be a fantastic opportunity to hear the cathedral choir performing a wide range of music with a royal connection, including some of those traditional pieces which will be heard at the coronation itself the next day.

The concert features a selection of music marking this new era, including two of Handel’s Coronation Anthems: ‘The King shall rejoice’ and the famous ‘Zadok the Priest’, composed for the coronation of King George II in 1727 and performed at every coronation since. The cathedral choir will also perform Parry’s majestic ‘I was glad’, composed for the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902 and used ever since, and Wesley’s ‘Blessed be the God and Father’, which was sung at the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. There’ll be opportunities to join in with rousing numbers, including Parry’s ‘Jerusalem’ and, of course, the National Anthem.