Handel Zadok the Priest
One of the four Coronation Anthems that Handel composed for the coronation of George II and Queen Caroline of Great Britain in 1727, Zadok the Priest has been sung at every subsequent British coronation service, traditionally performed during the sovereign's anointing.
The text was picked by Handel himself, much to the consternation of the participating clergy, and derived from the biblical account of the anointing of Solomon. These words have been used in every English coronation since that of King Edgar at Bath Abbey in 973.
Zadok the Priest has been used or cribbed numerous times for film soundtracks and TV advertising; the UEFA Champions League Anthem, introducing worldwide television coverage of the event and played during pre-game ceremonies at each match; TV adverts for P&O Cruises; the films ‘The Madness of King George’ and ‘Young Victoria’ to name but a few!
Handel Water Music (Suite No 2 in D)
The Water Music is a collection of orchestral movements, often called three suites. It premiered in the summer of 1717 when King George I requested a concert on the River Thames, duly performed by 50 musicians playing alongside the royal barge. George I was said to have loved it so much that he ordered the exhausted musicians to play the suites three times on the trip.
The instrumentation was standard baroque, excluding the harpsichord which was too big to transport! The music in each of the suites has no set order today. When the suite was played for the King, slow, often soft music was played when the King's boat and the orchestra's boat were close together, while louder, brisk passages were played when the boats drifted apart!
Handel My Heart is Inditing
The 2nd of the 4 coronation anthems composed alongside Zadok the Priest for the coronation of King George II & Queen Caroline in 1727, this anthem was performed at the moment of the Queen’s coronation following the coronation and enthronement of the King.
It is in 4 sections, with the text taken from Psalm 45 and Isaiah 49, a coronation text used by Purcell in 1685.
Bach Magnificat
The Magnificat is one of the two large works Bach composed in Latin, the other being his Mass in B minor, also set for 5-part choir set to the 'canticle of Mary', as recounted by Luke the Evangelist.
Bach composed an initial version in E flat major in 1723 for the Christmas Vespers in Leipzig containing several Christmas texts. These were removed over the subsequent years to make the Magnificat suitable for year-round performance to bring it down to the thirty minutes allowed in a service.
In addition, Bach transposed it to D major, providing better sonority for the trumpets in particular. The new version, which is the one usually performed, had its premiere at the Thomaskirche in Leipzig on July 2, 1733. Bach made full use of the augmented forces at his disposal on festive occasions, richly scoring the Magnificat for three trumpets, drums, two flutes, two oboes, strings and continuo. The deliberate avoidance of recitative and da capo arias results in a work of striking concision and musical strength.
