{"id":24986,"date":"2023-02-28T13:52:57","date_gmt":"2023-02-28T12:52:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/?p=180751"},"modified":"2023-03-01T12:35:14","modified_gmt":"2023-03-01T11:35:14","slug":"coronation-marches-and-anthems-10-of-the-best","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/rss_feed\/coronation-marches-and-anthems-10-of-the-best\/","title":{"rendered":"Coronation Marches and Anthems: 10 of the best"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our guide to the best Coronation Marches and Anthems <\/p>

By Hannah Nepilova\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 28 February 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

King Charles\u2019s coronation is expected to be a reflection of his role in today\u2019s society while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry. But what exactly is the music associated with those traditions? Here are ten Marches and Anthems that have played a key role in coronations dating back as far as that of King George II in 1727.<\/p>\n

Best Coronation Marches and Anthems<\/h2>\n

1. Elgar\u2019s Pomp and Circumstance Marches<\/h3>\n
With these bright and blazing marches, Elgar<\/a><\/strong> encapsulated the sense of self-assured militarism that helped to define early twentieth-century England. \u2018I have something of the soldier in me,\u2019 he said in a 1904 interview with The Strand. Destined to become synonymous with British pageantry, they played a key part in several coronation ceremonies, including that of George V, George VI and Elizabeth II.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\""p1"\">2. Parry\u2019s I was Glad<\/h3>\n<p class=\""p1"\">Several composers \u2013 from <strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/guide-purcell-dido-and-aeneas-best-recordings\/"\">Henry Purcell<\/a><\/strong> to <strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/7-notable-masters-of-the-queens-kings-music\/"\">William Boyce<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 have written musical settings of Psalm 122 for the Anglican church. There\u2019s an obvious reason why <strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/hubert-parry\/"\">Hubert Parry<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s is the most famous: from the jubilant introductory fanfares and ecstatic first choral harmonies, this anthem bathes us in sunshine, utterly embodying the psalm\u2019s opening line.<\/p>\n<p class=\""p1"\">But Parry took a couple of goes to get it just right, originally composing for Edward VII\u2019s coronation in 1902, then revising it, nine years later, for the crowning of George V. It was also performed, in 1953, at the coronation of Elizabeth II, as well, of course, as the wedding of<strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/royal-wedding-music-announced\/"\"> Prince William and Kate Middleton<\/a> <\/strong>in 2011.<\/p>\n<iframe title=\""I\" was=\"\" glad=\"\" when=\"\" they=\"\" said=\"\" unto=\"\" me=\"\" lyrics=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8JyiEuoUEHw?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" web-share=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n<h3 class=\""p1"\">3. Walton\u2019s Crown Imperial<\/h3>\n<p class=\""p1"\">Widely seen as a homage to Elgar, <strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/recordings\/best-recordings-william-walton\/"\">Walton<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s Crown Imperial is very much in the <i>Pomp and Circumstance <\/i>tradition: bold and punchy, with a luscious middle section sandwiched between a brisk opening and a heroic <strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/what-coda\/"\">coda<\/a><\/strong>. Composed in 1936 for King Edward VIII, it was eventually premiered, following Edward\u2019s abdication, at the coronation of his younger brother, George VI, with Walton later revising it for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.<\/p>\n<iframe title=\""William\" walton=\"\" :=\"\" crown=\"\" imperial=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""150"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7WMrQe87gRk?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" web-share=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n<section class=\""highlight\"> <div class=\""highlight__content\" editor-content=\"\"> \n<ul>\n<li><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/prince-charles-coronation-music\/"\"><strong>What music will be played at King Charles\u2019s coronation?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/king-charles-has-chosen-music-for-his-coronation\/"\">King Charles has chosen music for his coronation<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/king-charles-coronation-concert\/"\"><strong>King Charles\u2019s Coronation Concert: what music will be played at the Windsor concert?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <\/p><\/div> <\/section> <h3 class=\""p1"\">4. <strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/five-essential-works-handel\/"\">Handel<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/handels-zadok-the-priest-lyrics\/"\">Zadok the Priest<\/a><\/h3>\n<p class=\""p1"\">Handel wrote this high-impact anthem for the <strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/when-was-handels-coronation-anthem-zadok-the-priest-first-performed\/"\">coronation of King George II in 1727<\/a><\/strong>. It has been performed at every coronation since then, thanks to its majesty and capacity to evoke a sense of occasion. It\u2019s based on the antiphon <i>Unxerunt Salomenem<\/i>, which describes the anointing of Solomon by the priest Zadok. Though, to be honest, the bit that everyone really wants to hear is that blazing first choral entry: \u2018<strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/handels-zadok-the-priest-lyrics\/"\">Zadok, the Priest!<\/a><\/strong>\u2019<\/p>\n<iframe title=\""Zadok\" the=\"\" priest=\"\" choir=\"\" of=\"\" westminster=\"\" abbey=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""150"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MiXgOQ9_-RI?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" web-share=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n<h3 class=\""p1"\">5. Ireland\u2019s Epic March<\/h3>\n<p class=\""p1"\">It\u2019s not as well-known as some coronation marches, but this 1942 piece is no less effective for that. Punchy and incisive, with frequent bold interjections from the brass, it was intended as a meditation on \u2018some heroic action or series of actions and events of deep and lasting significance in the history of a nation or the race\u2019 \u2013 a clear message to the allies during a period when it was not certain that the war would end in their victory. It was performed at Queen Elizabeth II\u2019s coronation ceremony in 1953.<\/p>\n<iframe title=\""John\" ireland=\"\" epic=\"\" march=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iIybCSnsntA?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" web-share=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n<section class=\""highlight\"> <div class=\""highlightcontent\" editor-content=\"\"> \n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/irish-classical-music-how-it-originated-and-developed-and-irelands-best-composers\/"\">Irish classical music: how it originated and developed and Ireland\u2019s best composers<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <\/p><\/div> <\/section> <h3 class=\""p1"\">6. Howells\u2019s Behold, O God our Defender<\/h3>\n<p class=\""p1"\">Though premiered at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, this piece is not what you would necessarily associate with state ceremony. Quiet and reflective, it is usually performed by small forces and organ accompaniment. At the coronation, however, it was sung by large combined choirs, with Howells providing a fully orchestrated score.<\/p>\n<iframe title=\""Howells'\" o=\"\" god=\"\" our=\"\" defender=\"\" winchester=\"\" cathedral=\"\" hill=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4-WxxWwHTew?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" web-share=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n<section class=\""highlight\"> <div class=\""highlightcontent\" editor-content=\"\"> \n<ul>\n<li><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/what-has-king-charles-done-for-classical-music\/"\"><b>What has King Charles done for classical music?<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/most-musical-monarchs\/"\"><b>The UK\u2019s most musical monarchs<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/7-notable-masters-of-the-queens-kings-music\/"\"><b>7 notable masters of the Queen\u2019s\/King\u2019s Music<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <\/p><\/div> <\/section> <h3 class=\""p1"\">7. Bax Coronation March<\/h3>\n<p class=\""p1"\">Of what would turn out to be his last orchestral work, <strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/arnold-bax\/"\">Bax<\/a><\/strong> wrote, \u2018I am now engaged upon trying to write a Coronation March (funny without being vulgar!) for the Abbey service. I think the result will be that my reputation will be killed for all time. However I am old now and it does not matter.\u2019 The result, which contains part of a tune he originally composed for a 1942 flag-waving documentary <i>Malta GC, <\/i>was heard for the first time as the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II processed out of Westminster Abbey, between two Pomp and Circumstance marches by Elgar.<\/p>\n<iframe title=\""Arnold\" bax=\"\" coronation=\"\" march=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Fx5hr1m4xEE?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" web-share=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n<h3 class=\""p1"\">8. Wesley\u2019s Thou Wilt Keep Him in Perfect Peace<\/h3>\n<p class=\""p1"\">One of Samuel Wesley\u2019s better-known works, \u2018Thou Wilt Keep Him in Perfect Peace\u2019 was composed around 1850 and reflects the culmination of the composer\u2019s style: gentle, shamelessly Romantic, harmonically slow-moving and yet highly distinctive. Performed at Queen Elizabeth II\u2019s coronation, it is still popular today.<\/p>\n<iframe title=\""SS\" wesley:=\"\" thou=\"\" wilt=\"\" keep=\"\" him=\"\" in=\"\" perfect=\"\" peace=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""150"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PaSdYF2HAHk?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" web-share=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n<h3 class=\""p1"\">9. Walton\u2019s Orb and Sceptre<\/h3>\n<p class=\""p1"\">Written for Queen Elizabeth II\u2019s coronation, this is the second of Walton\u2019s two famous coronation marches, and, like the first (<i>Crown Imperial)<\/i>, follows the Elgarian tradition of combining two brisk outer sections with a more expansive, stately middle section. Walton struggled to write it, believing that it would not match up to <i>Crown Imperial. <\/i>However, his critics disagreed, with some arguing that it possessed all of the same vigour, with possibly more thematic complexity.<\/p>\n<iframe title=\""William\" walton:=\"\" orb=\"\" and=\"\" sceptre=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""150"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/v6qjUdaDE_Q?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" web-share=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n<section class=\""highlight\"> <div class=\""highlightcontent\" editor-content=\"\"> \n<ul>\n<li><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/four-pieces-of-music-especially-composed-for-reigning-monarchs\/"\"><b>Four pieces of music especially composed for kings and queens<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/god-save-the-queen-lyrics\/"\"><b>What are the lyrics to the national anthem, \u2018God Save the King\/Queen\u2019?<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/prince-charles-discusses-his-experience-of-playing-the-cello-rather-badly-in-beethovens-fifth-symphony\/"\"><b>Prince Charles discusses his experience of playing the cello \u2018rather badly\u2019 in Beethoven\u2019s Fifth Symphony.<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <\/p><\/div> <\/section> <h3 class=\""p1"\">10. <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/which-your-favourite-ralph-vaughan-williams-work\/"\">Vaughan Williams<\/a>\u2019s Festal Te Deum<\/h3>\n<p class=\""p1"\">This majestic piece was composed for the coronation of King George VI in 1937 and, apart from the <strong><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/god-save-the-queen-lyrics\/"\">National Anthem \u2018God Save The King<\/a><\/strong>\u2018, was the final piece of music sung at the ceremony. Based on traditional melodies, such as Dives and Lazarus, it is largely modal, with a lot of unison singing from the choir. Not all critics were sold on it, with some accusing it of being derivative. Still, it served its purpose, communicating all the grandeur of the occasion.<\/p>\n<ul><li><strong><a class=\""standard-card-newarticle-title"\" href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/te-deum-lyrics\/"\">What are the lyrics to \u2018Te Deum\u2019?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<iframe title=\""Vaughan\" williams:=\"\" festival=\"\" te=\"\" deum=\"\" in=\"\" f=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""150"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9OiExbXH_-U?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" web-share=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n<p><em>Photo: Getty<\/em><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> Our guide to the best Coronation Marches and Anthems <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":24987,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"5"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/03\/coronation-marches-and-anthems-10-of-the-best.jpg",1890,1260,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/03\/coronation-marches-and-anthems-10-of-the-best-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/03\/coronation-marches-and-anthems-10-of-the-best-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/03\/coronation-marches-and-anthems-10-of-the-best-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/03\/coronation-marches-and-anthems-10-of-the-best-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/03\/coronation-marches-and-anthems-10-of-the-best-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/03\/coronation-marches-and-anthems-10-of-the-best.jpg",1890,1260,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Our guide to the best Coronation Marches and Anthems","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/24986"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24987"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}