Coronation Anthems

Since George Frideric Handel was officially appointed “Composer of Musick for His Majesty’s Chappel Royal” in 1723, his music has been an integral part of British state occasions. In 2027, it will be 300 years since the coronation of George II, the second British monarch from the House of Hanover – and, with it, the premiere of Handel’s four Coronation Anthems. This is why the anthems take centre stage in this year’s choral concert, featuring the NDR Vokalensemble under the direction of its chief conductor, Klaas Stok. The first and best-known of the four, Zadok the Priest, has in fact been performed at every coronation since then – the most recent being that of Charles III in 2023.

The setting of Psalm 110, Dixit Dominus, dates from a much earlier period in Handel’s life: his years in Italy. He composed it in 1707, at the age of 21, possibly on commission from Cardinal Carlo Colonna, thereby creating his first large-scale choral work – a “firework display of energy” that alone would be enough to secure his place in music history, according to musicologist Karl-Heinz Ott. In Dixit Dominus, Handel was already experimenting with musical techniques that he would later perfect in his operas and oratorios, from vivid musical imagery to daring harmonies.

Whether in honour of God or a worldly monarch, Handel pulls out all the stops in his choral works!