Handel: The King Shall Rejoice (Coronation Anthem no. 3) - presented by The Queensland Choir

Coronation Anthem No. 3 in D (The King Shall Rejoice), HWV 260 - George Frideric Handel

Audio recording of the live performance on Sunday 14th May, 2023 by The Queensland Choir with the Sinfonia of St Andrew’s conducted by Kevin Power, at St. John's Cathedral in Brisbane.

In 1727, when King George II needed music for his coronation, there was no other man for the job than G. F. Handel. From 1711 to 1727, Handel had skilfully ingratiated himself with the English royal family and nobility, and his operas were all the rage with the public. English concert goers adored their beautifully ornate arias and the Duke of Chandos was beyond chuffed with the anthems Handel composed for him; but, most importantly, both George I and II were very fond of Handel. They threw money at him, and made him a naturalized British subject, which attests to the regard they had for their fellow Hannoverian and his music.
However, the fact that it was Handel, and not Maurice Greene, who was requested to write music for the Coronation is perhaps the clearest indicator of Handel’s standing with the English royal family. At the time, Maurice Greene was Master of the Kings Music, so the honour of composing coronation anthems should have fallen to him. However, Greene was overlooked and it was Handel who wrote the music for George II’s coronation. Within a mere 17 years, Handel had gone from being an up-start foreigner, to a favorite of the English royal family. His Coronation Anthems were a huge success and Zadok the Priest has been performed at every coronation since 1727.

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