Coronation Anthems By Other Composers
The genre of coronation anthems was not exclusive to Handel. Coronations included up to twelve anthems and used formulaic coronation texts—starting with the anthem for the procession at the beginning of the coronation ceremonies (usually "Oh Lord, grant the King a long life"). Other composers to have produced anthems used during the coronation service include:
- Henry Purcell, who produced I was Glad and My Heart is Inditing, among others.
- John Blow.
- Thomas Attwood, who contributed I was glad for George IV of England's coronation in 1820, Oh grant the King a long life for William IV of England's coronation in 1830 and finally a third anthem for Queen Victoria's coronation a year before his death in 1838.
- Sir Hubert Parry, whose I was glad was composed for the coronation of Edward VII in 1911.
- Ralph Vaughan Williams, who composed the brief meditative O taste and see for the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953.
- Herbert Howells, who wrote Behold, O God our Defender for the 1953 coronation.
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Famous quotes containing the words anthems and/or composers:
“Always the seer is a sayer. Somehow his dream is told: somehow he publishes it with solemn joy: sometimes with pencil on canvas: sometimes with chisel on stone; sometimes in towers and aisles of granite, his soul’s worship is builded; sometimes in anthems of indefinite music; but clearest and most permanent, in words.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“More significant than the fact that poets write abstrusely, painters paint abstractly, and composers compose unintelligible music is that people should admire what they cannot understand; indeed, admire that which has no meaning or principle.”
—Eric Hoffer (1902–1983)