Music for the Coronation

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Re the Patrick Doyle Coronation March, I was a little disappointed in this, as it sounded so derivative, with bit sounding like Ronald Binge, Don Gillis and Elmer Bernstein. It was appealing in its own way, so one shouldn’t complain.

I confess to being slightly jealous, as I’d always had a hankering to write Charles’s Coronation March myself, but that was not to be. The nearest I got was my Golden Jubilee March of 2002, but that wasn’t a direct follower of Elgar-Elgar-Walton-Walton.

[Master Jacques]

Re the Patrick Doyle Coronation March, I was a little disappointed in this, as it sounded so derivative, with bit sounding like Ronald Binge, Don Gillis and Elmer Bernstein. It was appealing in its own way, so one shouldn’t complain.

I confess to being slightly jealous, as I’d always had a hankering to write Charles’s Coronation March myself, but that was not to be. The nearest I got was my Golden Jubilee March of 2002, but that wasn’t a direct follower of Elgar-Elgar-Walton-Walton.

Though I've already said my piece about Doyle's piece, I feel moved to add that I find your mention of Ronald Binge in the same sentence extremely upsetting. To compare one of our finest tunesmiths (Elizabethan Serenade, Sailing By, The Windmill et al.) with Doyle's tuneless, scrappy piece of flummery shocks me to the core. I'd add that the only fault of Binge's Saturday Symphony is its self-deprecating title: if he'd called it Symphony in C it would be recognised as at least a match for any of Malcolm Arnold's nine - and in my book, it's a symphony I'd rather hear in preference to anything by ... but I'd better stop now.

No: the "Mahler of Derby" is in a different league from Mr Doyle, at least on this diluted showing. Pity we didn't get a bit of Binge in A Flat during Saturday's service!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Though I've already said my piece about Doyle's piece, I feel moved to add that I find your mention of Ronald Binge in the same sentence extremely upsetting. To compare one of our finest tunesmiths (Elizabethan Serenade, Sailing By, The Windmill et al.) with Doyle's tuneless, scrappy piece of flummery shocks me to the core. I'd add that the only fault of Binge's Saturday Symphony is its self-deprecating title: if he'd called it Symphony in C it would be recognised as at least a match for any of Malcolm Arnold's nine - and in my book, it's a symphony I'd rather hear in preference to anything by ... but I'd better stop now.

No: the "Mahler of Derby" is in a different league from Mr Doyle, at least on this diluted showing. Pity we didn't get a bit of Binge in A Flat during Saturday's service!

No offence intended towards Ronald Binge. I merely wished to comment on the lack of originality shown in the march.

[Master Jacques]

No offence intended towards Ronald Binge. I merely wished to comment on the lack of originality shown in the march.

I know you meant no offence - quite the reverse, as you carefully placed him with another couple of good tunesmiths. I was in OTT mode, after a day researching Oda Slobodskaya, and have calmed down now over some soothing vegetable soup!

[cat]

It is on Qobuz:

In fact there seem to be two albums: one including the pre-ceremony music, and one starting with the fanfares & I Was Glad i.e. just the service

Their initial album will contain only the service, and they will follow this up with a "deluxe" release which will also contain the pre-service music.

I wonder if the Decca CD source is from the BBC sound or if they set up their own mics and equipment? BTW What a wonderful job by the BBC sound engineers. Glad to see they were duly acknowledged in thed Guardian today.

They shared microphones with the BBC, not sure what happened after that.

[mopsus]

I see that there are two similar sounding titles of pieces:

Great King of Gods

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/works/43768--gibbons-o-great-king-of-gods/browse

and
Great Lord of Lords

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/works/21886--gibbons-o-great-lord-of-lords/browse

Same piece, different text?

You can hear the anthem (with the original words 'Great King of Gods' etc.) as the introit on the recent broadcast of Evensong from Manchester Cathedral: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001lc3f

[smittims]

Thanks, mopsus. If I may say so, that is a good example of this forum. Whatever the question, someone , somewhere, knows the answer!

[Prommer]

Pappano was interviewed and he enthused dutifully (being no fool) about the diversity of pieces… then couldn’t help but add that it was the Elgar, Walton etc that really got him going. Top man! Speak for England, Tony!

[smittims]

Yes, I can now understand why the newly-commissioned pieces all had this bland beige feeling to them . They had very successfully been tailored to fit in. I suppose that's why they chose composers used to writing film , theatre and TV music to order. Walton and Elgar presumably weren't told what to write.

For me the musical highlight of the whole thing was the start of the G major Pomp & Circumstance right at the end .

[duncan]

Just got round to listening to the music via iPlayer on the no commentary setting with the order of service open in another window. Thanks to all who commented here and posted links which increased my knowledge and enjoyment.

Highpoints for me were the Byrd pieces. The Handel and Elgar were great but pretty familiar. I enjoyed the Panufnik, a well-crafted pièce d'occasion. I have a personal connection here so will be biased.

[Lordgeous]

For me the musical highlight of the whole thing was the start of the G major Pomp & Circumstance right at the end .

Always my favourite of the P&S marches and yes, it sounded superb. A cracking little orchestra.

[Prommer]

Always my favourite of the P&S marches and yes, it sounded superb. A cracking little orchestra.

Perfect tempo and lightness of touch in P&C March!