Handel: Coronation Anthem No. 3, HWV260 'The King Shall Rejoice'

“A new coupling which brings together some of Handel's finest and best loved sacred music in performances which hae remained unsurpassed since their recordings in the 1980s.” BBC Music Magazine, April 2013 *****

“Harry Christophers brings the same fire to these perfect miniatures that he brought to his triumphant Messiah last year, firmly establishing him as the Handelian of the moment. Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened, Zadok the Priest and The King Shall Rejoice all fizz and crackle but best of all is My Heart Is Inditing, sung with a rich, classy poise.” The Observer, 8th February 2009

“What a strange decision to pad out the four anthems that Handel composed for the coronation of George II in 1727 with well-known bits and pieces from the rest of the composer's oeuvre. With the exception of the Organ Concerto No 4 – given here in the original version with a choral finale – the additional works dilute rather than strengthen the disc's attraction. It's not as if the Coronation Anthems lack popular appeal – one of them is the great crowd-pleaser Zadok the Priest. Here Christophers opts for surprise rather than suspense in the famous build-up but otherwise the disc's musical quality is dependably high.” The Telegraph, 12th February 2009

“With St Paul's Deptford standing in for Westminster Abbey the acoustic is ideally focused - no 'billow' blurring the edges of a wonderfully buoyant 'The King Shall Rejoice' (its ensuing 'Exceeding Glad' delivered with an irresistible lightness of touch), and if 'My Heart is Inditing' sometimes sounds over-manicured, the orchestra can be relied upon to inject a bit of edge when the singing rises to the Royal occasion with aristocratic detachment. ...overall, this is a regally polished programme.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2009 ****

“…these fresh, spontaneous and vivacious performances are revelatory. Not only is the choral singing wonderfully clear, perfectly enunciated, beautifully phrased and impeccably tuned, but also the orchestral playing… is brilliantly alert, bold and lyrical. ...overall this disc ranks as The Sixteen's most exciting achievement in its impressive Handel discography.” Gramophone Magazine, April 2009

“There are plenty of very good recordings of the four anthems that Handel composed for the coronation of King George II and Queen Caroline, but this new one by The Sixteen leaps straight towards the top of the heap (those preferring to hear boy trebles might already admire the excellent version by King's College, Cambridge, under Cleobury, above).
We have come selfishly to expect reliability, stylishness and honest fine musicianship from Harry Christophers, his singers and instrumentalists.
Yet these fresh, spontaneous and vivacious performances are revelatory. Not only is the choral singing wonderfully clear, perfectly enunciated, beautifully phrased and impeccably tuned, but also the orchestral playing – an aspect too often relegated to auto-pilot in this repertoire – is brilliantly alert, bold and lyrical. Zadokthe Priest never fails to make a strong impression even in average performances (and The Sixteen's expertly judged reading is anything but average), but the special quality of this disc is that the other three lesser-known anthems also receive performances that allow them to shine just as brightly as the most famous (and shortest) anthem. My heart is inditing is radiantly performed ('The King shall have pleasure in her beauty' is gorgeously shaped), The King shallrejoice is splendidly poised and paced, and the first part of Let thy hand be strengthened conveys the perfect juxtaposition of forthrightness and elegance. Christophers's sure direction locks onto the musical interest and richness of each section in the longer anthems (some other good versions rely on good openings and grand conclusions, but the bits in between sometimes get a bit lost). Coupled with a sparkling account of the Organ Concerto Op 4 No 4 (superbly played by Alastair Ross, and with a magnificent choral 'Alleluia' finale created for the 1735 revival of Athalia), a couple of orchestral interludes and the last chorus of Messiah, the judicious programme avoids the overkill factor one sometimes encounters when all four anthems are heard consecutively.
Donald Burrows's booklet-note is ideally detailed and accessible, and overall this disc ranks as The Sixteen's most exciting achievement in its impressive Handel discography.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“Mightily impressive” The Guardian

“Willcocks's famous (1960) recording of these four anthems sounds much better on CD than it ever did on LP and is greatly enjoyable, especially Zadok the Priest.” Penguin Guide, 2011 edition

“King opts for slower tempos than expected, illuminating every stately arpeggio in the opening instrumental prelude until the explosive entry of the voices...And in the lovely anthem My heart is inditing, written specifically for the simultaneous coronation of Queen Caroline, the Choir of the King's Consort are at their sensitive best.” Paul Cutts, bbc.co.uk, 20th November 2002

“Robert King’s magical history tour of Hanoverian London brings life to contemporary accounts of the coronation of George II. Outstanding accounts of Handel’s Coronation Anthems and a joyful reading of Purcell’s I was glad … a powerful experience” Classic FM Magazine

“A reconstruction, complete with a plethora of fanfares, drum processions, schoolboys shouting 'Vivat Rex!', and a great deal of bell clanging … all of it impressive music, well played and sung, and vividly recorded” Sunday Times