Handel: Zadok the Priest

[alexdiiaz12]

es mejor la version de la UEFA Champions League

[pianist1501]

Its not period instruments or is it?

[mudws]

@pianist1501 It certainly is period instruments: baroque strings and winds, including three-keyed oboes and natural trumpets, all playing at about A=415, which is close to Handel's own tuning fork (422).

[avalongirly]

I loved singing this song when I was in the choir.

[homoeroticfood]

This is really bad. Search for the 'Prom palace' version, it sounds infinitely better.

[monkeyinmymind]

Guy at 1:42 - yeah, this is pretty good.

[0007shai]

I love it

[ClandOp]

Brilliantly conducted and performed. Choir, orchestra, and conductor in perfect sync. Crisp and articulate phrasing; compelling dynamics. One of the best performances of a Handel anthem that I've experienced. Only wish the audio was a bit better.

[DanielBerlinTV]

Very beautiful orchestral first part.

[joannascheffel]

in der tat.

[TheHardwareGeek]

been looking for this song since i played uefa manager 2000 game by infogrames

[RevunBuford]

WOW! THAT GUY SURE IS DIRECTING! LOOK AT 1:57! WOW! GREAT!

[numbereightyseven]

@RevunBuford ... and 3:56

[faeryquene]

A magnificent rendition. I believe Mr. Handel would have been pleased. Thanks for posting this! :)

[flexii1888]

Die Besten....

[CharlieHuang]

A-A-A-A-A-A-Awesome! 

[Myleso]

Sang this in school choir. Love it.

[Japanese1970]

The tempo is little bit slow.

[lorin80]

FABULOUS!!!!!!

[Javier141145]

¡¡¡Maravilloso!!!

[Vilete51]

What emotional performance

[dawidjoseph05]

no powiem tylko tyle, piękne

zwłaszcza partia skrzypcowa tego dżentelmena

brawo G.F. Handel !

[pldbest]

thumps up if pes brought you here

[rosasbarrocas]

I can´t listen the hapsichord......

[jaffa74]

In the words of Jake the Muss... Fukn beautiful bro

[nephilist]

I have watched the couple of clips from 'secret things' at least two dozen times (the nudity in the background doesn't deter me for some reason) to listen to this classic and am delighted to finally find out what it is.

[G0odf3lla]

champions league !

But the original version is so much better ... it gives me goosebumps !

[GuillermoTemblalanza]

- I am the king of England!

- No, sir! You are the patient!

[qantasCapt]

@GuillermoTemblalanza - You are referring to my great uncle - Sir Frederick Treves!

[3littlemaids1]

learnt this at school to sing in a choir concert in leicester with Sir David Willcocks

i will never him telling off a room full of choirs because we did not have a pencil and he said never repeat never go to any rehersal with out a pencil

and i will never forget who annoitned solomon KIng

[mikehattan]

Wonderful !

[pigsbishop99]

Before one clicks the down arrows, the description reads 'Robert King dire' which sums it up for me.

[JoJo72X]

The Champions!

[Consoltremass]

@HARMONICO101 The King's Consort is up and running and they have performed many sell out concerts throught Western Europe in 2010. There is an extensive programme planned for the remainder of 2010 and into 2011. Visit their website - tkcworld.org. He is a free man and one should focus on the future and not necessarily dwell on the past. The King's Consort is fine of the finest period Ensembles in the world and uses many of the worlds finest players.

[Consoltremass]

The King's Consort is now fully up and running and they have already completed a series of highly entertaining and sold out concerts in Europe, under Robert King's Directorship. Please follow their website - tkcworld.org for more information. This recording is also available on Hyperion (much better sound quality than this!).

[isiazuhenry]

wonderful! wonderful!

[aortablue]

love the tempo! so majestic.....

[sirandytaylor]

What's with the intro? You could hardly hear the strings.

[AldSotha]

Brilliant song! :)

[Consoltremass]

Robert King is a free man and the King's Consort is very much up and running !

[ennoente]

the composer is händel

everybody knows that xD

händel is the best

[nephos100]

Thank you Consoltremass, that quote is great.

[bulked]

@RRSTYLE77

I feel so depressed when i reead this-its been reduced to as lowly and classless as a football anthem. Its first and foremost an old song associated with British coronation ceremonies

[OzzyOrozco]

King was convicted of indecent assault in 2007, and sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.He was released in 2009.

[bulked]

@OzzyOrozco i dont care-im listeining to a piece of music not leaving my child with him.

[Consoltremass]

May the "King" live forever. His recordings and concerts have brought so much joy and played a huge part in my musical life. No man has done more to bring alive the music of Purcell and other great Baroque Composers than Robert King and the King's Consort.

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.

[Janicedean]

Very good! We are singing this in Old Malton Church on January 30th - lets hope we can make such an impressive perfomance

[mudws]

Mr King has served his sentence and is a free man now. Many of the King's Consort musicians are now playing with Retrospect Ensemble, but King intends to revive the King's Consort.

[mudws]

@mudws To update the previous comment, King is again directing the King's Consort since late 2009.

[HARMONICO101]

I don't know why you have thumbs down, as what you wrote is completely true.

As for King, well, you win some and you lose some...

I actually have beautiful music on my channel by a composer who was a pedophile!

[sairz120]

singing this in concert next wk so this has helped loads thanks!! x x

[urchis]

Por si nadie se había dado cuenta, creo que está tocado con instrumentos barrocos, fijense en los arcos de los instrumentos de viento y en la pica del cellista. Aparte de las posturas, etc.

Played with Baroque instruments.

[thepretenda]

love the epic, grand sounds

[dragonballov]

no offense but the singing is actually terrible. but it might just be the recording.

ew, its terrible.

[wiiwouldntliketoplay]

Maybe through your speakers, but it is a classical song, just keep that in mind.

[dragonballov]

this song is an excellent example of the baroque concerto grosso. thanks for posting

[BATHORYXO]

compusieron esta melodia de tal forma que ahora la conocemos mundialmente

si no escucharon bien

de aki sakaron el himno de la CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

[deusinad]

The thing I love about the speed is the way the tension builds inexorably towards that magnificent entry - I remember Eliot Gardener taking it slower than this!! The sound of the choir would have been stunning but the TV technicians are to blame for the mix!

[Kimberly121295]

the choir is good, but alittle soft

[jcapistr]

Thank you for posting this. I'm going to quit reading the comments of others who post on YouTube! Who do some of these people think they are? This was a great performance not matter which way you slice it. May the Lord never allow me to think that there's only one way to perform a great piece like this. And for me, a good performance like this burns through the inadequacies of YouTube audio.

[1971matteo]

Nice comment jc, people seem to think that there is only one tempo or one style available or one combination of voices. They seem to forget that the conductor's job is to interpret a score rather than follow it slavishly.

[jcapistr]

Thank you.  Carry on!

[MrDanielBrisk]

@jcapistr Yeah, not a bad performance all interpretations aside. Let me ask you though: do you think he was overconducting a bit? Many, many, many conductors (even the more famous ones) are guilty of this. It's more of a sign of ego than musicianship. It tends to pull the audience's attention away from the sound and onto the motions of the conductor (hence, distracting from the performance) I'd love to hear your thoughts on the conducting of this performance.

[cross807]

too slow

[Arsenal2247]

Just Great!

[fitz303]

lol schmobot, bundys a talented man. beautiful music beautifully enacted...

[leleonora76]

I'm preparing thi song with my choir.. it's wonderful!!

[christianvs1]

Magnificent!!!!!! Oh my soul soared unto contemplating something of the Glory of God! Thanks you!

[PrometeoEncadenado]

¿Concierto grabado en la iglesia Matías de Budapest?

[mudws]

Creo que sí.

[Examiner86]

Very nice.

[QueenieDiva]

SOoooooooo good!

[olokot1]

I think that this interpetation first anthems of coronation of Westminster Abey in 1727George II is mthe best with other interpetation, for example Simona Prestona, Johna Eliota Gardninera, Stephena Laytona. Robert King is in my opinion the best conductor for music baroque. I love this interpetation, especially "Amen amen alleluja alleluja alleluja amen" next afet "God save the king". Tempo is very good! I love this interpetation.

[Meloniusz]

King's interpretation is good, but the choir is terrible. Definitely Preston's performance is the best: clear, balanced voices and no women. In fact Preston's tempo is a little faster than King's but is correct.

[schmobot]

Didn't know Ted Bundy played oboe.

[shnimmuc]

The Tempo is designed by Handel to accompany the procession from the front of Westminister Abby to the alter at a walking tempo.

[PhillyGal4Ever]

Beautiful version of this ancient hymn. :)

[audie83]

Gorgeous version of 'Zadok'!

[AmateurTeam]

i sing in this in denmark.

we got a concert with this as start on friday.

[tritonusgesang]

Wunderbare Musik, wunderbare Interpretation! :-)

[ds1868]

Quite like the tempo to this, interesting. It gives you time to appreciate and enjoy the subtle nuances of this music. Thanks for posting!

[PrometeoEncadenado]

Espléndida interpretación del grandioso himno de Haendel. Magnífica sonoridad.

[allords1]

favourite classical piece - well performed - bravo

[robinsonplace]

whats the instument that look like a clarinet called?

[mudws]

If you mean near the beginning at 0:30 those are baroque oboes.

[marsvltor2]

Yep - if there were any single-reed instruments, they would have been chalumeaux, the clarinet's predecessor. I have a feeling that the first usage of the clarinet was in Rameau's opera 'Les Boreades' -

[FNPFAR]

@robinsonplace its a baroque orchestra. it also have natural trumpets and baroque timpani

[Orners]

Such a beautiful piece of music. Makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

[nepssis]

You have a hair on your back of neck?

[Orners]

Yes, I am a gorilla who likes classical music.

[hanyong89]

LOL! that's a class 1 reply.

[sherbetstraw]

that just made me laugh so much! and i have sore muscles from hockey so please refrain from being so amusing!

[alfredo1224]

jaja.. el diRectoR dirije bien RaRo... xD

[imogapils]

I want to hear this played at Barack Obama's inauguration.

[chuckmonkey7337]

never

[rivenoak]

Why did you split from your motherland when you miss Zadok... ;)

[imogapils]

Actually, MY country never did ;)

[AmytheLoveDoctor]

Pure joy! The music itself is incredibly beautiful, and here it's performed by a group who obviously love it and are enjoying performing it. The conductor especially looks as though he's really passionate about this performance, which in itself is a joy to watch.

And needless to say, we wouldn't be watching this or performing it if notf for the genius of Handel :)

[a1z2i]

one of my absolute favorite pieces. Absolutely amazing.

[Fullperson]

I want zadok! I want Zadok I want Zadok!!

[rivenoak]

What for ?

[billyguns2]

Oohh, I think I'm in love with the principal cellist.

[2hot2cool2cute4u]

I love this musical selection, i did it for a choir and it was amazing... <3

[billyguns2]

King's tempo has majesty, nobility, depth, and passion; I love it. The performers are inspired. Who wouldn't be when performing the music of the greatest composer who ever lived; Beethoven thought so.

[mogemoets]

Sweetie you just took the words RIGHT out my mouth!

Try the "Dettengen" Te Deum for a HUGE Handel experience...!

Martin

[rivenoak]

Not crowned, basically. Its sung when he or she is anointed. :)

[mradaChris]

Wonderful!

[armycasa]

Great great great Handel, you are the best and nobody will ever reach the quality of your music. Thank and glory to him

[girardje70]

bravo, very good video ,I like this tempo

[BilsonIslington]

Have you ever heard Winchester Choir perform this? So Handel was inspired by the works of Thomas Bilson the Bishop of Winchester during the reigns of Elizabeth and James the First -

Thomas Bilson was the first Protestant Headmaster of Winchester College. He is buried in Westminster Abbey (plot 232) and wrote about 'Perpetual Government of Christ His Church' - an idea and set of values which also inspired a number of Northern European flags.

[bibisound]

bravo Robert King e King's Consort eccellente suono ed esecuzione con tempo appropriato

[kdancat]

I don't care what anybody says, I love this tempo and I love this performance.

[rao633]

The record is very bad. The strings in the opening are covered by the flutes, one cannot listen to their beautiful sound...

[25770power]

Always have been entranced by this piece...The first version I heard had a similar slow tempo to this one, so the faster ones have always seemed hasty and less grandiose.

As others have said, the choral intro line, "Zadok the Priest..." was begun almost timidly, or else masked by the instruments. Unfortunate, but that's the only complaint I have for this one...outside of the spastic conductor. :D

[lokeigh]

Watching this video again and listening to this music, I am reminded of a reality of governing by monarch. It is indubitably a system of extremes, primarily resultant of the fact that one individual becomes that enbodiment of law and order. I often imagine that I would make a good royal subject of the old times because of my love for tradition, pomp, and ceremony, but then I realize that under just one bad monarch, a nation can be lost.

[lokeigh]

While listening to this piece, one can close one's eyes and see the ivestiture, the crown being held aloft before it slowly lowers onto the head of the regent, the orb placed in one hand, the scepter in the other. This is especially the case as the piece climaxes around 5:20.

[rivenoak]

Basically its the anthem, when the new king or queen is anointed. Orbs and sceptres ceremonies are later. ;)

Must be great when its REALLY used: at the next coronation....

[zcardinal]

lokeigh superb commentary!!! I see too...

[s2000r1titan]

Phenomenal! The first version I heard of this was the King's Consort, Robert King, and the Choir of New College, Oxford, so of course it's always the best. So disappointed I don't have the disc anymore....

[bertiethetoupee4]

The opening is glorious in this piece, but the interpretation is awful, it feels slow and dull but the voices sound very good, so it's a bit of a mixed one.

[Audiolink]

usually I feel that most recordings of this piece don't make the most of the woodwind parts and instead concentrate too much on the string "ostinato". in this case it is the oppposite. the woodwind is even louder than then vocals. Also, at this tempo, the opening sounds like a slow and ungainly melody rather than tense atmosphere building up to the coronation.

[mmartini50]

A bit too slow and portentous. Prefer quicker and more grandiose.

[Vadicoff]

those aren't counter tenors, just tenor ones. I sang these piece just recently and as a baritone I could still hit those high tenor notes without using my headvoice. I think this particular director wanted the tenors to use there headvoice rather tha there natural voice so it wouldn't sound so throaty and thats why they sound like counter tenors. A true counter tenor can hit those high F's and G's with ease and not having to use there head voice.

[jeffy5482]

Well we don't know what their voice parts actually are, but for this work there are men singing the alto line so presumably they are counter tenors.Their tessatura does appear to be higher than that of tenors. The sound's a bit breathy yes, but that's true for most choral counter tenor/male alto performances. Their sound is very bright so it tends to cut through. Looking at the score, the Alto 1 goes up to C nat and the Alto 2 to B nat. While tenor 1s COULD do it, i don't think they are here.

[mannyane]

it hears like the Champions League anthem

[oxarim]

it is!

[dan219]

No way

[oranjebier]

The Champions League anthem is based om this piece.

It isn't exactly the same, but the base is the same. So you here before every Champions League match a classical piece based on een centuries old anthem from Handel.

[wascillywabbit]

I have to agree good performance but bad recording. The vocals only appear after the weak opening. The vocal entrance was LACKING! plus the strings have been killed by the air. But to record over 100 instruments is difficult.

[M08397]

agreed

[Ritzounett]

God Save The King!!!!!!!!! Yeah men!!!!

[greenswift]

Unfortunatley the choirs voices are muffled you dont get the full impact of the power of this piece

[PrometeoEncadenado]

Intepretación demasiado acelerada, sobre todo la parte vocal.

[msussams]

too much woodwind too little strings sadly...

[obbligato123]

You have a good ear. I agree and I am not a musician.

[obbligato123]

Try the one posted by liricacompultense. No disrespect to the person who posted this it is very nice.

[debrazzz]

The best zadok the priest here on youtube!

[Bogongg]

Not the best sound quality, (a bit muffled) but it's the best Zadok on YouTube for the moment. Still some of the amateur versions of it on here, have enough passion to make up for their technical imperfections.

[Bogongg]

Despite loving this piece, I still find those counter tenors creepy. Isn't there a law against them?

[jeffy5482]

I was actually going to say quite the opposite. Normally I find counter tenors to be a bit distracting b/c one's mind and eye are trained to hear deep voices coming from males, but I think they made this particular work. I've heard many versions of this song, and w/ the counter tenors it definitely sounds the best. My opinion, of course.