The Coronation of King George II, 1727 - The Anointing to The Investiture

For detailed information, please read description

The King's Consort, Robert King & King's Consort Choir

George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hanover) and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 (O.S.) until his death. He was the last British monarch to have been born outside Great Britain, and was famous for his numerous conflicts with his father and, subsequently, with his son. As king, he exercised little control over policy in his early reign, the government instead being controlled by Great Britain's parliament. Before that, most kings possessed great power over their parliaments. He was also the last British monarch to lead an army in battle (at Dettingen, in 1743).

George II succeeded to the throne on his father's death on 11/22 June 1727. His father was buried at Hanover, but George decided not to go, which far from bringing criticism led to praise from the English who considered it proof of the new King's fondness for Britain. George was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 11/22 October. The Hanoverian composer Händel was commissioned to write four new anthems for the coronation; one of which, Zadok the Priest, has been sung at every coronation since.

VII. The Anointing i. Come Holy Ghost (John Farmer) ii. Zadok the Priest, HWV 258 (George Frideric Handel)

VIII. The Investiture i. Trumpet fanfare ii. Behold, O God Our Defender (John Blow)


The anointing of the monarch by the Archbishop is prefaced by the singing of one of the most ancient of all hymns, 'Veni Creator spiritus' ('Come Holy Ghost'). The melody is by John Farmer (c.1570-c.1605), one of the most prolific contributors to East's Psalter (1592), and a composer whose settings of the Responses and Lord's Prayer are still familiar entries on the service papers of many cathedrals. In true Anglican tradition the whole congregation of the Abbey joins in. That rousing hymn is followed by a work that has never been eclipsed as the greatest of all coronation compositions, the only one to have been repeated at every subsequent crowning of a British monarch: Handel's extraordinary setting of the Old Testament text from the First Book of Kings, Zadok the Priest. Its opening instrumental prelude, commencing with a whispering arpeggionic piano, is brilliantly orchestrated to create one of the most inexorable crescendos of the whole canon of western music. The blinding power of the first chorus entry after that compelling opening must have raised the hairs on every neck in the Abbey. In the two following sections Handel is at his most, regally ceremonial.

The King has been anointed on his head, breast and hands, and presented in a series of spoken ceremonies with the spurs, sword, robe and orb of state. His Investiture is prefaced by the presentation of two further tokens, a ring for the fourth finger of his right hand, and two sceptres, one with a dove, the other with a cross, placed respectively in his left and right hands. His Investiture is celebrated by a trumpet fanfare, the solemnity of the moment enhanced by the addition of timpani. The choir sing the anthem by John Blow (1649-1708), Behold, O God, Our Defender, originally written for the coronation of the Catholic King James II in 1685, and performed again, four years later, at the coronation of William and Mary. For this latter occasion Blow substantially revised his earlier composition. This shorter version seems to be the one more likely to have been on the Abbey music shelves.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• The
• King's
• Consort
• and
• Choir
• Handel
• William
• Child
• Henry
• Purcell
• Westminster
• Abbey
• Coronation
• of
• George
• II
• London
• 1727

[NuovoPiero]

The Stone of Scone is missing from this Image.

[BritainShallPrevail]

@NuovoPiero Yes I know, I could not find a picture with The Stone of Scone.

[theEmperorsTarot]

The John Farmer piece is stunning

[windsor1917]

that's because the stone is put in the chair ONLY at coronations