The coronation of
Charles III
of Britain in 2023 has been attended by a rush of album releases, some of them engaging deeply with the history of English coronations, others simply mining recording company catalogs.
Sony Classical
's
God Save the King: Music for a Royal Celebration
falls into the latter group. Compared with its competition, it consists of generally newer material, with some bona fide stars like
Russell Watson
in the hymn
Abide with Me
, and the sonics are generally adequate or better, with some remastering happening. There are some lovely performances, like the
Britten Sinfonia
The Lark Ascending
(one wonders whether
Charles
is supposed to be the lark), and clean recent choral performances of the
Handel
Hallelujah Chorus from
Messiah
and other standards. All of the music is quite well known here;
Elgar
fans get not only the famed
Pomp and Circumstance No. 1
but also the
fourth piece
in the set. Some of the works have only the slenderest connection with the coronation (
Delius
'
On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring
?), but all are British as tea and crumpets. One wishes perhaps for a coronation album that would reflect the ways Britain's new diversity showed up in the program, perhaps one featuring the wonderful South African soprano
Pretty Yende
, but this release is likely to satisfy those wishing for a coronation souvenir. ~ James Manheim