I loved the Coronation. I also very much looked forward to it too. Cucumber sandwiches, salmon and cream cheese, plus the finest Coronation Chicken ever, topped off with the company of long-standing university friend Julie. Both of us and husband Simon sat and watched from 10.20am, saying goodbyes shortly after the final wave from the balcony.
It was a bit silly. Questionable. Anachronistic. Those crowns made them look a bit like pantomime dames. Twitters bias towards revolution did result in me battling more shame and guilt than usual, but it was music that brought things alive, specifically the moment King Charles stepped into the Abbey just as Hubert Parry’s spine-tingling ‘I was glad’ started up. Here, evidence of how brilliantly written and sublimely executed performance (and sound engineering) combined to create ‘a moment’ at 11am on a Saturday morning, the time I’m normally crawling out of bed (yes, really).
What had gone before – effectively a pre-Coronation concert – felt like hearing your best friends do their best work for the school open day. Familiar names who crop up in podcast interview pitches and album releases all joining forces to put their best foot forward.
Two special highlights. First Nigel Hess’ 8 minute set of variations on Be Thou My Vision – an unapologetic harmonic celebration of a well-loved tune at the heart of which was a long melismatic solo for oboe – so good to hear music from the man whose work for wind orchestra thirty years before had been so very important for me and my pals. Second, a joyous moment created at the organ manuals by Matthew Jorysz following a glorious score written by Iain Farrington.
Later in the service, trademark technicolour harmonic progressions from Roxanna Panufnik. And although not new, it was familiar – Walton’s jubilant Te Deum to conclude proceedings. Tarik O’Regan’s new Agnus Dei was a cracking listen. Roderick Williams beamed, Bryn Terfel shone.
Collectively ‘Team Classical Music’ had their much-needed long-overdue moment in the sun. Spare a thought for the choristers and players who performed solidly for two hours in a religious service which would have been oh so dull to watch if it weren’t for the music moving things along. But, the irony of the situation beautifully underlined by participating conductor (and Dorset Farmer) Sir John Eliot Gardiner who seized the opportunity live on air to underline the threat posed to classical music by ignorant politicians, weazle Arts Council mandarins and spineless BBC bean counters.
Good for Gardiner being on the front foot. But the challenge is greater than that, and greater than any platitude on social media. Those performers and composers achievements are considerable and much appreciated. But don’t think for a moment that King Charles III as a champion for classical is a good thing in the long term. This and the coronation will only serve as grist for the mill that classical is elitist. For Charles’ patronage to work its magic we’ll need numerous Royal events to act as a platform for classical music. And by my calculations, the next one will be his funeral.
