King George II of Great Britain, in his coronation robes, painted by Thomas Hudson (1701-1779).
KING George II was crowned King of Great Britain in Westminster Abbey on October 11th, 1727. At the moment of his anointing,* an anthem was sung which had been used at this point in the ceremony ever since the coronation of King Edgar and Queen Ælfthryth in 973, at the hands of St Dunstan (who also compiled the service).
Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, anointed
Solomon King;
And all the people rejoiced and said,
God save
the King!
This recalls the day in about 970 BC, when, at the urging of his wife Bathsheba, the aging King David resigned the throne of Israel to his son Solomon.**
It was court composer George Frederic Handel, however, who picked out this anthem for special treatment at the coronation of King George. His grand setting for choir and orchestra has been sung at every coronation since then, including that of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
Actually, the choir got confused and sang it in the wrong place.
** See 1 Kings 1:29-39.
Précis
‘Zadok the Priest’ is an anthem composed by George Frederic Handel for the coronation of King George II in 1727. It sets to music words used at the anointing of the King since the time of Edgar in 973, and Handel’s grand setting has been sung at every coronation from King George to Queen Elizabeth II. (54 / 60 words)
