• Whether out of Gallic graciousness or republican envy, the French Chœur et Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal, directed by Gaétan Jarry, have released The Crown (Château de Versailles Spectacles), a timely account of English coronation anthems, trumpet fanfares, drum rolls and shouts of “God save the king!”. It was recorded, in honour of Charles III, at the Royal Chapel, Versailles, last December. The music, by Purcell and Handel, was written for the coronations of James II in 1685 and George II in 1727. Both composers made settings of My Heart Is Inditing, entirely different in mood, Handel’s rather more lavish, each included here. Of Handel’s four coronation anthems, Zadok the Priest – a royal acclamation of the people of Israel to their king – remains the most stirring and spectacular. The French choir is at times fuzzy, but the orchestral sound is clean and spirited, and the set is accompanied by a handsome illustrated booklet.
From Germany, Coronation Anthems (Harmonia Mundi) from the Rias Kammerchor and Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, conductor Justin Doyle, overlaps on Handel but includes music by William Croft and John Blow. Or try A Coronation Celebration from the BBC Singers and BBC Concert Orchestra, who include works by Judith Weir and Cheryl Frances-Hoad on an album accompanying the May issue of BBC Music Magazine.
• The British bass-baritone Christopher Purves has always ranged widely in repertoire, but his new recital album, My Soul, What Fear You? (King’s College, Cambridge), with pianist Simon Lepper plus accordion, saxophone and flute, is his first journey into Lieder. Subtitled Songs of War and Refuge, it ranges from Bach, Schubert and Richard Strauss to Gustav Mahler, three tracks from the Hollywood Songbook by Hanns Eisler and a movement from Kurt Weill’s Das Berliner Requiem (orch. Gerard McBurney). Purves describes the choice as of “deep and varied personal experience for me”. It’s a serious, unexpected and touching musical adventure.
• Another variety of royal music: the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orfeó Català choir, conducted by Kirill Petrenko, perform Mozart’s Coronation Mass, from Berlin’s Philharmonie. Monday, Radio 3, 7.30pm/BBC Sounds.
