Commonwealth tunes chosen for King Charles's Coronation

A jazzy toe-tapping composition entitled Voices of the World' will combine the diversity of tunes from across the Commonwealth as part of a range of special compositions chosen for King Charles III's Coronation ceremony next month, Buckingham Palace revealed on Saturday.

Charles, 74, and Camilla, 75, are to be crowned Britain's King and Queen at a grand ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London on May 6.

As a lifelong music enthusiast and champion of the arts, the palace said that the monarch has overseen, influenced and been personally involved in the commissioning process and the detail of the music programme, which will showcase and celebrate musical talent from across the UK and beyond.

As a tribute to the diversity of the 56-member Commonwealth, including India, British composer Iain Farrington's organ commission is planned as a celebratory, joyful musical offering which combines traditional tunes from across the "family of nations".

"The music is all mixed together in a joyful, jazzy and dance-like character," said Farrington, adding that he hopes "it will get people's toes tapping" during the ceremony.

According to the palace, the musical commissions chosen by the King include contemporary interpretations of centuries of musical tradition, bringing together world-class composers, who are some of the most esteemed living artists from across the classical, sacred, film, television and musical theatre fields.

They have taken varied approaches to their compositions whether for orchestra, solo voice or choir resulting in a diverse and accessible musical programme.
A Coronation Anthem entitled Make a Joyful Noise' has been composed by famous British composer of musical theatre Andrew Lloyd Webber.

"I played, and tried to sing, my early score for The King a few weeks ago. I have composed a short opening and closing fanfare, which will be played by the Fanfare Trumpeters of the Royal Air Force. The anthem is scored for the wonderful Choir of Westminster Abbey and the Coronation Orchestra," said Webber.

Six of the new commissions have been composed for orchestra and will be performed before the Service, prior to the royal couple's arrival at the Abbey, complemented by a programme of mainly British music spanning 350 years.

Then five new commissions are to be included in the main service and will be directed by Andrew Nethsingha, Organist and Master of the Choristers of Westminster Abbey.

The Coronation is being organised at a grand scale and will be marked by a series of gala events over a celebratory long weekend in the UK between May 6 and 8, including much pomp and pageantry and street parties.

A Coronation Concert scheduled at Windsor Castle in Berkshire on May 7 will feature a strong line-up of world-class musical artists, including American singer-songwriter Katy Perry, who is an ambassador of the British Asian Trust founded by Charles as the Prince of Wales to fight poverty and hardship in South Asia.

Perry, who has sold 57 million albums worldwide, said she is "excited" to be performing at the concert and "helping to shine a further light" on the charity's fundraising efforts.

Other artists selected for the grand concert, hosted by the BBC and to be attended by members of the public selected through the ballot and special royal guests, include American singer-songwriter Lionel Richie, English pop group Take That, Italian opera star Andrea Bocelli, Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, and British singer-songwriter Freya Ridings and classical-soul composer Alexis Ffrench.

The show will also include a performance from the Coronation Choir, made up of community groups and amateur singers from across the nation. Different landmarks of the UK will be illuminated using projections, lasers, and drone displays as part of the "Lighting Up The Nation", dubbed the centrepiece of the concert.