Handel - Zadok the Priest, Coronation Anthem No. 1, HWV 258

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) Zadok the Priest, Coronation Anthem No. 1, HWV 258 Composed in 1727; premiered in 1727 in London Performed by the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and the Academy Chorus, conducted by Neville Marriner (1924-2016) Recorded June 1984 at St. John's, Smith Square, London Zadok the Priest, HWV 258, was one of four coronation anthems commissioned for the crowning of King George II (1683-1760) at Westminster Abbey. Commissioned shortly after Handel became a naturalized British subject, the anthem sets a text adapted from the King James Bible describing the anointing of King Solomon by Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet. The piece opens with a string introduction that builds tension before bursting into a triumphant choral entry. Despite initial performance mishaps by the Westminster Abbey choir during its 1727 premiere, the anthem was recognized for its majesty. It has been performed at the moment of anointing during the coronation of every British monarch since, retaining its place as one of the most celebrated choral works in the Baroque tradition.