The Queen is Dead. Long live the King.

[unloadonme]

One notes that Sir Elton John, Harry Styles, Adele, The Spice Girls, Jewel and others have declined the invitation to play at the coronation concert.

Hooray! I hope several others decline their invitations too, starting with Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Cliff Richard.

 

[HoodedRat]

More on music for the coronation. Lloyd Webber and a bunch of people I've never heard of have been commissioned to compose new music and a "coronation orchestra" is to be assembled. Sounds ghastly.

Andrew Lloyd Webber piece among new coronation music

The coronation service for King Charles will feature 12 newly-commissioned pieces of music.

www.bbc.co.uk

Just think, once upon a time music for Royal occasions was composed by the likes of Tallis, Byrd, Purcell, Handel, and Elgar; now we are reduced to Lloyd-Webber.

According to that link, "The other composers chosen by the King to write new music are Iain Farrington, Sarah Class, Nigel Hess, Paul Mealor, Tarik O'Regan, Roxanna Panufnik, Shirley J. Thompson, Judith Weir, Roderick Williams and Debbie Wiseman." I have to confess that, with the exception of Weir, I've never heard of any of them.

 

[pigface]

A number of the superannuated geriatrics who declined are in fact "on tour" at that time. They are not electing to skip the coronation, they just can't fit it it.

But Camilla and Reggie Dwight at one performance would be one old queen too many.

 

[Alistair]

One notes that Sir Elton John, Harry Styles, Adele, The Spice Girls, Jewel and others have declined the invitation to play at the coronation concert.

Will they be stuck with Ted Nugent and a tribute band line-up?

What was that woman’s name from Britains got talent? Get her lol

 

[LoveMyPeppermill]

What was that woman’s name from Britains got talent? Get her lol

Susan Boyle

 

[LoveMyPeppermill]

According to that link, "The other composers chosen by the King to write new music are Iain Farrington, Sarah Class, Nigel Hess, Paul Mealor, Tarik O'Regan, Roxanna Panufnik, Shirley J. Thompson, Judith Weir, Roderick Williams and Debbie Wiseman." I have to confess that, with the exception of Weir, I've never heard of any of them.

I've heard of Farrington, Hess, Mealor, O'Regan, Panufnik, Weir, and Williams (who is also a very fine bass-baritone).

I should say, though, that I've encountered nothing of or by Farrington or Hess other than their names.

O'Regan has had some success in the US contemporary classical scene.

The music I've heard by most of the others is choral music, so it would make sense that they'd be chosen. I like what I've heard of Mealor's and Williams's music; I like Weir's and Panufnik's choral music very much.

I'm a bit surprised James MacMillan isn't on the list and disappointed that Joby Talbot isn't there.
I'm relieved that neither John Rutter nor Bob Chilcott has been asked; their music feels empty to me every time I hear it.

 

[Essex Boy]

Just think, once upon a time music for Royal occasions was composed by the likes of Tallis, Byrd, Purcell, Handel, and Elgar

When my dad bought our first radiogram back in ancient times he bought me a mono EP of Walton's two Coronation marches, conducted by the composer. I used to play it over and over and over. Who today could deliver anything like this? Turn the volume up to 11!

Hearing them just now it occured to me that the earlier one, for George VI, is rather straight-laced and conjures up the Empire whereas the postwar one is brighter and more forward-looking with jazzy bits and unexpected key changes.

Lady Walton flirting with Prince Charles. What a gal! What a hat!

 

[rareboy]

So we see today that to deflect from an embarrassing story about the EU, Chuck has chucked the Cuckoo fledgling out of the Frogmore nest and offered it to the the reprobate, Jeffrey Epstein wannabe statutory rapist Andrew.

If the Windsor (haha) Battenburg arriviste clan wanted to hasten their descent into irrelevance and distaste even more...it would be to parade their trashy internecine family squabbles out in the tabloids yet once again.

 

[unloadonme]

The King and Queen are to make the first state visits of the reign to France and Germany.

King Charles to travel to France and Germany in first state visits

Buckingham Palace says the King will visit European neighbours on his first official visits.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[unloadonme]

And now it's animal cruelty-free coronation oil.

Sacred coronation oil will be animal-cruelty free

A new version of sacred oil to be used at the King's coronation has been consecrated in Jerusalem.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[pigface]

I don't think a drop of 3-in-One would be any less effective.

 

[Essex Boy]

The Patriarchs in Jerusalem have used the left over oil to rustle up some nibbles. Looks like mini pizzas or quiches.

That reminds me--in 1953 a new dish called Coronation Chicken was created for the occasion. I wonder if we'll get anything special this time. Something mouth watering with organic fair trade quinoa and goji berries perhaps.

A dish fit for a queen!

 

[pigface]

Coronation chicken is quite tasty, but not exactly Häute Cuisine - basically chicken curry with a lot of mahonnaise added!

 

[LoveMyPeppermill]

The Patriarchs in Jerusalem have used the left over oil to rustle up some nibbles. Looks like mini pizzas or quiches.

​

Oh my god, they really do look like mini-quiches or decorated cupcakes!
And it looks like they've been brought to a fondue pot.


Are those the Greeks, the Russians, the Armenians, or someone else?

 

[nycguydowntown]

As much as I try - Charlie and his wrinkled queen will never have the gravitas of his mom or the star power of Harry. Charles & his wife are damaged goods - so is Harry but he’s not the king.

 

[LoveMyPeppermill]

It's a tragic story in a way. Camilla was the only woman he ever wanted to marry, but when it was marrying time for him, neither the rest of the family nor the Church of England (ironically) could accept him marrying a divorced woman.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Oh my god, they really do look like mini-quiches or decorated cupcakes!
And it looks like they've been brought to a fondue pot.


Are those the Greeks, the Russians, the Armenians, or someone else?

St. Madeleines.

 

[NotHardUp1]

It's a tragic story in a way. Camilla was the only woman he ever wanted to marry, but when it was marrying time for him, neither the rest of the family nor the Church of England (ironically) could accept him marrying a divorced woman.

The irony of a church founded by the most adulterous and murderous king England has ever suffered, ordering a prince around about his wife.

None as sanctimonius as a whore come to church.

 

[LoveMyPeppermill]

St. Madeleines.

Took me a sec to figure out -- aha! The Church of Mary Magdalene on the Mount of Olives.

Russians, then. That's what I would have presumed, from the look of the priests and of the cupcakes they're holding, if I hadn't known the location.

 

[LoveMyPeppermill]

The irony of a church founded by the most adulterous and murderous king England has ever suffered

I'd have to think hard to figure out if he was the most murderous, strictly speaking; one of the kings responsible for the Wars of the Roses and/or the Hundred Years' War probably has Henry VIII beat on that particular metric. (We'll leave Victoria and the other monarchs at the height of the Empire out of it, since monarchs no longer gave the orders by then.)

But yeah -- the last time The Guardian reported on a poll of historians about the best and worst monarchs in English history, Henry VIII was rock bottom.
His daughter Elizabeth topped the list.

Not unlike the greatest American president being bookended by the two worst before Donald Trump.