Abbey releases music for the Coronation Vivats
Sunday, 30th April 2023
Westminster Abbey has today released the words and music of the Vivat acclamations which will be sung at the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen on Saturday 6th May.
The music has been released so that parish and cathedral choirs throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth can celebrate by including it in services over the Coronation weekend, if they so wish.
The Vivats are Latin acclamations with which the King’s Scholars of Westminster School have traditionally greeted kings and queens on their arrival at Westminster Abbey for their coronation.
History
Since the Coronation of Charles I in 1626, words from Psalm 122 beginning ‘I was glad when they said unto me : we will go into the house of the Lord’ have been sung in different musical settings to accompany the monarch’s procession into the Abbey.
In 1902 the composer Hubert Parry was asked to provide a new setting of ‘I was glad’ with orchestral accompaniment. He chose to incorporate the Vivats of the King’s Scholars into his setting, resulting in one of the most memorable pieces of coronation music. Parry’s anthem has been sung at all subsequent coronations, the Latin acclamations being altered as required for the names of the new monarch and consort.
This year's Coronation
The words which will be sung at this Coronation are:
Vivat Regina Camilla! Vivat Regina Camilla!
Vivat! Vivat! Vivat!
Vivat Rex Carolus! Vivat Rex Carolus!
Vivat! Vivat! Vivat!
(Or ‘Long live Queen Camilla! Long live King Charles!')
The King’s Scholars of Westminster School are 44 boys and girls selected from each of the School's year groups. The Scholars are believed to have made this distinctive contribution to the coronation of every monarch since the School was re-founded by Elizabeth I in 1560.
More about Coronations
The Abbey is the coronation church - 39 reigning monarchs have been crowned here since 1066. Discover more about the history of coronations at the Abbey and find out about upcoming events.
Music for the Coronation
Discover more about the music that will be performed at the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort.
