Renowned choral ensemble The Sixteen has made a special recording of William Byrd’s coronation anthem 'O Lord, Make Thy Servant (Elizabeth)'.
To mark the Coronation of His Majesty, King Charles III, The Sixteen have adapted Byrd's anthem to feature the new lyrics 'O Lord, Make Thy Servant Charles'. The anthem, composed around 1570, was originally written to celebrate the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and will now be heard in a version commemorating the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III.
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'O Lord, Make Thy Servant (Elizabeth)' was a popular anthem during Byrd’s lifetime: it was also resurrected to honour Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The Sixteen performed their new version at the chapel of St John’s College, Cambridge, with the choir's founder and director Harry Christophers conducting. The piece got its world premiere broadcast on Thursday 27 April 2023, on Classic FM.
Anthems composed to celebrate the good health and prosperity of sovereigns became known as King’s Day Anthems and were frequently performed on the anniversary of the Sovereign’s accession. At the time, it was common for anthems to be reused for each new monarch, and for regnal names to be replaced in manuscripts.
Though the original manuscript of this anthem did not survive, it is one of eleven Byrd anthems to be included in John Barnard’s rare work First Book of Selected Church Music (1641). The text was adapted for use throughout the reign of Charles I.
Musician and historian Alan Duffield, along with Harry Christophers, came across this piece at the British Library, and in a manuscript at Lambeth Palace Library. These resources were used as the basis for this performance.
The original anthem, 'O Lord Make Thy Servant Elizabeth', and a specially commissioned work by Cecilia McDowall in honour of the late Queen feature on The Sixteen’s new album Coronation: Music for Royal Occasions.
'I love the fact that well known royal anthems were often reused for a new monarch with a simple name change,' says Harry Christophers. I am sure that, in his anniversary year, William Byrd would have been honoured that his anthem is sung today to a new King who is passionate about the arts and in particular music.”
What are the lyrics to 'O Lord, Make Thy Servant Charles'?
Here are the lyrics to 'O Lord, Make Thy Servant Charles:
O Lord, make thy servant Charles to rejoice in thy strength: give him his heart's desire, and deny not the request of his lips; but prevent him with thine everlasting blessing, and give him a long life, even for ever and ever. Amen.