Hervé Niquet & Le Concert Spirituel - Handel: Coronation Anthems - Apple Music

Anyone familiar with Handel's four Coronation Anthems, especially the first of the set, Zadok the Priest, should prepare for provocations and thrills galore in Niquet's gripping interpretations, which add touches of Versailles splendor to music written for George II, a German-born English king not known for extravagance. Zadok's orchestral introduction, hallmarked here by arresting dynamic shadings, motors along under Niquet's direction. It flows seamlessly into the choir's first entry, more regal pronouncement than sudden shout, which in turn prepares the way for an impassioned choral delivery of “God save the king” and the rapid-fire “Alleluias” that follow it.