I was glad
'I was glad' (Latin incipit: Laetatus sum) is an English text drawn from selected verses of Psalm 122. It has been used at Westminster Abbey in the coronation ceremonies of British monarchs since those of King Charles I in 1626.[1]
Text
[edit]The text accompanies the monarch's entrance into Westminster Abbey and was formalised in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.[1]
- I was glad when they said unto me : We will go into the house of the Lord.
- Our feet shall stand in thy gates : O Jerusalem.
- Jerusalem is built as a city : that is at unity in itself.
- For thither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord : to testify unto Israel, to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord.
- For there is the seat of judgement : even the seat of the house of David.
- O pray for the peace of Jerusalem : they shall prosper that love thee.
- Peace be within thy walls : and plenteousness within thy palaces.
- For my brethren and companions' sakes : I will wish thee prosperity.
- Yea, because of the house of the Lord our God : I will seek to do thee good.
The selected verses (verses 4, 5, 8 and 9 are omitted) form a prayer for the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem, and its use in the coronation service clearly draws a parallel between Jerusalem and the United Kingdom.
'Vivat" interpolation
[edit]Since the coronation of King James II in 1685[2] an additional non-biblical text is added to the psalm verses used in the Westminster Abbey ceremonies, i.e. the acclamation "Vivat Rex ... " or "Vivat Regina ... " ("Long live King/Queen ..."). By tradition this acclamation is made by King's or Queen's Scholars of Westminster School as the Sovereign passes through the Quire of Westminster Abbey.[3]
"Vivat" pronunciation
[edit]The acclamation uses a variant of standard Latin pronunciation known as Anglicised Latin. Scholars of Classical Latin would pronounce the Vivat Regina as [ˈwiːwat reːˈɡiːna]; those of Ecclesiastical Latin would pronounce it [ˈvivat reˈdʒina]. The traditional English pronunciation when referring to the British monarch is /ˈvaɪvæt rɪˈdʒaɪnə/ VY-vat rij-EYE-nə.[2] At the coronation of both a king and a queen, the vivat for the queen precedes that for the king.[3]
Musical settings at British coronations
[edit]
- 1626: King Charles I, no details[1]
- 1661: King Charles II, William Child and Thomas Tomkins[4]
- 1685: King James II, Henry Purcell and John Blow[4]
Pigott
[edit]- 1701: Queen Anne, Francis Pigott[4]
- 1714: King George I, Francis Pigott[4]
- 1727: King George II, Francis Pigott[4]
Boyce
[edit]- 1761: King George III, William Boyce[4]
Attwood
[edit]- 1821: King George IV, Thomas Attwood[5]
- 1831: King William IV, Thomas Attwood[4]
- 1838: Queen Victoria, Thomas Attwood[4]
Parry
[edit]
- 1902: King Edward VII, Hubert Parry
- Parry indicated in the score a space for an improvisatory fanfare between the King's and the Queen's "Vivat" acclamations[3]
- At the first performance of Parry's arrangement at the 1902 coronation the director of music Sir Frederick Bridge misjudged the timing and had finished the anthem before the King had arrived, having to repeat it when the right moment came. Bridge was saved by the organist, Walter Alcock, who improvised in the interim.[7]
- 1911: King George V, Hubert Parry
- Parry revised his 1902 version by adding an introduction, antiphonal choir effects and brass fanfares[4]
- 1953: Queen Elizabeth II, Hubert Parry[4]
- At the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953, the acclamation took the form of "Vivat Regina Elizabetha"[3]
- 2023: King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Hubert Parry[8]
- At the coronation of Charles III and Camilla in 2023 the acclamation took the form of "Vivat Regina Camilla!" and "Vivat Rex Carolus!"[8]
Use at other British royal events
[edit]Setting by Hubert Parry:
- 1945: National service of thanksgiving for VE Day at St Paul's Cathedral[9]
- 1977: Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II, national service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral[10]
- 1982: Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul's Cathedral[11]
- 2002: Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II, national service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral[12]
- 2011: Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey.[13]
- 2022: Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II, national service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral[14]
Other complete or partial settings in English
[edit]- (n.d.): Richard Woodward
- 1879: John Goss
- 1902: Henry Marcellus Higgs.
- This setting was distributed by the Church of England in an order of service for that year's Coronation Day to be used in its churches throughout His Majesty's Empire.[15]
- 1933: Herbert Howells.[16]
- 1955: S. Drummond Wolff
- 1957: Robin Orr
- 1962: Healey Willan
- 1971: Peter Hallock
See also
[edit]
- Laetare Sunday, which uses a similar introit
- Other settings of Psalm 122 in various languages.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c MacLeane, Douglas (1911), The Great Solemnity of the Coronation of the King and Queen of England According to the Use of the Church of England, George Allen & Company, London. (p. 69)
- ^ a b >Tanner, Lawrence E (1934), Westminster School: A History, Country Life Ltd, London (p. 36)
- ^ a b c d Hall. John (2012), Queen Elizabeth II and Her Church: Royal Service at Westminster Abbey, Bloomsbury Publishing, ISBN 978-1-4411-2072-4] (p. 11)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Range, Matthias (2012), Music and Ceremonial at British Coronations: From James I to Elizabeth II , Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-1-107-02344-4 (Appendix C, pp. 281–284 )
- ^ Gatens, William J (1987), Victorian Cathedral Music in Theory and Practice, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-26808-7 (p. 84)
- ^ @theULSpecColl (May 6, 2023). "Vivat Rex!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Cowgill, Rachel and Rushton, Julian (2006) Europe, Empire, and Spectacle in Nineteenth-century British Music, Ashgate Publishing, ISBN 978-0-7546-5208-3 (pp. 124–125)
- ^ a b "Abbey releases music for the Coronation Vivats". www.westminster-abbey.org. Dean and Chapter of Westminster. 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- ^ "VE Day, St Paul's Cathedral, 1945". recordedchurchmusic.org. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ "Libraries - Royal music from St. Paul's; 1977, the Queen's silver jubilee". www.wisc.edu. University of Wisconsin System. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ "Diana, Princess of Wales". www.royal.uk. The Royal Househol. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ "Golden Programmes On Radio 4". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. 17 May 2002. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ "Balcony kisses seal royal wedding". BBC News. 29 April 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
- ^ Hughes, David (3 June 2022). "Thanksgiving Service: The order of service for the Platinum Jubilee event at St Paul's and full list of music". inews.co.uk. Associated Newspapers Limited. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ The form and order of service recommended for use ... throughout His Majesty's Empire, on ... the Coronation day of their Majesties King Edward and Queen Alexandra. (London: Church of England, 1902) pp.3–9. Online resource: archive.org, accessed 14 June 2023.
- ^ Laster, James H (1996). Catalogue of Choral Music Arranged in Biblical Order. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. pp. 248–249. ISBN 0-8108-3071-X.
External links
[edit]- "I was glad" (various composers): Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
- "I was glad when they said unto me" (Parry): Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
- I was glad: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project. This contains Parry's holograph, with two pages apparently inserted for the 1911 coronation.
- Video on YouTube, Choir of St Paul's Cathedral at the 2002 Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II
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