Some details have been published about the music commissioned for the Coronation, in which I've been kindly included alongside a splendidly big number of my colleagues. We've all doubtless been extra busy lately, but that's the most we can all say. I was asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement leading up to the event, and we were further reminded not to say anything about the music we have written, what the titles are, and anything more about the planning process.
This differs from what people usually ask us composers to do if they are gracious enough to play our new music at all, when it's "publicise, preview, explain!" all the way. (Further details will eventually become known when the Coronation order of service is published, but that will be just days before the event in May.) That leaves quite a few weeks of "no comment". So instead, I'll close with a quote I've just read in Andrew Parrott's amazingly enjoyable new book The Pursuit of Musick. The words (c1630s) come from John Selden's Table Talk referring of course to an earlier King Charles:
"So in our Court in Queen Elizabeth's time Gravity and State were kept up. In King James's time things were pretty well. But in King Charles's time, there has been nothing but French-more and the Cushion Dance, omnium gatherum, tolly, polly, hoite come toite."
Hopefully we too can enjoy the modern equivalent of cushion dancing, tolly, polly, etc. come May 6th. (Pictured - on Blackpool Promenade.)
