Haendel - Coronation Anthems - Hervé Niquet / Beaune Baroque and Romantic Opera Festival

The Coronation Anthems, composed by Handel for the coronation of George II, and the Dettingen Te Deum, which celebrates England's victory over the French army at Dettingen in 1743, were intended to strengthen the power of the English crown. These works fulfilled this role successfully: the rehearsals of the Coronation Anthems attracted an unprecedented number of enthusiastic onlookers. In fact, the dates and venues of the rehearsals had been carelessly announced in the press on the pretext of specifying... that they were not public! And the stakes were well worth the trip: it was the largest orchestra Handel had ever conducted: the King's 24 string players, all 12 trumpeters and timpanists, plus 57 additional musicians! As for the glorious Dettingen Te Deum, which completes the programme concocted by Hervé Niquet, it celebrates with great pomp England's victory over the French army at Dettingen in 1743. It is their vision of these 'grand spectacle' pieces that Hervé Niquet and Le Concert Spirituel, drawing on their expertise in the Haendelian repertoire, present today in an exciting evening.