Britain's King Charles III (second left) inspects the 200th Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Sovereign's Parade and presents the new Colors and Sovereign's Banner to the receiving Ensigns in Camberley, England, April 14, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)
LONDON – The coronation of Britain's King Charles next month will be released as an album, the first time a recording of such a historic ceremony will be available to audiences worldwide.
In a statement on Friday, label Decca Records said it would record the May 6 service at Westminster Abbey, as well as pre-service music, as The Official Album of the Coronation and release it for streaming and download on the same day.
A physical version will go out on May 15.
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Britain's King Charles III waves as he arrives for a visit to the new European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in London, March 23, 2023. (PHOTO / POOL / AP)
Running at over four hours long, the album will feature all the spoken words of the ceremony as well as its music, including 12 new compositions commissioned by Charles.
“This will be a truly historic recording, capturing a glorious range of music from across centuries and continents, reflecting the world-wide interest in our traditions, covering multiple locations in the wonderful acoustic of Westminster Abbey, and involving an unprecedented technical plan to present the entire experience to the world on the day itself," producer, Anna Barry said in a statement.
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Among the commissions for the occasion is the Coronation Anthem, composed by musical impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber.