An inspired concept to perform most of the music from The Coronation 57 years after the event, but - Praise God - still relevant today with Her Majesty still on the throne.

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The music chosen was sung by a variety of groups - the Cathedral Boys and Men, the Cathedral Girls and Men, Counterpoint, and a combination of all three choirs. This made for a most satisfying and revealing contrast throughout the evening. The concert was accompanied by film of the actual Coronation Service, with the "Richard Dimbleby" commentary admirably provided by The Precentor.

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The combined forces began with the stirring Parry anthem I was glad, which, together with Handel's Zadok the Priest had been sung at the coronation of her father a quarter of a century earlier. The conductor was Andrew Millington, Cathedral Director of Music.

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This energetic opening was followed by the Introit to the Mass Behold O God our defender by Herbert Howells. Sung by Counterpoint under their conductor David Acres, one's first impression was of the beautifully serene blend of this chamber choir, with a clarity, especially in the top line, which was simply mesmerising. Such a contrast set the tone for the whole evening.

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The Gradual of the Mass Let my prayer come up into thy presence by Sir William Harris was then sung by the boys and men of the Cathedral Choir. The Credo of the Mass proper - from Vaughan Williams' Mass in G minor - was sung by Counterpoint. This work was written for Westminster Cathedral in 1922, and is still as fresh and archetypically English today as when it was written. For double choir with a quartet of soloists, this was serenely sung, and there were special moments of pianissimo, as in the incarnatus section, which made one's heart stop.

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By contrast Handel's uplifting Zadok the Priest followed, reminding us of the anointing of King Solomon. This is something of a war-horse on royal occasions, and is so often performed that it might become hackneyed. The main reason for such a reaction is the tempo. Andante maestoso is Handel's marking, and this evening that was observed to the letter by Acres: a wonderfully grand and steady speed of the introductory 22 bars from Paul Morgan at the organ provided a sense of awe and anticipation all too often missed. When the choirs did eventually burst in with their exuberant opening syllable - without one has to say any elaborate gesture from the Conductor - it was a breath-taking moment, and almost a surprise despite its familiarity!

Then followed a commission for the Coronation - George Dyson's Confortare, sung at the moment of the crowning.

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At the coronation, the Homage of all present in Westminster Abbey was accompanied by the singing of five anthems, four of which were sung here by the Cathedral choirs, two before the interval and two at the start of the second half. The 16th century Rejoice in the Lord alway (attributed to John Redford), and the glorious contrapuntal double-choir O clap your hands together by Orlando Gibbons closed the first part, and to open Part II William Byrd's Non vos relinquam orphanos and SS Wesley's Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace.

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As at the coronation itself everyone then sang the Offertory hymn All people that on earth do dwell, to the tune The Old Hundredth in the specially arranged version for the occasion by Vaughan Williams.

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The Sanctus from the G minor Mass then followed, beautifully sung by the boys and men of the Cathedral choir. Sadly the Communion motet, again specially commissioned for the 1953 service, O taste and see, was disappointingly sung by the girls and men: overfast, relentless and largely wordless.

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But the glories of the evening were still to come: Stanford's Gloria in excelsis, from his full set of B flat canticles, composed in 1911, and to conclude, the exhilarating Te Deum laudamus, composed especially in 1953 by William Walton.

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This was a thrilling evening, with some truly spectacular sounds, and also, more movingly, some truly serene moments. (Geoffrey Mitchell)

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