Andrew Lloyd Webber has said writing the official Coronation anthem has helped him deal with the death of his son.
The theatre impresario, whose son Nicholas died at age 43 on March 25 from gastric cancer, will have his song, Make a Joyful Noise, played publicly for the first time at King Charles’ Coronation on Saturday.
The 75-year-old, who is known for his hit musicals including Cats and The Phantom Of The Opera, told Channel 4 News: “Obviously writing the anthem, because it’s joyful, it was a wonderful thing to do as a kind of antidote to what I knew was going on in my private life.
“Music is my life. Music is what I do... I do obviously have the thought of my son in my mind and there will be a moment when I’m in the abbey, I know, as there was the other day, when I’m thinking of my lovely Nick.
“And thinking that Make A Joyful Noise is also for him.”
He has also previously revealed that King Charles insisted that the song, which has been inspired by the words of Psalm 98, be ‘hummable’ and cheerful because “he wants the anthem sung in churches”.
The song will be released after the ceremony as a single to raise money for the Royal British Legion and Age UK.
More than 2,200 people will be in Westminster Abbey to see Charles and Camilla crowned on Saturday.
On Sunday, Motown icon Lionel Richie, who is also attending the Coronation, is one of the big stars who will be hitting the stage at Windsor Castle alongside Take That and Katy Perry at the Coronation concert.
Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli, Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel and singer Paloma Faith will also perform.
