I wrote this simple setting for the choir of Holy Trinity, Street, to sing on Trinity Sunday 2008.
THREE in One, and One in Three,
Ruler of the earth and sea,
Hear us while we lift to thee
Holy chant and psalm.
2 Light of lights! with morning shine,
Lift on us thy light divine;
And let charity benign
Breathe on us her balm.
3 Light of lights! when falls the even,
Let it sink on sin forgiven;
Fold us in the peace of heaven;
Shed a holy calm.
4 Three in One, and One in Three,
Darkling here we worship thee;
With the saints hereafter we
Hope to bear the palm. Amen.
Gilbert Rorison, 1849
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Thursday, 26 March 2009
Music Video of the Day - Tell me, little shepherd boy
I wrote this tune to some mediaeval Latin words, and then wrote a Christmas carol to the tune.
The refrain is in Latin: Omnes qui audiverant / pastores narrantes / Deum magnum laudabant / conglorificantes. All who had heard the shepherds telling their story were praising the great God, glorifying him together.
The refrain is in Latin: Omnes qui audiverant / pastores narrantes / Deum magnum laudabant / conglorificantes. All who had heard the shepherds telling their story were praising the great God, glorifying him together.
Sunday, 22 March 2009
Wells Cathedral on a sunny afternoon
Choral Evensong in a cathedral only eight miles away is an experience that I have neglected. Today my sons helped me put that right.
It all went very well, Charlie drove us to Penniless Porch and Trevor wheeled me into the church and up to the choir, where a friendly attendant saw us to a spot just by the lectern with a good view of the pulpit.
The setting of the canticles was new to me, and we don't know the composer, [Helen Lunt has just emailed that it was Kenneth Leighton's Second Service] but it was almost certainly 20th century. The "world without end" in the Gloria was repeated over and over again, most effectively.
The first lesson was read by the precentor, who was also preaching. It was from Exodus chapter six, and he introduced it well and read it almost in a whisper, clearly well acquainted with the possibilities of the cathedral's amplification system.
The second lesson was Romans chapter five, which I shall post separately.
The intercessions were carefully chosen and sensitively introduced. There was a theme of imprisonment and injustice, arising out of the first lesson. Among others, we prayed for people in Myanmar/Burma and Tibet. After a brief word on praying for one's enemies, we even prayed for Osama Bin Laden, misled as he is.
The sermon, arising out of Romans five, was about the contemplation of the cross. The preacher faced head-on the possibility that gazing on the wounds of Christ was an unhealthy practice, but he said that if it was anybody else that would probably be true -- as we gaze on Christ we see how we ourselves are wounded and it all becomes a healing experience. He made comparison with images from revered figures from other religions -- the dancing Shiva and the contemplative Buddha -- and remarked that the image of the cross was unusual for representing suffering.
His closing words were: "What did Jesus first show the disciples in the upper room after his resurrection? His wounds."
At the end of the service, the choir walked around the east end singing a recessional chant, a prayer for forgiveness, and in so doing walked and sang a full circle around the congregation. When the choir is great, as it was here and in King's a fortnight ago, there is often a focus on them as performers. It was wonderful to be surrounded by their prayerful song, but not to see them.
It all went very well, Charlie drove us to Penniless Porch and Trevor wheeled me into the church and up to the choir, where a friendly attendant saw us to a spot just by the lectern with a good view of the pulpit.
The setting of the canticles was new to me, and we don't know the composer, [Helen Lunt has just emailed that it was Kenneth Leighton's Second Service] but it was almost certainly 20th century. The "world without end" in the Gloria was repeated over and over again, most effectively.
The first lesson was read by the precentor, who was also preaching. It was from Exodus chapter six, and he introduced it well and read it almost in a whisper, clearly well acquainted with the possibilities of the cathedral's amplification system.
The second lesson was Romans chapter five, which I shall post separately.
The intercessions were carefully chosen and sensitively introduced. There was a theme of imprisonment and injustice, arising out of the first lesson. Among others, we prayed for people in Myanmar/Burma and Tibet. After a brief word on praying for one's enemies, we even prayed for Osama Bin Laden, misled as he is.
The sermon, arising out of Romans five, was about the contemplation of the cross. The preacher faced head-on the possibility that gazing on the wounds of Christ was an unhealthy practice, but he said that if it was anybody else that would probably be true -- as we gaze on Christ we see how we ourselves are wounded and it all becomes a healing experience. He made comparison with images from revered figures from other religions -- the dancing Shiva and the contemplative Buddha -- and remarked that the image of the cross was unusual for representing suffering.
His closing words were: "What did Jesus first show the disciples in the upper room after his resurrection? His wounds."
At the end of the service, the choir walked around the east end singing a recessional chant, a prayer for forgiveness, and in so doing walked and sang a full circle around the congregation. When the choir is great, as it was here and in King's a fortnight ago, there is often a focus on them as performers. It was wonderful to be surrounded by their prayerful song, but not to see them.
This is good news, I think
While writing my life story I did wonder how the various schools and colleges I was at are doing now.
A brochure came from Ridley Hall the other day. Because it was labelled From the Development Office I thought it could wait. A money appeal. But Trevor read it to me this morning and what the new Principal had to write about himself was cheering. He is not ashamed to talk about his evangelical roots, and his parents as farmers and members of the Church of England in their village. Apparently Ridley Hall (which is a theological college to train Church of England clergy) had a slogan, Roots down, Walls down. That was under the previous Principal, a good man called Graham Cray. Andrew Norman, the new chap, is adding Bridges out.
Andrew was brought up in the world of Scripture Union camps and OICCU, which is just fine and dandy by me.
Someone told me a couple of days ago that the only person in the C of E that was speaking out in the right way is the Archbishop of York, and I am inclined to agree. Thank God for John Sentamu. And thank God for the colour of his skin, and the climate of opinion in the media that forces them to give a fair hearing to a black man.
Isn't it interesting that the two men we look to for inspirational, intelligent, uncorrupt leadership are both black. Barak O being the other one, of course.
I do hope Ridley produces a generation of clergy that are not ashamed of the Gospel, and preach it as
A brochure came from Ridley Hall the other day. Because it was labelled From the Development Office I thought it could wait. A money appeal. But Trevor read it to me this morning and what the new Principal had to write about himself was cheering. He is not ashamed to talk about his evangelical roots, and his parents as farmers and members of the Church of England in their village. Apparently Ridley Hall (which is a theological college to train Church of England clergy) had a slogan, Roots down, Walls down. That was under the previous Principal, a good man called Graham Cray. Andrew Norman, the new chap, is adding Bridges out.
Andrew was brought up in the world of Scripture Union camps and OICCU, which is just fine and dandy by me.
Someone told me a couple of days ago that the only person in the C of E that was speaking out in the right way is the Archbishop of York, and I am inclined to agree. Thank God for John Sentamu. And thank God for the colour of his skin, and the climate of opinion in the media that forces them to give a fair hearing to a black man.
Isn't it interesting that the two men we look to for inspirational, intelligent, uncorrupt leadership are both black. Barak O being the other one, of course.
I do hope Ridley produces a generation of clergy that are not ashamed of the Gospel, and preach it as
the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Saturday, 21 March 2009
Music video of the day - Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis
I have a version of this, sung by the quartet in Street Parish Church, but am posting this home version till I get the better one sorted.
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