VOCES8 is singing, so it’s pretty amazing.

Stephen Paulus: Pilgrims’ Hymn

TEXT by Michael Dennis Browne
Even before we call on Your name
To ask You, O God,
When we seek for the words to glorify You,
You hear our prayer;
Unceasing love, O unceasing love,
Surpassing all we know.

Glory to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.

Even with darkness sealing us in,
We breathe Your name,
And through all the days that follow so fast,
We trust in You;
Endless Your grace, O endless Your grace,
Beyond all mortal dream.

Both now and forever,
And unto ages and ages,
Amen.

28. December 2025 · Comments Off on Sunday Morning Music · Categories: Sunday Morning Music · Tags: , , ,

I will be taking a bit of a break after today’s post. If you want to listen to past music I’ve posted simply search on Sunday Morning Music and you’ll find a lot, or click on any Sunday on the calendar. That’ll do too.

It Is Well With My Soul, arr. Berent Wells
Voces Cordis, André van der Merwe, Conductor

25. December 2025 · Comments Off on Christmas Daybreak · Categories: Christmas · Tags: , , ,

Richard Convery, Composer

Phoenix Consort

From the YouTube page:
We hope you enjoy this recording of Robert Convery’s ‘Christmas Daybreak’, recorded at Castle Howard.

It’s set to Christina Rossetti’s beautiful text, copied below… her poetry is also the central theme to our upcoming Christmas concert, Midwinter (check out our website for all the details and get your tickets!)

Before the paling of the stars,
Before the winter morn,
Before the earliest cock-crow,
Jesus Christ was born:
Born in a stable,
Cradled in a manger,
In the world His hands had made
Born a stranger.

Priest and King lay fast asleep
In Jerusalem,
Young and old lay fast asleep
In crowded Bethlehem:
Saint and Angel, ox and ass,
Kept a watch together,
Before the Christmas daybreak
In the winter weather.

Jesus on His Mother’s breast
In the stable cold,
Spotless Lamb of God was He,
Shepherd of the fold:
Let us kneel with Mary Maid,
With Joseph bent and hoary,
With Saint and Angel, ox and ass,
To hail the King of Glory.

24. December 2025 · Comments Off on Christmas Eve · Categories: Advent · Tags: , , , ,

Eleanor Daley: Love came down at Christmas
The Gesualdo Six

23. December 2025 · Comments Off on Getting Closer · Categories: Advent · Tags: , ,

Ralph Vaughan Williams: This is the Truth Sent From Above (final verse harmonized by Owain Park
The Gesualdo Six

22. December 2025 · Comments Off on Moving toward Christmas · Categories: Advent · Tags: , ,

Otto Olsson: Advent
Sofia Vokalensemble

Running the text through a translation site, so who knows how good it is but here you go:

Daughter of Zion, lift up your forehead! The kingdom of heaven is near you. Rejoice loudly your Hosanna! Behold, your king is here! God sent his Son to earth. Rejoice, it’s Advent! Come with your arms full of palm trees, let your heart expand, Come with songs, come with hymns! The King of Glory meets you. The day of bliss he lighted. Rejoice, it’s Advent! Zion’s exultation cannot stop. Like the roar of great waters sounds eternal: Hosanna. Hosanna Son of David! Such joy has not been known to the world. Rejoice, it’s Advent!

14. December 2025 · Comments Off on This is The Record of John · Categories: vocal · Tags: ,

Our sermon today used this passage so it was fun to land on this.

Orlando Gibbons: This is the Record of John
The Gesualdo Six

From the YouTube page:

The Gesualdo Six
Directed by Owain Park
Joseph Wicks, tenor solo
Richard Gowers, organ

This is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests & Levites from Jerusalem to ask him: Who art thou? And he confessed and denied not, and said plainly: I am not the Christ.

And they asked him: What art thou then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered: No.

Then said they unto him: What art thou? That we may give an answer unto them that sent us. What sayst thou of thy self? And he said: I am the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord.

*****

Video produced by G6 Studio
Cameras: Hafren Park & Katherine Gregory
Audio: Josh Cooter
Video: Hafren Park & Joseph Wicks

14. December 2025 · Comments Off on Third Sunday in Advent · Categories: Advent, Sunday Morning Music · Tags: , , ,

Anna Lapwood: Drop Down Ye Heavens
The Chapel Choir of Pembroke College

Drop down ye heavens from above,
And let the skies pour down righteousness.
Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people;
My salvation shall not tarry.
I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions.
Fear not, for I will save thee;
For I am the Lord thy God,
The holy one of Israel, thy redeemer.
Drop down ye heavens from above,
And let the skies pour down righteousness.

30. November 2025 · Comments Off on Sunday Morning Music · Categories: Sunday Morning Music · Tags: , , ,

Josef Rheinberger: Kyrie
Stellenbosch University Choir; André van der Marwe, Conductor

23. November 2025 · Comments Off on Sunday Morning Music · Categories: Sunday Morning Music · Tags: , , , ,

John Taverner: O splendor gloriae
The Sixteen: Harry Christophers, COnductor

O splendor of glory and image of substance
God the Father almighty, Jesus Christ
Choose the only son of the same, live the spring of good
Redeemer of the world, savior and our God, hail
Glorious, Lord, is your majesty and wonderful works;
Thou hast made heaven and earth with all
What is in them creatures
By thy divine word thou hast made out of nothing;
Which most wisely disposed soon, for us
Whom thou didst form in thy image
That thou didst most graciously subdue all things
The disobedience of the protoplast had brought death
But how wouldst thou redeem the life of thy works
Of Mary the most humble virgin , Jesus, you took flesh:
From which you were conceived by the Holy Spirit
You were born God and man, your handmaid mother
She remained whole and a perpetual virgin
And when you endured a hard life for us, you ceased to be passionate
And torn by tortures, who did not sin
Bearing our crimes in your body
And washing the same with your most precious blood
Finally, the most infamous death, the most gentle lamb
You suffered and most cruel
From here to your father sweet sacrifice offered
You were afflicted for us poor sinners
Then on the third day
Raised from death to the heavenly father with glory
You were exalted to the highest, to sit at his right hand:
Then you gave us the holy paraclete
Who, as our heavenly doctrine, strengthens the breasts;
We beseech thee lowly, Amen