Does the name Howard Goodall sound familiar? He's an award-winning composer of choral music, stage musicals, film and TV scores - among them Blackadder, The Vicar of Dibley, and Mr Bean. He's also written hymn tunes: in today's Hymns on Sunday you can hear his setting of the Charles Wesley hymn Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.
Southern rata, Auckland Islands Photo: Craig McKenzie, Wikimedia Commons
SONG: LIFT HIGH THE CROSS
Artist: Choir of Sacred Heart Cathedral, Wellington
Words/Music: Kitchin revised Newbolt/Nicholson
Recording: RNZ Private CD812
Refrain:
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim
till all the world adore his sacred name.
Come, brethren follow where our Saviour trod,
Our king victorious, Christ, the son of God.
Refrain:
Led on their way by this triumphant sign,
The hosts of God in conquering ranks combine.
Refrain:
Each newborn soldier of the Crucified
bears on the brow the seal of him who died.
Refrain:
From north and south, from east and west they raise
in growing unison their songs of praise.
Refrain:
For thy blest Cross which doth for all atone
creation's praises rise before thy throne.
Refrain:
SONG: NEW EVERY MORNING IS THE LOVE
Artist: Sheffield Cathedral Choir, Neil Taylor (dir), Peter Heginbotham (organ)
Words/Music: John Keble/Samuel Webbe the Elder
Recording: Priory 713
New every morning is the love
Our wakening and uprising prove;
Through sleep and darkness safely brought,
Restored to life, and power, and thought.
New mercies, each returning day,
Hover around us while we pray;
New perils past, new sins forgiven,
New thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.
The trivial round, the common task,
Would furnish all we ought to ask,
Room to deny ourselves, a road
To bring us daily nearer God.
Only, O Lord, in thy dear love
Fit us for perfect rest above;
And help us this and every day
To live more nearly as we pray.
SONG: O LOVE THAT WILT NOT LET ME GO
Artist: BBC Radio 4 Daily Service Singers
Words/Music: George Matheson/Albert Peace
Recording: BBC
O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
O Light that followest all my way
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
my heart restores its borrowed ray,
that in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
may brighter, fairer be.
O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.
O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.
SONG: WHEN ALL THY MERCIES
Artist: Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: Addison/Ousley
Recording: Marquis 181175
When all thy mercies, O my God,
my rising soul surveys,
transported with the view, I'm lost
in wonder, love, and praise.
Unnumbered comforts on my soul
thy tender care bestowed,
before my infant heart conceived
from whom those comforts flowed.
When in the slippery paths of youth
with heedless steps I ran,
thine arm unseen conveyed me safe,
and brought me up to man.
Through every period of my life
thy goodness I'll pursue,
and after death in distant worlds
the glorious theme renew.
Through all eternity to thee,
a joyful song I'll raise;
for O, eternity's too short
to utter all thy praise.
SONG: HERE I AM, LORD
Artist: The American Boychoir
Words/Music: Daniel Schutte
Recording: Albemarle Records 2007
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard My people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin,
My hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear My light to them?
Whom shall I send?
Refrain:
Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have born my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them, They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak My word to them,
Whom shall I send?
Refrain:
I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them,
My hand will save
Finest bread I will provide,
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them,
Whom shall I send?
Refrain:
SONG: LET EARTH AND HEAVEN AGREE
Artist: Choir of Westminster Central Hall, Westminster
Words/Music: Charles Wesley/Trad
Recording: Abbey 280828
Let earth and Heaven agree,
Angels and men be joined,
To celebrate with me
The Saviour of mankind;
To adore the all-atoning Lamb,
And bless the sound of Jesus’ name.
Jesus, transporting sound,
The joy of earth and Heaven;
No other help is found,
No other name is given
By which we can salvation have;
But Jesus came the world to save.
O for a trumpet voice
On all the world to call,
To bid their hearts rejoice
In him who died for all!
For all my Lord was crucified,
For all, for all my Saviour died.
SONG: SING, YE FAITHFUL, SING WITH GLADNESS
Artist: Choir of Truro Cathedral, Andrew Nethsingha (dir)
Words/Music: Ellerton/Gibbs
Recording: Priory PRCD 710
SING, ye faithful, sing with gladness,
Wake your noblest, sweetest strain,
With the praises of your Saviour
Let his house resound again;
Him let all your music honour,
And your songs exalt his reign.
Sing how he came forth from heaven,
Bowed himself to Bethlehem's cave,
Stooped to wear the servant's vesture,
Bore the pain, the cross, the grave,
Passed within the gates of darkness,
Thence his banished ones to save.
Now on high, yet ever with us,
From his Father's throne the Son
Rules and guides the world he ransomed,
Till the appointed work be done,
Till he see, renewed and perfect,
All things gathered into one.
Alleluia to the Father,
Alleluia to the Son,
Alleluia to the Spirit,
Ever three and ever one,
One in love and one in glory,
While unending ages run. Amen.
SONG: HE CAME SINGING LOVE
Artist: Auckland Branch of the NZ Choral Federation
Words/Music: Colin Gibson
Recording: Praise Be 2006
He came singing love
and he lived singing love;
he died singing love.
He arose in silence.
For the love to go on
we must make it our song:
you and I be the singers.
He came singing faith
and he lived singing faith;
he died singing faith.
He arose in silence.
For the faith to go on
we must make it our song:
you and I be the singers.
He came singing hope
and he lived singing hope;
he died singing hope.
He arose in silence.
For the hope to go on
we must make it our song:
you and I be the singers.
He came singing peace
and he lived singing peace;
he died singing peace.
He arose in silence.
For the peace to go on
we must make it our song:
you and I be the singers.
SONG: LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING
Artist: Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, London Musici, Howard Goodall (dir and piano)
Words/Music: Charles Wesley/Howard Goodall
Recording: EMI 215047
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling;
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion;
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.
Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit
into every troubled breast;
let us all in thee inherit;
let us find the promised rest.
Take away the love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
end of faith, as its beginning,
set our hearts at liberty.
Come, Almighty, to deliver;
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
Finish then thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee:
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
