Sunday, 10 January 2016

SONG: O FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES TO SING

Artist: Huddersfield Choral Society
Words/Music: C Wesley/Jarman
Recording: Signum Records

O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer's praise,
my great Redeemer's praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace! [last line x 4]

My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread thro' all the earth abroad
the honours of thy name. [last line x 4]

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease,
that bids our sorrows cease,
'tis music in the sinner's ears,
'tis life and health and peace. [last line x 4]

Hear Him, ye deaf, His praise, ye dumb
your loosened tongues employ,
your loosened tongues employ
ye blind, behold your Saviour come,
and leap ye lame for joy! [last line x 4]

In Christ, your head, you then shall know,
shall feel your sins forgiven,
shall feel your sins forgiven,
Anticipate your heaven below
And own that love is heaven. [last line x 4]

SONG: ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL

Artist: Cambridge Singers, John Rutter (dir), Thelma Owen (harp)
Words/Music: Alexander/Trad arr Rutter
Recording: Priory PRCD 721

Refrain:
All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors;
He made their tiny wings.
Refrain:

The purple-headed mountain,
the river running by,
the sunset, and the morning
that brightens up the sky:
Refrain:

The cold wind in the winter,
the pleasant summer sun,
the ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one.
Refrain:

He gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we might tell
how great is God Almighty,
who has made all things well.
Refrain:

SONG: E TE ARIKI

Artist: Viva Voce, John Rosser (dir), Michael Bell
Words/Music: Trad/Wi-Patena Te Pairi
Recording: NZ Hymnbook Trust 9413000

E te Ariki,
Whakarongo mai rā ki a mātou,
E te Ariki,
Titiro mai rā ki a mātou,
Tēnei mātou Ō tamariki,
E whakapono Ana mātou,
Ki a koe

Auē! Auē!

Te matua te tamaiti. Wairua tapu e.
Te matua te tamaiti. Wairua tapu e.

[Translation:
Oh lord, listen to us. Oh lord, look at us.
This is us, your children. We believe in you.
The father, and the son and Holy Spirit.]

SONG: I, THE LORD OF SEA AND SKY

Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Daniel Schutte
Recording: Hyperion 112101

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 borne 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 ALL MORTAL FLESH KEEP SILENCE

Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: Anon trans Moultrie/Trad arr Palmer
Recording: Marquis 181175

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessing in his hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
as of old on earth he stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
in the body and the blood,
he will give to all the faithful
his own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.

At his feet the six wingèd seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia, alleluia
Alleluia, Lord most high!

SONG: O LOVE THAT WILT NOT LET ME GO

Artist: BBC Radio 4 Daily Service Singers
Words/Music: Matheson/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: MY SONG IS LOVE UNKNOWN

Artist: Choir of St John’s Church, Elora, Noel Edison (dir), Paul Halley (organ)
Words/Music: Crossman/Ireland
Recording: Naxos 8.557037

My song is love unknown,
My saviour’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take frail flesh and die?

He came from his blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none
The longed-for Christ would know:
But O! my friend, my friend indeed,
Who at my need his life did spend.

Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the way
Hosannas to their King:
Then “Crucify!” is all their breath,
And for His death they thirst and cry.

Why, what hath my Lord done?
What makes this rage and spite?
He made the lame to run,
He gave the blind their sight,
Sweet injuries! Yet they at these
Themselves displease, and ’gainst Him rise.

Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine;
Never was love, dear king!
Never was grief like thine.
This is my friend, in whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.

SONG: CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS

Artist: Huddersfield Choral Society
Words/Music: Bridges, Thring/Elvey
Recording: EMI 746202

Crown him with many crowns,
the lamb upon his throne.
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy chosen king
through all eternity.

Crown him the lord of love,
behold his hands and side,
Those wounds, yet visible above,
in beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky
can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends his burning eye
at mysteries so bright.

Crown him the lord of peace,
whose power a sceptre sways
From pole to pole, that wars may cease,
and all be prayer and praise.
His reign shall know no end,
and round his piercèd feet
Fair flowers of paradise
extend their fragrance ever sweet.

Crown him the Lord of heav'n,
Enthroned in worlds above;
Crown him the King to whom is giv'n
The wondrous name of Love.
All hail, redeemer, hail!
For thou has died for me;
Thy praise will never ever fail
throughout eternity.