Arthur Sullivan was the music half of the successful theatrical partnership, Gilbert and Sullivan. Alongside those catchy songs from Pirates of Penzance and HMS Pinafore, he also wrote hymn tunes. You can hear one this week, paired with words by poet Christopher Wordsworth.
Arthur Sullivan - portrait by John Everett Millais (National Portrait Gallery, London) Photo: Public Domain
SONG: AND CAN IT BE
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: Charles Wesley/Thomas Campbell
Recording: Marquis MAR 175
And can it be that I should gain
An int'rest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me? [Repeat last two lines]
Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee. [Repeat last two lines]
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th'eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own. [Repeat last two lines]
SONG: ANGEL VOICES EVER SINGING
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Francis Pott/Edwin Monk
Recording: Hyperion 112121
Angel voices ever singing
round Thy throne of light,
angel harps, forever ringing,
rest not day nor night;
thousands only live to bless Thee
and confess thee Lord of might.
Thou who art beyond the farthest
mortal eye can scan,
can it be that Thou regardest
songs of sinful man?
Can we know that Thou art near us
and wilt hear us? Yea, we can.
Yea, we know Thy love rejoices
o'er each work of Thine;
Thou didst ears and hands and voices
for Thy praise design;
craftsman's art and music's measure
for Thy pleasure all combine.
Honour, glory, might, and merit
Thine shall ever be,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
blessed Trinity:
of the best that Thou hast given
earth and heaven render Thee.
SONG: ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA! HEARTS TO HEAV’N
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Christopher Wordsworth/Arthur Sullivan
Recording: Hyperion 112102
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Hearts to heaven and voices raise:
Sing to God a hymn of gladness,
Sing to God a hymn of praise:
He, who on the cross a victim,
For the world's salvation bled,
Jesus Christ, the King of glory,
Now is risen from the dead.
Christ is risen, Christ the first-fruits
Of the holy harvest-field,
Which will all its full abundance
At His second coming yield:
Then the golden ears of harvest
Will their heads before Him wave,
Ripened by His glorious sunshine
From the furrows of the grave.
Christ is risen, we are risen!
Shed upon us heavenly grace,
Rain and dew and gleams of glory
From the brightness of Thy face:
That we, with our hearts in heaven,
Here on earth may fruitful be,
And by angel-hands be gathered,
And be ever, Lord, with Thee.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Glory be to God on high;
Alleluia to the Saviour
Who has gained the victory;
Alleluia to the Spirit,
Fount of love and sanctity;
Alleluia! Alleluia!
To the Triune Majesty.
SONG: STARS OF THE MORNING SO GLORIOUSLY BRIGHT
Artist: Choir of Gloucester Cathedral
Composer: John Mason Neale/Henry Smart
Album: Priory PRCD 704
Stars of the morning, so gloriously bright,
filled with celestial resplendence and light,
these that, where night never followeth day,
raise the Trisagion ever and aye.
These are thy ministers, these dost thou own,
Lord God of Sabaoth, nearest thy throne;
these are thy ministers, these dost thou send,
Help of the helpless ones! man to defend.
These keep the guard amidst Salem's dear bowers,
Thrones, principalities, virtues and powers,
where, with the living ones, mystical four,
Cherubim, seraphim, bow and adore.
Then, when the earth was first poised in mid space,
then, when the planets first sped on their race,
then, when were ended the six days' employ,
then all the sons of God shouted for joy.
Still let them succour us; still let them fight,
Lord of angelic hosts, battling for right;
Till, where their anthems they ceaselessly pour,
We with the angels may bow and adore.
SONG: THE GOD OF LOVE MY SHEPHERD IS
Artist: Choir of Truro Cathedral, Andrew Nethsingha (dir), Christopher Gray (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 23 paraphrased Herbert/attrib Collignon
Recording: Priory PRCD 710
The God of love my Shepherd is,
And He that doth me feed;
While He is mine and I am His,
What can I want or need?
He leads me to the tender grass,
Where I both feed and rest;
Then to the streams that gently pass:
In both I have the best.
Or if I stray, He doth convert,
And bring my mind in frame,
And all this not for my desert,
But for His holy name.
Yea, in death’s shady black abode
Well may I walk, not fear;
For Thou art with me, and Thy rod
To guard, Thy staff to bear.
Surely Thy sweet and wondrous love
Shall measure all my days;
And as it never shall remove
So neither shall my praise.
SONG: OUR LIFE HAS ITS SEASONS
Artist: Otago Girls’ High School Choir
Words/Music: Shirley Murray/Colin Gibson
Recording: Private CD812
Our life has its seasons, and God has the reasons
why spring follows winter, and new leaves grow,
for there's a connection with our resurrection
that flowers will bud after frost and snow.
Refrain:
So there's never a time to stop believing,
there's never a time for hope to die,
there's never a time to stop loving,
these three things go on.
There's a time to be planting, a time to be plucking,
a time to be laughing, a time to weep,
a time to be building, a time to be breaking,
a time to be waking, a time to sleep.
Refrain
There's a time to be hurting, a time to be healing,
a time to be saving, a time to spend,
a time to be grieving, a time to be dancing,
a time for beginning, a time to end.
Refrain
SONG: I, THE LORD OF SEA AND SKY
Artist: American BoyChoir
Words/Music: Daniel Schutte
Recording: Albermarle Records 2019
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: LORD JESUS CHRIST, SHALL I STAND STILL
Artist: Choirs of Knox Church and Knox College, Dunedin
Words/Music: Graham Maule, John Bell/Trad
Recording: Praise Be CD
Lord Jesus Christ shall I stand still
And stare at You hung on the tree
Or shall I move to where You move
And die and live again for me
Shall I to sin and failure cling
Consorting with the guilt I hate
Or on Your shoulders shall I fling
The wrong I breed and contemplate.
Shall I Your story read and tell
To note Your mark on history
Or shall I make Your story mine
And live by faith and mystery
Shall I embrace the love You show
And covet this sweet holy thing
Or of that love shall my heart speak
My hands relate my being sing.
Shall I retreat from where You fall
And seek a safer path through life
Or shall I meet You in the world
Where peace is scarce injustice rife
Lord Jesus Christ the God who lives
To love and die and rise again
Make me the who and You the why
SONG: GOD BE WITH YOU TILL WE MEET AGAIN
Artist: Choir of the Cathedral of St Paul, Wellington, Michael Stewart (dir), Richard Apperley (organ)
Words/Music: Jeremiah Rankin/Ralph Vaughan Williams
Label: RNZ 2020
God be with you till we meet again,
By His counsels guide, uphold you,
With His sheep securely fold you,
God be with you till we meet again.
God be with you till we meet again,
’Neath His wings protecting hide you,
Daily manna still provide you,
God be with you till we meet again.
God be with you till we meet again,
When life’s perils thick confound you,
Put His loving arms around you,
God be with you till we meet again.
God be with you till we meet again;
keep love’s banner floating o’er you,
smite death’s threat’ning wave before you;
God be with you till we meet again.
