Hymns on Sunday

Hymn tunes that started life as folksongs feature in today's programme. And we mark The Assumption of Mary into Heaven with some Marian hymns - the feast day is celebrated on August 15th in the… Read more Audio

The Feast of the Transfiguration is coming up on 6 August in the liturgical calendar of some Christian traditions. We mark the date with some transfiguration-themed hymns, including Immortal,… Read more Audio

A hymn from the Foundling Hospital Hymnbook in the programme this week. Back in the mid-18th century, the chapel there was the place to go for your Sunday sermon, with music provided by the likes of… Read more Audio

We’ve hymns with a Welsh theme this week, including William Williams’ stirring hymn Guide me, O thou great Redeemer. Read more Audio

Hymns 'ancient and modern' today, from the early Greek hymn Hail, Gladdening Light to Michael Perry's Like a mighty river flowing. Read more Audio

There's a focus on the tune in this episode, with some well-known melodies by Beethoven, Handel, Haydn and Holst. Read more Audio

Warm your voices on these cold winter mornings with some singing! Hymns in this episode include O for a thousand tongues to sing, Robert Lowry's How shall I keep from singing, and Let all the world in… Read more Audio

Today we're marking Matariki, midwinter and the Day of Prayer for Refugees and Migrants. Read more Audio

It's Trinity Sunday, and this week's selection begins with Reginald Heber's great Trinitarian hymn Holy, holy, holy. There's also a hymn by New Zealand composer Jenny McLeod, and a contemporary… Read more Audio

Our Pentecost Sunday selection begins with plainchant from the 9th century - Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire - and moves through the centuries to Bernadette Farrell's 20th century hymn Spirit of… Read more Audio

It's Ascension Sunday today - listen out for Hail the day that sees him rise, and New Zealander Marnie Barrell's hymn Christ ascends to God. We also mark the recent death of New Zealand music educator… Read more Audio

In today's programme a Jewish cantor and a Methodist minister join forces, we've settings of Psalms 34 and 148, and there are hymns by New Zealand hymn writers Shirley Murray and David Burt. Read more Audio