New Zealand singer Chris Bruerton is a member of the highly acclaimed British vocal ensemble, The King's Singers. In this week's programme, you can hear how he sounded back in his chorister days at Christchurch Cathedral as treble soloist in Henry Baker's hymn The king of love my shepherd is.
Symbolic Welsh flower, the daffodil Photo: CC by SA / PatMcD
SONG: PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY
Artist: The Handel Quire, Robert Howell (dir), Paul Chan (organ)
Words/Music: Neander trans Winkworth/Anon
Recording: Private
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation.
O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation:
All ye who hear,
brothers and sisters draw near,
praise him in glad adoration.
Praise to the Lord, who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
biddeth them cease,
turneth their fury to peace,
whirlwinds and waters assuaging.
Praise to the Lord, who when darkness of sin is abounding,
who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
sheddeth his light,
chaseth the horrors of night,
saints with his mercy surrounding.
Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that hath life and breath come now with praises before him!
Let the Amen
sound from his people again:
gladly for aye we adore him.
SONG: WHEN IN OUR MUSIC GOD IS GLORIFIED
Artist: Winchester College Chapel Choir, Malcolm Archer (dir), Jamal Sutton (organ)
Words/Music: Green/Stanford
Recording: Convivium Records 2015
When in our music God is glorified,
and adoration leaves no room for pride,
it is as though the whole creation cried:
Alleluia!
How often, making music, we have found
a new dimension in the world of sound,
as worship moved us to a more profound
Alleluia!
So has the church, in spoken word and song,
in faith and love, through centuries of wrong,
borne witness to the truth in every tongue:
Alleluia!
And did not Jesus sing a psalm that night
when utmost evil strove against the light?
Then let us sing, for whom he won the fight:
Alleluia!
Let every instrument be tuned for praise!
Let all rejoice who have a voice to raise!
And may God give us faith to sing always:
Alleluia!
SONG: FOR ALL THE SAINTS
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: How/Vaughan Williams
Recording: Hyperion 711210
For all the saints, who from their labours rest;
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou wast their rock, their fortress and their might;
thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight;
thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
the saints triumphant rise in bright array;
the King of glory passes on his way.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
SONG: PSALM 150
Artist: Winchester College Chapel Choir, Malcolm Archer (dir), Jamal Sutton (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 150/Stanford
Recording: Convivium Records 2015
O praise God in his holiness praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him in his noble acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Praise him in the sound of the trumpet: praise him upon the lute and harp.
Praise him in the cymbals and dances: praise him upon the strings and pipe.
Praise him upon the well-tuned cymbals: praise him upon the loud cymbals.
Let every thing that hath breath: praise the Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son
And to the Holy Ghost,
As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be
World without end. Amen
SONG: THE SPRING HAS COME
Artist: Choir of St John’s Cathedral, Napier
Words/Music: Murray/Gibson
Recording: Private CD 814
The spring has come, let all the church be part of it!
The world has changed, and God is at the heart of it!
New light, new day, new colour after winter grey,
new light, new day, the spring has come,
let all the church be part of it!
The sun is warm, let all God's children play in it!
The world expands, let's spread the gospel way in it!
New leaf, new thrust, new greening for the love of Christ,
new leaf, new thrust, the sun is warm,
let all God's children play in it!
The spring has come, new people are the flowers of it!
Through wind and rain, new life is in the showers of it!
New bud, new shoot, new hope will bear the Spirit's fruit,
new bud, new shoot, the spring has come,
new people are the flowers of it!
SONG: THE SPACIOUS FIRMAMENT ON HIGH
Artist: Choir of the Abbey School, Tewkesbury
Words/Music: Addison/Sheeles
Recording: Priory PRCD 709
The spacious firmament on high,
with all the blue ethereal sky,
and spangled heavens, a shining frame,
their great Original proclaim.
The unwearied sun from day to day
does his Creator's power display;
and publishes to every land
the works of an almighty hand,
the works of an almighty hand.
Soon as the evening shades prevail,
the moon takes up the wondrous tale,
and nightly to the listening earth
repeats the story of her birth;
while all the stars that round her burn,
and all the planets, in their turn,
confirm the tidings, as they roll
and spread the truth from pole to pole,
and spread the truth from pole to pole.
What though in solemn silence all
move round the dark terrestrial ball
What though no real voice nor sound
amid their radiant orbs be found?
In reason's ear they all rejoice,
and utter forth a glorious voice;
for ever singing as they shine,
'The hand that made us is divine'
'The hand that made us is divine'.
SONG: THE KING OF LOVE MY SHEPHERD IS
Artist: Chris Bruerton (treble soloist), Choir of Christchurch Cathedral, David Childs (dir)
Words/Music: Baker/Dykes
Recording: Treehouse T9901
The King of love my shepherd is,
whose goodness faileth never.
I nothing lack if I am his,
and he is mine forever.
Where streams of living water flow,
my ransomed soul he leadeth;
and where the verdant pastures grow,
with food celestial feedeth.
Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed,
but yet in love he sought me;
and on his shoulder gently laid,
and home, rejoicing, brought me.
In death's dark vale I fear no ill,
with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff my comfort still,
thy cross before to guide me.
Thou spreadst a table in my sight;
thy unction grace bestoweth;
and oh, what transport of delight
from thy pure chalice floweth!
And so through all the length of days,
thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
within thy house forever.
Listen to the Upbeat interview with King's Singer Chris Bruerton when he was in New Zealand recently
SONG: LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING
Artist: Choir of Christ Church Cathedral Oxford, London Musici, Howard Goodall
Words/Music: C Wesley/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.
