Hymns
Hymns on Sunday, 9 January 2022
Another great selection of listener requests today, including a benediction by John Rutter and a calypso setting of the Lord’s Prayer. Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 2 January 2022
We’re continuing our Summer Requests programmes in Hymns on Sunday, and this week you can hear wedding hymns, a 20th century classic and a rousing rendition of For all the saints. Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 26 December 2021
Our Summer Requests programmes begin today, with listener choices including To be a pilgrim and John Rutter's setting of For the beauty of the earth. Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 19 December 2021
It’s nearly Christmas Day, and if you feel you haven’t had a good carol singalong yet, today’s programme is just for you. Plenty of well-known carols, including a couple that will really stretch your… Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 12 December 2021
A paraphrase of the Magnificat, or Song of Mary, begins this week’s programme. And find out how organist Lewis Redner came to compose the tune for the carol O Little Town of Bethlehem. Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 5 December 2021
Hymns for the second Sunday in Advent include Shirley Murray’s Look towards Christmas, and People look East. Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 21 November 2021
Hymns to celebrate Christ the King Sunday in this week’s programme, as well as St Clement’s Day and the hymn writer Isaac Watts. Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 14 November 2021
It’s World Day of the Poor today. This is a relatively recent initiative, begun by Pope Francis in 2017. You can hear some hymns with a social justice theme in the programme, to mark the day. Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 7 November 2021
A favourite setting of The Lord’s My Shepherd (Psalm 23) in this week’s programme. It’s known as ‘Brother James’ Air’, named after the tune’s composer James Leith McBain. Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 31 October 2021
It’s Reformation Day today (31 October): it was on this day in 1517 that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. We’ll hear Luther’s great hymn A… Audio
Hymns on Sunday 17 October 2021
Lawyer, politician, church minister, teacher, opera singer: just some of the many and varied occupations of the hymn writers in this week's episode of Hymns on Sunday. Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 10 October 2021
Hymns in this week’s programme include a Jewish-Methodist collaboration, one of the Queen’s favourites and setting of Psalm 96: O sing unto the Lord a new song. Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 3 October 2021
We're celebrating the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi (4 October) in Hymns on Sunday, which marks the end of the Season of Creation in the church calendar. Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 26 September 2021
Voices of women in Hymns on Sunday today, with hymns from across the centuries written or translated by the likes of Shirley Murray, Marnie Barrell, Cecil Frances Alexander and Catherine Winkworth. Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 19 September 2021
It’s the final day of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori – Māori Language Week – and we’ve a great selection of te reo hymns including Wairua Tapu by Ngapo Wehi and a setting of Whakaaria mai by Ryan Youens. Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 12 September 2021
We’re looking upward in this week’s home edition of the programme with two settings of Psalm 121: ‘I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills’. Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 5 September 2021
The Season of Creation is an annual, worldwide, ecumenical celebration of prayer and action for the environment which takes place from 1 September through to 4 October. In this week's home edition of… Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 29 August 2021
There's a beautiful setting of the Prayer of St Francis in this week's home edition of Hymns on Sunday: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Video, Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 22 August 2021
Tune in this week for a selection of hymns of reassurance, comfort and hope. Audio
Hymns on Sunday, 15 August 2021
Marian hymns feature in Hymns on Sunday this week, marking the Feast of the Assumption of Mary on 15 August. It's a particularly significant time for New Zealand Catholics as they rededicate Aotearoa… Video, Audio