Complete New English Hymnal (The), Vol 8
An attractive CD of wellloved – and some lessfamiliar – hymns well sung by one of Oxford’s lessoften encountered choirs
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Traditional, Anonymous
Genre:
Vocal
Label: Priory
Magazine Review Date: 7/2002
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 71
Mastering:
Stereo
DDD
Catalogue Number: PRCD708

Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Once in Royal David's city |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
Author of Life divine |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
How brightly shines the morning star |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
Gabriel's message does away |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
(The) Church's one foundation |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
God be in my head |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
Dost thou truly seek renown |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
Hail, thou Source of every blessing |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
Come, Holy Ghost |
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ |
Rock of ages, cleft for me |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
hail thee Festival day |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
Saviour, who didst healing give |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
On this day, the first of days |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
Eternal ruler of the ceasless round |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
O thou who camest from above |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
Now in holy celebration |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
All hail, adored Trinity |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
Jesus, where'er thy people meet |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
Breathe on me, breath of God |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
O for a thousand tongues to sing |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
God, that madest Earth and Heaven |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
Rest Eternal |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
I bind unto myself today |
Traditional, Composer
Gavin Plumley, Organ Keble College Choir Mark Laflin, Organ Traditional, Composer |
Author:
Volume 8 begins in festal mood with Once in royal David’s city‚ ends in splendour with St Patrick’s Breastplate‚ and in between raises the banners with Hail thee‚ festival day. For the rest‚ rather like life (if we’re lucky)‚ it settles down to a steady moderato. An unhurried pace and an unassertive style characterise the performance of hymns that do faithful duty throughout the Church year‚ their words and tunes having‚ in perhaps most instances until comparatively recent times‚ woven themselves into the common fabric of life over many generations. Some of the pairings of words and music may be unexpected: God that madest earth and heaven‚ for instance‚ goes not to WH Monk’s ‘Nutfield’ but ‘Ar hyd y nos’ (or All through the night)‚ and The Church’s one foundation is rent asunder from Wesley’s ‘Aurelia’ and newly wedded to the pleasant but relatively unmemorable ‘Somerstown’ of AT Batts. Breathe on me‚ breath of God is redeemed from mawkishness by Herbert Oakley’s ‘Dominica’‚ while the Rev Augustus Toplady’s Rock of ages is still‚ I’m happy to say‚ indivisible from Richard Redhead’s ‘Petra’.
The Keble College Choir have some good voices among them‚ and a few (among the men) whose tone needs a little mild sandpapering. Phrasing and punctuation are cared for without being fussed over. Mark Laflin accompanies imaginatively‚ and his arrangement of the All through the night tune keeps us guessing right to the end‚ and almost beyond. Sound production is fine‚ the Chapel acoustics seemingly helpful in being neither too dry nor too reverberant.
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