How Lovely are Thy Dwellings - Westminster Abbey Choir

[homerwts]

Dwight Shrute at 2:15

[hepzebahsu]

Thanks for posting. I've sung it in English with some variation in the words. Just sublime music!

[nauort23]

She chose the music for her funeral as perfectly as she did everything else. God, I miss her, but thank you for letting her stay with us as long as she did.

[ganekelioque]

the words in this version are slightly different than mine, and mines in english hmm

[Tidespring73]

This piece will be forever engraved in my heart. I had the great privilege to join the London Philharmonic Choir in 1984 and one of the first concerts I sang in was the Deutches Requiem, in German, with the LPO under Klaus Tennstedt. We went on to do a recording at Abbey Road. A truly memorable work, an amazing choir and an unforgettable three years

[belovedtwilight41]

Beautiful.

[tkbewunderin79]

Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen... Strange that in English... But the choir sings very good and it sounds lovely. Brahm's Requiem is a big work, and so peaceful...!

[mazarotti2007]

This was played at my wedding on the day of Diana's Funeral...It is so beautiful a piece of music. I have very fond memories of this

[Abongwe]

Ei guyz this song is very nice it was ma 1st tym to hear it this month in the O.R Tambo festival here in S.A Port Elizabeth nd ja all ther choirs sang it very well, its a nice piece!!

[Chesterbarnes1]

Oh how lovely is this piece, wonderfully sung and played by the organist

[crossbike]

with tears in my eyes I remember my beloved mother's funeral. I miss her so much.

[texlad04]

This is a Royal service, therefore the piece was sung in English.  This is the practice at St. George's, Windsor.

[texlad04]

The reason for singing this in English is simply - it is a Royal service. At St. George's Chapel, Windsor, the music must be performed in English when Her Majesty is in attendance. Most of us should be so lucky as to have a funeral service even 1/10th as majestic as this. No toaster (digital organ) here.

[CuzinzMedia]

Love it... so beautiful <3

[pizmyr]

Hearing this is Almost as good as singing it! Aren't the boys wonderful? I wonder if the fully understand how fortunate they are to sing in such a fantastic choir and receive this uncomparable education?

[MagaNeedleArts]

Beautiful! We're singing this for Districts, and I really hope we can nail it. Love Love Love

[MusicPredominates]

... beautiful ... schon ... eindrucksvoll ...

[2202002Don]

Actually-while this is a stunning rendition of this anthem-it is NOT the timbre Brahms had in mind. His choir would've had female sopranos and altos-not boy sopranos as in this performance.

[rlebby911]

This excellent music, the beautiful voices performing it, the Cathedral in which it is being sung - how could anyone NOT like this, or better yet, love it! This is an excellent recording of this part of Brahms Requiem taken from Psalm 84, a great Psalm on its own.

[vidddism]

Beautiful! 

[Alfred0047]

Did the young boys in the front rows sing the female parts of this song?

[NoodlePowa]

@Alfred0047 yes

[jocorbian]

@Alfred0047. No, it's the opposite, friend. It's that females often sing the young boys parts, as in this case.

[P0rt3la]

Isn't the name of the piece "How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place"?

[SarahSopran]

Sublime is correct!

[MrBarryknoll]

Alot of music is beutiful but I have to say that this bet's them all

[tiamc06]

TMC-Romantic Period. I love that this piece includes singers of all ages and the video shows this. To me, this shows that all ages can be amazing singers and perform a wide range of songs.

[jojijoji88]

Wow.

Sublime.

Reminder that there is still beauty in the world.

Thank you for the post.

[eeClaytonification]

0:55 Brother Mouzone

[choirboyfromhell1]

@eeClaytonification And I love the white bow ties......

[montesion412]

That beautiful hymn. God bless.

[derjillnoun]

This piece is taken from Brahms' German Requiem (en Deutsche Requiem). You can get this CD from any store selling classical music.

[padreq12]

Is there a CD of this out there??? If so where can I get one?

[gegi76]

is there a CD???????

[ValkyrieRides1966]

Electronictrip, are you saying that God is most honored when people sing out of tune or non-beautiful arrangments? The beauty of our God demands our best--our best hymnody, choicest psalms and arrangements. He deserves no less. All of this beauty points back to the Creator himself because he is author of it all. Any form of music or art can become idolatry, but that comes in the heart of the worshiper, not from the music or art.

[TheChristianView]

I love the beauty of this choir very much, but God is pleased when a song is sung with a sincere, reverent heart, whether that song is sung by a choir in a cathedral or someone alone at home. Arrangements and tastes in music are simply personal preferences, true worship comes from the heart, and God knows the heart.

[steelersfanhawaii]

Amen to that, brother...

[bensugee]

very true.

[LivingMindfully1975]

@ValkyrieRides1966 I do not agree. God is pleased with praise and song that come from a sincere heart. If a person sings alone in a desert or if they sing in a well-trained choir in a grand cathedral, the only thing that matters is the person's heart. God is not critiquing our performance. Any choir can give an impressive performance, but if they are arrogant and proud, then what type of praise is that? God wants praise, not "performance" from musical snobs.

[DarkNinjaStudent]

@ValkyrieRides1966 I agree. In Vivaldi's times, a wrong accent in a syllable, a breath taken at a wrong time and a letter said wrongly would mean drawing away from God and to the Devil himself. We're singing Vivaldi's Gloria and the choir conductor is very fussy about how we sing because of these things.

[MrArliam]

@ValkyrieRides1966 Bravo - well said!

[kf9as]

@ValkyrieRides1966 True! If music is idolatry, then the choirs of angels in heaven, the heavenly hosts singing God's praises for eternity, are idolators of the highest degree. "Bach gave us God's Word. Mozart gave us God's laughter. Beethoven gave us God's fire. But God gave us music."

[theodorehui]

these people are very great singers

5 stars

[electronictrip]

this song is on my Calender Of Christian Hymns and is the hymn for today, June 11 but i dont really like this song. i mean it's beautiful as far as classical music goes, but that's just it, it seems to draw the attention to the beauty of the musical arrangement, not the beauty of the Lord. least that's my impression.

[electronictrip]

ooops, i guess it was yesterdays Hymn! as today is June 12. my bad!

[camasta23m]

Well...I sang in the boys and mens choir of Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa, Canada for many years. Right now, they are considered to be one of the greatest choirs in North America. They aren't far off from this choir to be perfectly honest.

[TheChristianView]

There isn't a choir anywhere in the world that can compare to this one! Their singing is absolutely perfect!

[maxwellsim76]

boys singing treble parts in a choir are the most ethereal sounds one can ever imagine....

[954sunny]

I hope 'political correctness' doesn't ultimately wipe out boys' choirs. I have nothing against female sopranos and altos. It's just that the purity of boys' voices cannot be paralleled. This anthem (as recorded) is so very beautiful!

[musicaltheatrestar]

sorry, but u can't get any better than the TRUE sopranos & contraltos (which are female).......they have PURE vowels 2!!!!!!!!! & it's MORE natural 4 them 2 sing in those tessituras.

[nancyav]

pish posh! boy sopranos and altos are far, far better.

[castlestud]

sorry but that's bollocks! Pure voices = boy sopranos and altos

[RoseByAnyOtherName10]

we performed this at contest last year. SOOO beautiful.

[xhipsxxheartsx]

It sounds so much better in German.

[jantigercat]

The "Sanctus" of Brahms' Ein Deutches Requiem! A beautiful rendition!

[widororganmusic]

Actually the piece is from the Brahms Requiem...and its original language is German, not Latin. Though I'll also admit, I prefer it in English, with organ accompanyment

[brianwilson49]

although the orchestrated version is glorious. it sounds a lot more german with the orchestra!

[organpipe8]

One of my many favorites - so beautiful, thank you for sharing - Lance † ♫ ♪ ♫

[lullabybyrd]

I like that it is in English. The audience can connect much more easily.

(Although I'll admit, the Latin is beautiful.)

^_^

[choralcritic]

Why is it in English?

Also, it is cool that the boys sing Soprano and Alto instead of women.

[handelfan610]

i think because it was the queen mother's funeral they did it in english i dont really know. and i love the sound of boysing singing soprano and alto.

[gaynorpugh]

I hope my choir can do this beautiful piece of music justice when we perform it later this year.

[CeremonyConnoisseur]

It has actually nothing to do with Germans or the war. It is Brahms' setting of Psalm 84: How lovely is thy dwelling place, o Lord of hosts, better one day near your tabernacle than a thousand in the front garden. Psalm 84 sings of the rejoicement of being in the House of the Lord: The Queen Mother was of course a very religious person, a lady of great faith.

[notonmypage]

It is appropriate to sing a German-original hymn. The QM lived through war with the Germans but the purpose of any just war is peace and reconciliation. The passing of an era as well as a personage. I hope the UK can preserve its freedoms and its culture. Best wishes from the US.

[nashvilledisco]

This is heavenly! I was curious as to why the boys in the front were wearing red suits and not robes like the others. I could listen to this choir all day...so lovely!

[nauort23]

nashvilledisco, there are members of 2 choirs singing together here. The choir with uniforms that look like pages' (red w/gold) are from the Choir of the Chapel Royal. The rest are the Choir of Westminster Abbey. And I hope heaven sounds this good!

[nashvilledisco]

Thanks, I didn't realize it was 2 choirs. :) I imagine that Heaven sounds exactly like this! This is beyond beautiful!! Thanks again.

[oldgattonian2]

I thought this might interest you.

The Chapel Royal is a group of clergy and musicians whose role is to serve the spiritual needs of the Sovereign. It has been in existence since before the Norman Conquest of 1066. The red suits have been worn for nearly 300yrs.

[dickdona]

Red suits...Gee all that time...maybe they should be sent to the cleaners...?

[TrevsMum]

It could just be that, as in some other choirs, the new boys ("probationers") don't wear full choir uniform until they have been accepted as full members?

[MarkyFD112]

No Oldgattonian2 is right: The guys in de red uniforms ar choirmembers of the Chapel Royal. I dont think that they would let "probationers" sing at a State Funeral

[phoenix2frequent]

An extra note for nashvilledisco, about the choirs' outfits. As nauort23 said, the red/gold pageboy-style uniform belong to the Chapel Royal choir; the red cassocks of the Westminster Abbey choir are a sign of a royal connection (Westminster Abbey is where all the kings and queens of England (and later the UK) have been crowned.

If you see choirs in purple, that means the choir has a connection with a bishop (eg. Canterbury). The most regular colour for other choirs' cassocks is black.

[Eurofrank1]

Quite right ; I was a professional singer in the Chapel Royal 1972/3.

[lateintheday2007]

This is just lovely.

[SiouxPianist]

Brahms, what to say, the swell is so beautiful towards the end. I prefer hearing the organ or orchestra over the piano.

[sellisti89]

What's this? I don't remember this part from the funeral and this is very beautiful! If I had a chance to sing in a choir like this I would feel like in heaven. It's one of my biggest dreams. :)

[dcgess]

sellisti89, to sing in a choir like this takes years and years of practice. Been there and done that. It isn't easy, but to reach that level puts you light years ahead of other choirs.

[Justevo]

Germans want everything in their language, movies, tv series everything. I'm nor English or German but this piece sounds way better in English, and I've sung it many times myself.

[tenor9216]

maybe you think it sounds better because you understand... but I don't get how people can prefer translations, I think original versions always sound better, because the composer knew what he wanted for specific words, and it always sounds a lot more natural.

[stevenstreets2]

beautiful vid, thanks for posting. All the laddies look like HARRY pOTTER

[x4812k]

ahahaha you're so right!!!!

[edders05]

I am a purist, and prefer this in German (it annoys me so much when trying to sing the Brahms Req where the editor puts the English OVER the German! Much harder) but this is very well sung (what do you expect) and I enjoyed it very much.

[frog4eva]

I've only heard this with mixed choir... sounds brilliant with the boy trebles. I'm in two minds whether I prefer the organ. The organ is nice and understated by comparison to the orchestra and helps the voices come through.

Brahm's Requiem is brilliant.

[YogaNate79]

It's a pity that the Queen Mother's family could not break the stiff upper lip and show some sort of emotion at her funeral in this video. Even a tear from her daughter, The Queen would have been nice for a change.

[TravelScooter]

Dear Yo.,

Such displays of emotion are considered self indulgent; in all cases of mourning and melancholy.

.

It is more respectfull to be thinking of the deceased person and their contribution to the community.

.

You are absolutely right, though; a change is as good as a holiday -especially a holiday off the island.

.

Cheers.

from,

del-boy.

[phoenix2frequent]

Yoga: this is the public part of the funeral... The royal family had their private moments for grief at the burial service in St George's Chapel (Windsor Castle). It is well known that the whole family loved the Queen Mother immensely: emotion is just as valid if contained, and inner grief is as sorely felt as that displayed publicly.

That aside, this is a most beautiful anthem and you couldn't ask for a better rendition of the English translation, even if you prefer the original words.

[YogaNate79]

Over the years, I think that The Queen has allowed for the stiff upper lip to droop just a bit. She's more relaxed and casual, not as stuffy and uptight as the Windsors have behaved in the past.

The Queen is a human, although her life circumstances are quite extraordinary. Its a job for life. But would it not be nice to see her and Philip walk into a McDonalds and sit down for a Big Mac and fries?

I am sure no doubt though that she loved her mother, in her odd way of showing it.

[novascotiawill]

Wonderful! A great choral piece of music, for a grand, great Lady... a fitting tribute for her funeral service (she had this picked out for her service).

[3NUNS]

On waht occasion was this lovely version recited ?

[alcat2000c]

Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's funeral.

[purtykitty24]

I've only hear this song in German. I didn't think it would sound good in english. Great job that's really cool. Also prefer an orchestra instead of an organ

[notyobs]

I prefer organ!

[Branchporter]

I greatly enjoy singing this or listening to it. This is a great rendition - Thanks for posting it, notyobs!

I had never heard it in German, so I went searching. I found that the German is "Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen". I found only one video of a German version, but I couldn't enjoy it as it was done too fast for my taste!Also, the accompaniment was piano. I prefer organ over either piano or orchestra!

[purtykitty24]

Well organ is definitely one of my favorite instruments but it sounds way more majestic with orchestra. Large group, large orchestra sounds good :)

[Principaal]

vote for the organ. when you got a good one like here anyway:-)

[witchcraftlord]

@purtykitty24 you are wrong  it does sound good in english, i can sing it better than you

[simeonjevean]

Beautifully sung. A very beautiful Organ too ...

[Plowhandle]

Truly the MOST beautiful funeral hymn I could imagine...truly deserved by HM the Queen Mother.

The first "...blest are they..." just takes my breath away...and the hymn as a whole is what I would imagine awaits us if we are fortunate enough to dwell in His house.

[moonlitshadow27]

I sang at Westminster Abbey for Evensong several summers ago. It was one of the greatest events of my life even though I was a little young to fully appreciate the honor. This video reminds me of that moment. I'm so sorry that it takes place over a funeral, but it sounds so beautiful. Thanks for posting this, really made me want to cry.

[edders05]

Aaah....beautiful, but it totally kicks ass in German...from experience ;)

[contrarymotion]

very beautiful. does anyone know if there are vids out there of just the chapel royal boys?

[Principaal]

Lovely performance,, Westminster is really good as well:) Especially in the my Soul ever longeth and yearneth, I prefer the boys'sound. It's great to hear these boys in contrast with the men. Beloved and impressive music on an impressive occasion, at an impressive place.

Thanks for posting:)

(strangely, I've never heard it called or sung as anything else as this,, no Dwelling place..)

[DonRaphel]

Do you know Westminster Cathedral Choir? I think they are better than Westminster Abbey Choir. Their recordings of Renaissance polyphony are the best I've ever heard.

Volgens mij kom je uit Nederland. Zing je zelf ook in een jongenskoor? Ik wel, bas/bariton bij het Sacramentskoor en de Choralen uit Breda.

[Principaal]

How did you notice?? I've never heard anything from Westminster Cathedral Choir..

I've been thinking about joining the Kampen Boys Choir, but decided not to, because of the distance. I do help most of their concerts though, as 'registrant'.

At school, I'm also trying to focus the English Choir (TweeTaligOnderwijs-koor) on the Anglican tradition of Evensongs etc.. If it works out, we might be singing one next year or the year after. I'll send you an invitation if it gets through;)

[Dzhendobri]

I've heard of the Peabody Dwellings; thats about all, sad isn't it.

Cheers.

from,

del-boy.

[crossbike]

a very wunderful interpretation, although i prefer adult voices for Brahm's Requiem.

[notyobs]

Good for him!

Apparently they're from the Chapel Royal

[EvelynCor]

Special about Brahms requiem is that he didn't use the Latin text of the missa pro defunctis but only took verses of the bible.

Can somebody tell me about the difference of the "normal" choristers and the ones in that red whatever-it-is-called dress???

[Principaal]

Well, the boys in red are from the Chapel Royal, while the others are from the choir of Westminster..

You can see these Chapel-Royal-boys also at RyanGoldRedux's vids from the Queen's Golden Jubilee, e.g. at Parry's I Was Glad, or: Let All The World in every corner sing.

Yours,

LS

[EvelynCor]

How lovely are your dwellings,

O Lord of Hosts!

My soul desires and longs for the courts of the Lord; my body and soul delight in the living God.

Blessed are they who live in your house; they will praise you forever more.

(Psalm 84: 1, 2, 4)

[notyobs]

Indeed! Many thanks, DonRaphel.

[DonRaphel]

This is a very beautiful German Romantic piece, so the original lyrics are not English. The original title is "Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen" and it's movement 4 from Brahm's "Ein Deutsches Requiem" which means "A German Requiem".

Original text:

Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen, Herr Zebaoth!

Meine Seele verlanget und sehnet sich nach den Vorhöfen des Herrn; mein Leib und Seele freuen sich in dem lebendigen Gott.

Wohl denen, die in deinem Hause wohnen, die loben dich immerdar.