Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven :: Choir of Westminster Abbey

[Rembrandtt66]

Marvellous,Westminster Abbey is fabulous. What is wonderful about it is that ordinary people have acess to the abbey and can sit in the seats of ambassadors,diplomats and other v.i.p.s.The Abbey is glorious,and many people can see it.

[cupjock]

They also, mistakenly, have convinced themselves that they can fill the pews by trying to beat the Pentecostals at their game, thereby DRIVING AWAY the loyal parishioners who LONG for good music and uplifting liturgy.

[cupjock]

Sadly, the CLERGY in many parts the Anglican Communion are not being properly educated and so the Lowest Common Denominator has become de rigueur with the accompanying FALSE apprehension that only the lowest grade of yesterday's pop-rock music can be appreciated by their parishioners.

[Rembrandtt66]

Brilliant, who could fail tolike this really beautiul hymnand the setting of westminster Abbey?

Simply priceless. Cathedrals and church services are one of the few good things left in this

country.

[Man4God4eva]

This hymn style (and lyrics) are SO REFRESHING and exhilerating!! I go to a church with some cheap "praise team" and some hotshot guy on the stage wanting us to "get excited about Jesus". Really? I want the music to reflect the majesty, power, and sheer beauty of the Lord of Glory, not the trash 'music' and it's similarly shallow lyrics they want to sing in churches today. If they're trying to attract the youth they must be failing-I'm only 20! God bless those who praise the Lord in His Majesty.

[Rheinlander95]

Nice descant, boys. Very well done

[Rheinlander95]

Nice descant, boys. Very well done

[goodchappy]

Nice, pity the end chord got cut off though :-)

[Gatltonian]

A freat video.

Eccentric Richard really should read a good book on the Reformation. I recommend Diarmid MacCullough. His understanding is based purely on cheap propaganda.

[mllcg]

can i have the score for this? including the descant parts. my choir needs to learn it.

[bripat22]

Many of the Anglo-Catholics have left to the Roman Catholic Ordinariate for former Anglicans with women bishops coming into the C of E. What would Cardinal Newman have made of Anglicanism today??

[RoseDempsey]

I love this, one of my favourite hymns from school, and even after 26 years in the US, I'm still Church of England and very traditionalist:)

[19569779]

excellent

[eaglegray]

How wonderful is the English cathedral choral tradition of men and boy trebles. The boys are all prodigious musical talents, I understand, who are trained in the Abbey choir school and sing the service almost every day of the week.

This is something that must always be maintained. We have nothing like it in North America.

[bankermark]

@eaglegray We actually do have this in North America, although on a smaller scale. Check out the Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys at the Cathedral of All Saints (Episcopal Church), Albany, NY.

[eztobeme]

@eaglegray How about the American Boy Choir in Princeton? And I believe the National Cathedral, in DC, has a choir of men and boy trebles. I'm sure there may be more.

[jonesorg]

I wish to get the score of the descant sung here.... Please help!! Where can i buy this????? I need it please..... I tried various sources...couldn't get it..

[resultant64]

Yes we will Praise Him who is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Only the organ and voices can best do justice to this.....

[resultant64]

Yes we will Praise Him who is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Only the organ and voices can best do justice to this.....

[televitulac]

@maxbatch- check out an Episcopal church- many have excellent choirs and a high appreciation o music. I've got one staunchy ear, hate hate Christian rock and 'praise music,' but am a happy Episcopalian. We're a diverse church, so you might run into contemporary junk music in some of our churches, but for the most part, I think you'll find we do music well. (Hint- the more it looks like an old Roman Catholic church inside, the more likely you'll enjoy the music.) Youtube's not church!

[maxbatch70]

@televitulac - I NEVER said Youtube is a church, check out your eyes, it has plenty of mots.

[televitulac]

@maxbatch- check out an Episcopal church- many have excellent choirs and a high appreciation o music. I've got one staunchy ear, hate hate Christian rock and 'praise music,' but am a happy Episcopalian. We're a diverse church, so you might run into contemporary junk music in some of our churches, but for the most part, I think you'll find we do music well. (Hint- the more it looks like an old Roman Catholic church inside, the more likely you'll enjoy the music.) Youtube's not church!

[maxbatch70]

I left my church 5 years ago, after more than 40 years, I could no longer stomach the electric guitars and noisy drums when the youth took over. thank God there is Youtube for this kind of music, God bless us.

[march131958]

@maxbatch70 , I do not want to hear guitars and drums. Being Catholic,we still do not sing like an Anglican church. To me,holy is about choir and organ..not a "rock concert".

[theelfofwisdom]

@march131958 Amen! Western culture has influenced the church too much and worship in foreign countries all looks the same because missionaries are trying to make Christians in light of what they know instead of encouraging worship in their own unique culture.

[Tevosoe]

@march131958 Anglican churches don't all have guitars etc- I should know, I play the organ for one. Although I agree that too many churches have modern instruments.

[foodie65]

@march131958 Unfortuntely these days you are MUCH more likely to hear guitar and drums in a Catholic Church than anywhere else. You do realise that Westmnster Abbey and King's College are Anglican? And the hymn Be still my soul was written by a Lutheran!

[paljim24]

Beautiful, simply beautiful....

[Offshoreorganbuilder]

Superb. Thanks for this. (Just on a technical point, is there a reason that the end is chopped off? Was this intended, or is it something which You Tube does automatically, once the audio drops below a certain level?)

[pcmh1978]

some pictures of St Georges Chapel Windsor for good measure too.

[march131958]

Beautiful...give me the choir and organ!

[march131958]

@MusicPredominates , I did not respond to your comment. I just enjoy the organ and choir.

[EccentricRichard]

@MusicPredominates - and what, precisely, is wrong with Papism? Better than infidel Protestantism, ESPECIALLY Anglicanism, a sect created purely by a spiteful, randy old bugger of a King because the Church dared to stand up to him over his infidelities...

[nauort23]

@MusicPredominates HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Yes, let's not listen to how the rest of the world sees it; let's go by the Cof E's (does that E stand for "Elizabeth", btw?!) appointed historian--whose opinion I'm sure you value! LOL. You're the reason I can't take any religious person seriously. Nice music, though.

[nauort23]

@MusicPredominates Unless you were looking for something physical, I'd say this is as good a meeting as any. There's always Heaven or Hell--and I'm sure you're certain which one you've paid the membership dues.

[02Blackbeard]

@nauort23 All Anglican Bishops will rot in Hell...filthy hypocrites. Cock suckers for the STATE.

[02Blackbeard]

@02Blackbeard It's when Karma bites them in the ass, in this life or the next. I once knew a Judge...right arrogant bastard....thought the world was his oyster. Then he got a liking for the "pop". The old twat ended his life in a dirty bedsit, all his friends had deserted him, and the only people who "befriended" him were the kind of bums who formerly he would have been sending down. And they were just preying on him.

A Bishop once fucked me over. He did not last long into retirement. CANCER.

[mordo1000]

@EccentricRichard Actually, sir or madame, while I respect your position and your anger, the history of the Anglican church and its founding has a far richer history than what your paragraph would suggest. Certainly Henry VIII of England broke from Rome because the pope would not grant his divorce, but he wasn't really a protestant, and it wasn't until Elizabeth I came to the throne that the CofE would actually be rounded out.

[Blightyish]

@mordo1000 The C of E is not at all Protestant in their heart of hearts today. The Anglo-Catholics are gaining more and more ground.

[kingusmcgee]

Being raised High-Episcopal in the U.S. I love all of these Anglican hymns from the 1940 Hymnal. And delivered so beautifully by Westminster Abbey Choir.

[tereseish]

Agree with most. Love this music. We have a nice mix in our church, a medium-sized congregation.

Wouldn't like a steady diet of anything; but like to be able to understand the words too!

[bluegibby7]

UCC Steve i beg ur pardon it's the methodist's who have the best songs,,,,,,,,,

[Insperato62]

Regrettably all too few Church of England churches sing these hymns nowadays.Of course some do, especially the cathedrals (sung Evensong after city shopping is a treat) & those affiliated to the PBS.Generally they feel compelled to be "happy clappy" in order to attract the young.Lots of arms & eyes raised heavenward, swinging of hips & "Praise the Lord"s, any chance of contemplation has disappeared.Generally traditional services are SAID not sung at 8.30, & Sunday evensong has disappeared.

[Picklez008]

@Insperato62 I go to a Church of England Academy and we always sing these types of hymns at Christmas, Easter and the end of year service. Most of us would feel as though the year was incomplete if we were to not sing these hymns.

[2010capecod]

Not true,! All Saints' in Beverly Hills, CA sings traditional hymns such as this all the time.

[bangorcottage]

I love the descant in the final verse, I wish more choirs in Canada had the talent to perform like this as you only get this quality in very few churches over here.

[marcomerrick]

Just beautiful -- sounds like church should!!!! I really feel that God is glorified in these sacred strains.

[TheMezzosinger]

Come to any downtown church in Savannah, Georgia, and you will find this kind of music tremendously appreciated! Good musical taste reigns in Savannah!

[bhigdaddymark]

Just curious, why the interior photo of King's College Cambridge at 0:56? Thank God the Episcopal Church hasn't gone the route that the Catholics have taken for service music with the Rock/Praise Band approach in place of the King of Instruments. Nor has the Episcopal Church insulted their organists expecting them to compete with that damn piano on hymns either! Long live the Episcopal/Anglican Church!

[NiamhFrancisPianist]

Oh how I love being a church organist :-D

[belovedtwilight41]

Beautiful!

[mitsford]

sublime!

[doobeedoo58]

Queen Elizabeth (then Princess Elizabeth) used this as her processional at her wedding...glorious!!!

[choirboyfromhell1]

WOW, who's descant? Wonderful!

[LorneWeaver1]

Well, it's all in the 1982 Hymnal of the Episcopal Church! Not everyone has gone off to the guitar and drums crowd!

[christusvincit]

@LorneWeaver1 It's in many US Catholic hymnals as well. Unfortunately, it seems to have taken a back seat to (as you describe) "the guitar and drums crowd" anyways. I taught it to two of my last three parishes. I got to hear it at St. Paul's (Cambridge, MA, where the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School is) last weekend, thankfully!

Beautiful hymn tune, and beautiful arrangement!

BMP

[maxbatch70]

@christusvincit - i left my church one year ago, I cannot stomach anymore the "guitar and drums" in my church, I missed the solemn hymns of the church, the prayerful tunes, the heavenly sounds of my old church. I'm not an old-fashioned dude, I'm a 56 years old certified rocker and beatle fanatic, but when it comes to church service, I leave the noisy music behind, and worship God in harmony and silence.

[someonespadre]

@maxbatch70 I know I agree. My Mom goes to a "modern" Episcopal Church; it does nothing for me. I am a member of an Episcopal Church where we sign the hymns which I like. Some of the choir members tried to get me to join because I belt my favorites out but I'm not into being in the choir, someone in the congregation has to sing.

[sherylcherne]

@maxbatch70

[sherylcherne]

I totally agree with you

[march131958]

@LorneWeaver1 I agree with you. No guitar or drum. I want the mighty organ and choir. None of this "praise band" or what ever they call it....not my cup of tea.

[louella404]

agreed! It is so beautiful and timeless. I would love to hear it in person!

[joyfamily1234]

does any1 therre had there appendix removed cuz i just did

[UCCSteve]

The Anglicans have the BEST music...HANDS DOWN! Where does the church get their hymns and descants? My United Church of Christ congregation in the USA prefers to do this style of music, and we would sure love to know where we can go to buy the music. Any help would be appreciated. :)

[901cleo]

@UCCSteve Rush to the nearest Episcopal Church and ask to borrow the hymnal. Everything is there.

[mordo1000]

@UCCSteve Just buy some of our Episcopal hymnals, bro.

churchpublishing . org, worship and music, hymnals and songbooks, Hymnal 1982 basic singers edition :)

[joyfamily1234]

dont make fun of americans we are awesomeas i wish

[joyfamily1234]

im in a boys choir and i htink this sounds wonderful but no one listens to it as much as i wish

[Hartestein47]

We sang this on Sunday -- St Mark's Episcopal Church, Philadelphia. We hear it often. Can we end the snobbery about North American v. British pronunciation?

[MrMusic1984]

@Hartestein47 Is that St. Mark's Frankford by any chance? I was formerly Organist/Minister of Music at St. James Lutheran Church in Frankford. I actually applied for that position some years ago but was not selected; no hard feelings :0)

[octavebasse8]

Does anyone know who wrote the descant/harmony on the last verse?

[winxp0922]

Very Very very good.

Phillip scrivens choir.

[ppaajjeerroo]

magnificat est in eterna gloria, secula seculorum

[nmfd72]

God Loving peoples yearn for this type of beautiful Hymn. Hopefully it will make a comeback as soon as we can trash the "new age" stuff they call religious music?

[Chel093086]

It is truly sad that this type of music is so under-appreciated in the US. This is so beautiful.

[obxemt]

You could not be more correct. Most sad is that it is even so among Anglicans...'tis a travesty.

[901cleo]

@Chel093086 This music is not only valued and appreciated in The Episcopal Church but sung every week.

[NuovoPiero]

@Chel093086 I agree with your assessment. But there ARE many who do appreciate and cultivate this rich liturgical, musical tradition. Are you Episcopalian ?

[haibro]

@Chel093086 it makes them afraid i think, :P

[MrMusic1984]

@Chel093086 There are those of us who greatly appreciate it over here. It's just very few in number unfortunately.

[JakeGraceAndGlory]

@Chel093086 Dude this song is kinda weak. I like Rock N Roll...

[johnatere]

@Chel093086 That's because this music exalts Christ and not the world

[march131958]

@Chel093086 , I agree with you. It is so wonderful and now many places of worship are going to "praise bands". Not for me at all.

[march131958]

@march131958 , It is so comforting to hear music in a church that one should hear...Not a band with drums. A choir and organ is what praise means to me. Too bad we are trying to get the "younger people" on the right track with this praise band or whatever you call it. My family will know good music.

[march131958]

@march131958 , It is so comforting to hear music in a church that one should hear...Not a band with drums. A choir and organ is what praise means to me. Too bad we are trying to get the "younger people" on the right track with this praise band or whatever you call it. My family will know good music.

[brassspitoon]

Got to love the posh way you Brits pronounce "everlasting": EVERLAAASTING! Comes out somewhat like EVERLAIRSTING when sung on this side of the pond.

[acorntechnique]

We're not posh!

We just know how to pronounce English....

8-)

[ds1868]

@brassspitoon As acorntechnique suggests, it 's not a question of being 'posh' in pronounciation. Since it is our language, we merely pronounce it the way it should be. You Americans have just 'stolen' a fine language and screwed it up.

[brassspitoon]

@ds1868 Point taken. However, from the time of the earliest rockers and certainly once heavy metal came along, your bands all sound as if they were born here (USA) and south of the Mason-Dixon line at that. Totally different form of singing from choral church music I grant you.

[organist12345]

@brassspitoon we pronounce things the way they were meant to be. You interpret them and make it sound ridiculous.

[titussenlair]

Very beautiful . Thanks !

[tritus67]

It's so beautiful...

thank you again and again!!!

[benoitmaur]

excellent

[magpie4321]

In the USA the chorus goes:

"Alleluia Alleluia alleluia, praise the everlasting King"

[magpie4321]

Excellent!!!

[loupblanc26]

Magnificent performance!  Thanks