O Valiant Hearts

The hymn of our grandfathers & fathers following World War One, presented with the shadows of war amid the cemeteries & cenotaphs that hallow their sacrifice. A haunting reminder of the legacy of the generations whose 'name liveth forever' even as, in this generation, so many more 'valiant hearts' go to war. Three different renderings of the hymn, highlighted by the singing of the Chapel Choir of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. A resource from Piddingworth Remembrance and a tribute to Sgt. E. M. Leonard, my grandfather, who fought at the Somme and Sgt. Raymond E. Leonard, his son, who fought at Dieppe & Falaise.

O valiant hearts who to your glory came
Through dust of conflict and through battle flame;
Tranquil you lie, your knightly virtue proved,
Your memory hallowed in the land you loved.

Proudly you gathered, rank on rank, to war
As who had heard Gods message from afar;
All you had hoped for, all you had, you gave,
To save mankind—yourselves you scorned to save.

Splendid you passed, the great surrender made;
Into the light that nevermore shall fade;
Deep your contentment in that blest abode,
Who wait the last clear trumpet call of God.

Long years ago, as earth lay dark and still,
Rose a loud cry upon a lonely hill,
While in the frailty of our human clay,
Christ, our Redeemer, passed the self same way.

Still stands His Cross from that dread hour to this,
Like some bright star above the dark abyss;
Still, through the veil, the Victors pitying eyes
Look down to bless our lesser Calvaries.

These were His servants, in His steps they trod,
Following through death the martyred Son of God:
Victor, He rose; victorious too shall rise
They who have drunk His cup of sacrifice.

O risen Lord, O Shepherd of our dead,
Whose cross has bought them and Whose staff has led,
In glorious hope their proud and sorrowing land
Commits her children to Thy gracious hand.

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Tags:

• 'O Valiant Hearts'
• hymns
• Remembrance
• British
• Canadian
• World War One
• Battle of Arras
• Battle of Jutland
• Battle of the Somme
• Commonwealth graves
• Military
• Armed Forces
• Royal Navy
• Army
• Royal Flying Corps

[goodchappy]

I like this. Pity about the added delay line wobble @4:17-20

[piddflicks]

@goodchappy Yes, that is rather odd, isn't it?

[goodchappy]

@piddflicks :-) It is usally what happens if you use an onboard sound cards' own reverb effect.

On my recordings I use Cool edit or Adobe Audition to added realistic reverb if necessary.

Where did that recording come from, where is it?

[piddflicks]

@goodchappy It's the Chapel Choir, The Royal Hospital, Chelsea, and I think that it is part of the 'arrangement'.



[boxwoodgreen]

@piddflicks I ID'd the piper 0:32 of your video. Posted there.

[piddflicks]

@boxwoodgreen Yes, that's correct. I knew who it was when I put him in the video. He moved from Scotland to British Columbia with his family when his father obtained a position with the police. He really is quite a symbol of so much in the Great War.

[Glenn1967ful]

O Valiant Hearts, who to your glory came, one of the best hymns ever written and very appropriate at this time of year.

[Glenn1967ful]

Let's remember the real heroes, not the overpaid morons on the national football team.

[Glenn1967ful]

Think of our boys when you hear this.

[TheSmith1954]

Come on dislikes Why do you dislike ?

[poldog99]

Sang this hymn in church today, Remembrance Sunday, 13th November 2011. The words and music never fail to move me. We will remember them.

[BlogBitch]

Is the world we live in today and are we today, worth the lives sacrificed then?

[Spiritsmum]

my sister died 20 years ago today............

[BobGlasby]

It's a great video!

[kikinoo123]

sang this at the cenotaph a few years ago <3

[Somme1916Somme]

Beautiful..Thankyou. x

[boxwoodgreen]

@piddflicks My late dad was commissioned in the Essex Scots, but served in the SSR, both same 2nd Division as your uncle Raymond. He was wounded just south of Holten Apr.7/45 His other uncle Arthur was lost Sept 271916 at the Hessian Trench about 2000 meters west, and a week and a half before James Richardson died.