The familiar hymns of George Herbert such as ‘Let All the World’ and ‘Teach Me, My God and King’ still have the power to stir us today. Now a new choral recording features these great pieces alongside a wide range of new settings by contemporary composers of other much loved Herbert poems.
George Herbert was Rector of the small parish of Fugglestone with Bemerton, on the outskirts of the city of Salisbury, from 1630 to 1633. Over the last ten years, a group of neighbours in Bemerton has organised events to celebrate Herbert’s life and work. Five years ago they invited a group of composers with Salisbury connections to write new hymn tunes for his poems, amongst them Barry Ferguson, David Halls, Simon Lole, Howard Moody and Alec Roth. The collection of 18 hymns was published by the Royal School of Church Music in 2007, entitled Another Music: Through the year with George Herbert.
Now a recording of these new hymns has been made in Salisbury by local choir Sarum Voices under their director Ben Lamb, with organist Cathy Lamb. George Herbert: Hymns New and Old includes all the recently-commissioned works, and a selection of settings of Herbert poems that have been much loved over many years.
A selection of sample tracks can be heard on the RSCM website at http://www.rscm.com/publications/new.php, including ‘Trinity Sunday’ by Barry Ferguson, ‘Matins’ by David Halls, and Alec Roth’s ‘The Flower’.
The CD, George Herbert: Hymns New and Old, may be purchased from RSCM Music Direct
Price: £12.00
Order Number: VRCD077
Tel: 0845 021 7726
The hymnbook, Another Music: Through the year with George Herbert, may be purchased from RSCM Music Direct
Price: £5.00 (RSCM affiliate price: £3.75)
ISBN: 978 0 85402 164 7
Order Number: D0211
Tel: 0845 021 7726
Email: musicdirect@rscm.com
Online: www.rscm.com/shop