John Rutter. He is a staple for every choir, everywhere! He is one of my compositional heroes. His sacred music is both accessible for the average music lover and deep in both meaning and craft for those of us who like to listen to the same piece over and over. : )
It is very hard to choose a favorite, but Open Thou Mine Eyes has to be it! I've sung it several times, myself, in different ensembles and I love everything about it. First the melody feels very nostalgic in nature. It feels like the song, itself, has an "old soul." And then the lyrics reflect that same sentiment:
Open thou mine eyes and I shall see,
Incline my heart and I shall desire,
Order my steps and I shall walk
In the ways of thy commandments.
O Lord God, be thou to me a God
And beside thee let there be none else,
No other, nought else with thee.
Vouchsafe to me to worship thee
and serve thee
According to thy commandments
In truth of spirit,
In reverence of body,
In blessing of lips,
In private and in public.
A quick word about this version. It is the Cambridge Singers which is John Rutter's own professional choir. I love their sound, especially on this piece. What I find unique about this choir is the women literally sound like a single voice. They pull it off by not allowing any vibrato in the sound. The sound is ethereal. What is interesting is, if you listen, the men do add vibrato in their sound. While it is somewhat counterintuitive, it really works because the men add the depth and resonance and keeps the choir from sounding like a mellow organ. Listen to the difference in the sound when the men sing alone compared to when the women sing alone and you will know what I mean.Feel free to listen to this over and over, it will touch your soul in a different way each time, as great music should.
It is very hard to choose a favorite, but Open Thou Mine Eyes has to be it! I've sung it several times, myself, in different ensembles and I love everything about it. First the melody feels very nostalgic in nature. It feels like the song, itself, has an "old soul." And then the lyrics reflect that same sentiment:
Open thou mine eyes and I shall see,
Incline my heart and I shall desire,
Order my steps and I shall walk
In the ways of thy commandments.
O Lord God, be thou to me a God
And beside thee let there be none else,
No other, nought else with thee.
Vouchsafe to me to worship thee
and serve thee
According to thy commandments
In truth of spirit,
In reverence of body,
In blessing of lips,
In private and in public.
A quick word about this version. It is the Cambridge Singers which is John Rutter's own professional choir. I love their sound, especially on this piece. What I find unique about this choir is the women literally sound like a single voice. They pull it off by not allowing any vibrato in the sound. The sound is ethereal. What is interesting is, if you listen, the men do add vibrato in their sound. While it is somewhat counterintuitive, it really works because the men add the depth and resonance and keeps the choir from sounding like a mellow organ. Listen to the difference in the sound when the men sing alone compared to when the women sing alone and you will know what I mean.Feel free to listen to this over and over, it will touch your soul in a different way each time, as great music should.
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