John Ireland’s “Greater love” [orchestral]: St John’s Cambridge 1997 (Christopher Robinson)

Описание: Recording of a live radio broadcast from the chapel of St John's College, Cambridge, 13 August 1997, featuring the choir of St John’s College Cambridge with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Christopher Robinson. Organ scholar: Peter Davis.

John Ireland was born in Cheshire, in 1879. The majority of his output consists of piano miniatures and songs but he did write a moderate amount of church music, probably as a result of being organist and choirmaster of St Luke’s Chelsea, in London. His one film score was “The Overlanders” (Australia, 1942). The anthem “Greater love”, a setting of texts “from the Scriptures”, was published 1912; when Ireland died in 1962, its opening words were inscribed on his gravestone as an epitaph. The orchestrated version heard here was published in 1924.

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. Love is strong as death. Greater love hath no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Who his own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins should live unto righteousness. Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus. Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness, into His marvellous light.

I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.