Music from Girton College Choir for reflection during Holy Week and Easter

Music and poetry for reflection during Holy Week and after Easter, with recordings from Girton College choir made either in–person (last term), or virtually. A number of the poems are written by Life Fellow and former Chaplain of the College, Rev'd Dr Malcolm Guite.

Rather than being accompanied by further written reflections, the words and the music will speak for themselves.

You may like to enter into a daily rhythm of listening to and meditating on these pieces: the first set of five is designated for days up to and including Good Friday; the second set for the days following Easter. However, you can of course access at your leisure in whatever way you find most helpful or enjoyable.

Thanks to Gareth Wilson, Director of Chapel Music, and to the members of the College Choir for putting this material together – especially the virtual recordings which required each singer to record by themselves at home. Thank you also to those who have edited the material to upload onto this page.

Rev'd Dr Tim Boniface, Chaplain

Holy Week

Let there be light as water spills
Around His head like quickening rain.
The Voice that made the world reveals
The One Who makes it new again.

Music by James Mitchell. Words by Malcolm Guite.

Tuesday: Temptation (McIver)

The Fountain thirsts, the Bread is hungry here
The Light is Dark, the Word without a voice.
When darkness speaks it seems to light and clear.
Now he must dare, with us, to make a choice.

Music by Louie McIver. Words by Malcolm Guite.

We miss the light, we lose ourselves in lies
We never reach the heart of anything,
Unless we turn to meet His searching eyes,
Who meets us in the midst of everything.

Music by Milly Atkinson. Words by Malcolm Guite.

O Lord, please hear my prayer, in the mornin' when I rise.
It's your servant bound for glory.
O dear Lord, please hear my prayer.
O Lord please hear my prayer, keep me safe within your arms.
It's your servant bound for glory.
O dear Lord, please hear my prayer.
When my work on earth is done and you come to take me home.
Just to know I'm bound for glory and to hear you say say well done.
Done with sin and sorry, have mercy.
Amen.

Music and words by Moses Hogan.

The cross that holds is held in that embrace,
The world is weighed in Him, the living scales.
From this tree branches out all time and space,
As, from his outstretched hands, blossom the nails.

Music by Tom Williamson. Words by Malcolm Guite.

Easter Week

A stone flung in a pool makes waves of light
Until, like every life, it sinks alone.
They plunged Him too, into the pool of night,
Today his waves of light fling back the stone.

Music by Cevanne Horrock-Hopayian. Words by Malcolm Guite.

Lord, we shall walk, shall walk in peace.

We shall walk through the valley in peace,
We shall walk through the valley in peace.
If Jesus himself shall lead us,
We shall walk through the valley in peace.

There will be no trials there,
There will be no trials there,
If Jesus himself shall lead us
We shall walk through the valley in peace.

Music arranged by Undine Smith Moore. Words, traditional spiritual.

He prayers best who loveth best,
All things both great and small.
For the dear God who liveth us,
He made and loveth all.

Music by Morfydd Owen. Words by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Let there be light. The light leaps up
That was in deepest darkness drowned.
There is no realm or kingdom now
In which the lost cannot be found.

Music by Libby Croad. Words by Malcolm Guite.