The Anglicans know how to do this…

Evensong and Lessons and Carols…no one does them quite like the Anglicans.

This is one of my very favorite hymns, and a surprisingly difficult one to sing with control; we Catholics – assuming the male pronouns were allowed in by the music ministers – would still very likely have minor breakdowns in confidence and tonality trying to do justice to this lovely, hushed and reverent piece.

But the English, God love ’em, they are uncowed and unintimidated. They take on Christina Rosetti’s vivid text – so full of certainty and longing – and Gustav Holst’s challenging composition, and make it glorious without so much as a tremble or quake.

Thanks to Gerard for the exquisite break from wrapping, baking and so on…Perhaps lessons and carols are what I’ll try to offer you folks while I’m dropping bowls of flour and chasing the dog out of the mess.

Over at Inside Catholic, Deal Hudson has more on Lessons and Carols and a comparison of this video to another version of this hymn.

Also – don’t miss this – fascinating and almost unbelievable video of an artist sent by Pianogirl.