Profound lyrics. Gorgeous melody. Lifts the heart to the Lord and rekindles faith. Amen. My return to my old church after a few years away was sealed with this hymn.
The words to this hymn come from Bianco da Siena, a fourteenth century Catholic contemplative. He was Italian. The King's College chapel was built when England was Catholic, as was Westminster Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral- along with York, Lincoln, Salisbury & Durham cathedrals . The tyrant Henry VIII made himself head of the Catholic Church in England with the Act of Supremacy in 1534 and then plundered all of the abbeys and monasteries that resisted this act of Parliament and had the priors and abbots executed. It was a reign of terror that established the Church of England, not a 'simple faith'. Up until 1534 England had been Catholic for 937 years- from the arrival of St Augustine in Canterbury in 597. England has been Protestant for the last 490 years thanks to one unruly and unholy man.
@@jbut1208 I spoke the truth and you're calling it 'sinful stuff'? You need to take the blinkers off and realise that the Church of England was established by a tyrannical despot with the faith of an opportunistic scoundrel.
I'm RC also. Seriously thinking of making the 2+ hour drive to the Evensong service at the "local" Anglican Use Parish in Henrietta, NY. "Come Down, O Love Divine" is one of the songs for Sunday's service. I got hooked on Evensong after a year stay in England, attending Evensong services in Winchester, Salisbury, Chichester, Westminster Abbey, Portsmouth, Kings College Cambridge, and multiple other awesome churches. It's very much like evening prayer and compline I'm familiar with in the RC church. I am so glad I can now celebrate Evensong with a parish in communion with the RC church. God, you are awesome!
Hearing this hymn sung to Down Ampney by men and boys choir makes one previously scalded by a contentious judgmental Christendom believe that God is in His Heaven and all is well with the world!
Well Michael, funny you should say that because the man who put the words to this sublime hymn is Bianco da Siena, a 14th Century Catholic mystic. Also, the background visuals for this setting: the chapel of King's College Cambridge, was built from 1446 to 1515, when England was a Catholic country. The same goes for Westminster Abbey and St George's Chapel in Windsor castle. All of the great Gothic cathedrals were built when England was Catholic.
1 Come down, O Love divine! seek out this soul of mine and visit it with your own ardour glowing; O Comforter, draw near, within my heart appear, and kindle it, your holy flame bestowing. 2 There let it freely burn till earthly passions turn to dust and ashes in its heat consuming; and let your glorious light shine ever on my sight, and make my pathway clear, by your illuming. 3 Let holy charity my outward vesture be, and lowliness become my inner clothing; true lowliness of heart which takes the humbler part, and for its own shortcomings weeps with loathing. 4 And so the yearning strong with which the soul will long shall far surpass the power of human telling; for none can guess its grace till we become the place in which the Holy Spirit makes his dwelling.
One of the most sublime hymn tunes ever written, by one the greatest composers of the 20th century. So nice to hear it in what I believe is V-W's own anthem setting.
He (of course ostensibly and quite loudly an atheist) named the tune after his birthplace, which I once visited. RVW is mentioned on the village sign there! Such is the power and enigmatic nature of the beloved and wondrous Holy Spirit... of course the subject of this magnificent hymn.
Just Beautiful, If just for a moment if all mankind could experience the sprit of God, the world would be changed forever. For none can guess its grace till he becomes the place, wherein the Holy Spirit makes his dwelling.
This is one of my favourite hymns. It lifts me up to the sky; towards the Lord, Jesus Christ. I love the baritone which ends up in the full choir fortissimo. The descant simply yet intently uplifts the soul to focus on worshiping the Lord as we invite him to come down. Besides, the who chorale of King's College have presented this hymn with stylishness. Glory to God!
An absolutely wonderful Hymn. I love all the hymns and have done for the last 50 years! I am trying my best to bring them all back to use in today's' modern Churches. Some churches now think that these lovely hymns are from the devil! What a load of nonsense.They are inspirational and uplifting and one feels the sacredness of them too! They help me everyday as I sing and listen to them in my home, sometimes putting up the volume to get the full effect.
Sing lustily & with good courage. I was brought up Methodist. We weren't allowed to dance ( sinful) but encouraged to sing at the top of our voices. Wonderful...
one of the most beautiful and moving hymns written by the incomparable genius that was ralph Vaughan Williams, shut your eyes when listening to this sublime work and you will be transported immediately to the heaven of an English country church.
It was indeed written by Ralph Vaughan-Williams. He wrote several of the most famous tunes appearing in the original English Hymnal . He was the editor of what is in my view an unsurpassed book (not to be confused with the New English Hymnal).
Teaching this to the Congregation and leading it for the first time this Sunday. Just sight-read it out of the Hymnal, and none of us know it. i'm so excited!
Such profound faith in the true Church ties us to Jesus, leave the woke futile grasping of the Episcopal Church to its dwindling numbers. God Bless! I found faith again at ACNA. William
The best possible words in the best possible order, set to the best possible music, performed by the best possible choir in the best possible setting. If there is a heaven, I imagine it will be something rather like Evensong at King's at dusk in autumn.
In heaven it will be better than this performance Londonfogey. With that said, it is certainly refreshing and uplifting to hear this hymn ministered by such skilled musicians.
Londonfogey King's College Chapel *is* heaven on Earth. If I didn't hate flying (my ears pop) I would have visited Cambridge by now. I have been an Anglophile since 1994, ever since I heard the KCC.
This is one of my favorites. It is very appropriate for Pentecost Sunday. I am glad to say that my church still sings wonderful hymns such as this one!
As with so many good hymns, the later verses are the most powerful. This hymn always brings me to tears. ... for none can know thy grace 'til he become the place wherein the Holy Spirit makes his dwelling.
Probably close to my favourite hymn. The tune is great, and the words even better. "And so the yearning strong, with which the soul will long; shall far surpass the power of human telling. For none can guess His grace - till he become the place, wherein the Holy Spirit makes its dwelling".
Thank goodness someone agrees with me. David White's comments that the organ & choir & stained glass are a "distraction" really infuriate me. People are grateful to God for organs, choirs, & stained glass windows; doesn't David White know that?
Shaun Griffith you are so absolutely right! BTW I listen to FOREST GREEN on RU-vid over and over. Yes, Rafe Vaughan Williams definitely had a gift for composing great tunes. Down Ampney is in my Top Five Favorite Hymn Tunes.
@@anthonykaiser974 But he pronounced it as "Rafe", that seems to be how upper class people in general pronounce it. He was from a wealthy and highly successful background linked to the Darwin and Wedgwood families. But was rather generous and not one to look down on the less well-to-do, I should add.
@@collybever @Colly Bever yes. My HS band director taught us how to properly pronounce it. That was over 30 years ago. That's why I said it was SPELLED as "Ralph." English, in particular British English, has lots of idiosyncratic pronunciations.
Peter Rabbit Oh yes it has been a RAGING success over the last 2,000 years. But Vaughan Williams music will bring joy and beauty forever. Aren't ATHEISTS AMAZING PEOPLE.
Science-is-god Rafe Vaughan Williams composed and arranged the best hymn tunes. By the way, are you familiar with Forest Green? It's the best melody ever composed. Down Ampney is definitely in my Top Five Favorites, though.
And in 2023, there was this: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ncx_St_w4JM.html The connection between the two quite different pieces? The Holy Spirit. He loves we British far more than we deserve, but that is what He is like, in all His mercy and saving grace from Jesus. He wants to bring the truth and the love to one and all, and sees the British as a way... (obviously the Coronation is a Holy Spirit event - something we forgot with the last one being so very long ago). Things are always darkest before the dawn. And the 2020s are REALLY dark. But what of it? With God there are NO impossible things...
I am an ELCA Lutheran from South Carolina. This is to all denominations. If Jeremiah 1:4-15 is your Scripture of the Day, this is a good hymn to compliment it.
As a devout atheist, biblical scriptures are to me WORTHLESS, but hymns like this bring me to tears. It is the music which in this case was written by another atheist, the incomparable Ralph Vaughan Williams. Proving yet again that we atheists are as good as any theist and in many cases better, we are not satan worshipers. Satan does not exist, neither does god.
mkl62 Oh my God how DUMB CAN YOU BE, she was knocked up by a Roman stud and covered it up by telling he senile old fool of a husband, GOD DID IT. Now PROVE ME WRONG. Now what else do you need an explanation for?
From California, joining with all keeping vigil this Eve of Pentecost 2017. "Let holy charity mine outward vesture be, And lowliness become mine inner clothing"
@magpie4321 The original poem on which this hymn is based was written by the wonderful Bianco Da Siena in the 15th Cent, but the actual hymn was written by an Anglican priest, Fr Richard Littledale, and the music by another Anglican - Ralph Vaughn Williams.
I,ve heard different versions of this hymn, but this setting and interpretation of King,s College is the best and so beautiful.... love their singing as always!!
Emily Spencer 😃hey! One of my BFF's is named Spencer. And she is a soprano in the same choir I am in. And she doesn't get tired of hearing about how much I love Rafe Vaughan Williams!
I am a Caribbean Anglican and I misss singing some of the hymns i learned and sang at school, Sunday School and church there. But please don't sell American Episcopalian practices short. You can hear this hymn in many USA Episcopal churches.
The poetry! Come down, O Love divine, Seek Thou this soul of mine, And visit it with Thine own ardour glowing; O Comforter, draw near, Within my heart appear, and kindle it, Thy holy flame bestowing. O let it freely burn Till earthly passions turn To dust and ashes in its heat consuming: And let Thy glorious light Shine ever on my sight, And clothe me round, the while my path illuming. Let holy charity Mine outward vesture be, And lowliness become my inner clothing, True lowliness of heart, Which takes the humbler part, And o'er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing. And so the yearning strong, With which the soul will long, Shall far outpass the power of human telling; For none can guess its grace, Till he become the place Wherein the Holy Spirit makes His dwelling.
Come down, O love divine, seek Thou this soul of mine, And visit it with Thine own ardor glowing. O Comforter, draw near, within my heart appear, And kindle it, Thy holy flame bestowing. O let it freely burn, til earthly passions turn To dust and ashes in its heat consuming; And let Thy glorious light shine ever on my sight, And clothe me round, the while my path illuming. Let holy charity mine outward vesture be, And lowliness become mine inner clothing; True lowliness of heart, which takes the humbler part, And o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing. And so the yearning strong, with which the soul will long, Shall far outpass the power of human telling; For none can guess its grace, till he become the place Wherein the Holy Spirit makes His dwelling.
Thank you for typing out these beautiful lyrics Patrick Scheiner. A beautiful prayer from and for the heart. Come Holy Spirit, come! Let's pray this today when so much we are in need of Christ's peace and power in our hearts to bring them to the world. And to pray it in song with the KCC is immeasurable joy.
kentcyclist if my ears didn't pop on the airplane I would have visited Cambridge by now. The Choir of King's College Cambridge is THE BEST CHOIR EVER and the Chapel is beautiful too. I love the fan-vaulted ceiling and the tracery in the windows.
this is such a wonderful hymn, and the King's College choir performs incredibly well. I've always thought those two eighth notes at the end of lines give it just another unexpected but lovely twist
Glad we stood on line to attend one Evensong in this historic chapel. I can't remember singing this particular song but I surely remember worshiping in this special venue. Don't miss a service here if you are ever in Cambridge.
I am an ELCA Lutheran from South Carolina. This is to all denominations: If Colossians 3:5-17 is your Scripture for the Day, this is a good hymn to compliment it.
This is the hymn for a wedding. I use to earn $1.20 for giving up my Saturdays to sing this hymn at weddings at my school, Trinity Grammar School Sydney (Anglican)
This is absolutely beautiful. And did ever such great theology and brilliant music meet, Or singing receive such honour as King’s College Choir commands?
This hymn has replaced two of my favourites, 1. I know that my Redeemer liveth! .2. Laudate Dominus! A magnificent hymn that moves the very core of a soul to be 1. Show gratitude. 2. Accept Devine Grace. Show recognition of Love! Blessings.
Vincent Adika in 2000 or thereabouts, FOREST GREEN replaced Blessed Be That Maid Mary and The Cherry Tree Carol as the best hymn tunes I have ever heard. Down Ampney is in my Top Five Favorites.
