As if it weren't enough to have this beautiful evening of hymns, we were also treated to the many "versions" of Ben. The "T-shirt Ben" and the "Master's Gown Ben", the "Bearded Ben" and the "Clean Shaven Ben", the "Long Haired Ben" and the "Shorter Haired Ben". Thanks, I so enjoyed this travel through time, and the music.
🎉YOU are just so handsome in all views and i lovs every beautiful musiç episode. TODAY ( after your morning Mass..sigh!) the gift of your favorite hymns was lovely and each one a life favorite from my 85 years an Anglican in USA.I love you Dear Ben..you are a God Gift to all your fans and certainly to me
Uplifting moments, every chord struck on the organ must be seen as glorifying Christ. You are a witness for Christ in an ever so subtle way, and your witnessing every week gladdens the hearts of many a Christian. In this day and age, when nominal Christians are abandoning the faith of their fathers and church pews are empty, one single person sends the angels and the hearers of this music, into raptures! God bless you Ben! Rosen John Bombay, India
Playlist to repeat endlessly: 1. Abide With Me - 1:06 2. Be Thou My Vision - 5:26 3. The Old Rugged Cross - 9:22 4. All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name - 13:35 5. I Vow to Thee, My Country - 17:05 6. It Is Well with My Soul - 19:40 7. Be Still, for the Presence of the Lord - 30:26 8. How Great Thou Art - 33:36 9. Love Divine, All Loves Excelling - 39:04 10. Jerusalem - 42:19 11. Thine Be the Glory - 44:59 12. Amazing Grace - 48:23 13. Battle Hymn of the Republic - 51:30 14. Nearer, My God, to Thee - 55:03 15. Great Is Thy Faithfulness - 59:19
@@SalisburyOrganist No problem, I missed a list in the description of the video. I could ask you, or just do it myself for you and the listeners. 😊 Thanks for the beautiful organ playing and the work you invest in your channel!
@@zwapje maybe have a list following the church year, alongside the seasons, with specials thrown in the mix - lifeboat day for example: 'for those in peril on the sea' ................
How wonderful to hear Ben playing all these glorious hymns at St Martin’s as they continue to be significant in peoples’ lives. They bring comfort in life’s dark days and express shared joys in times of celebration. ‘Songs of Praise’ was watched my millions on television on Sunday evenings when Thine be the Glory was my absolute favourite.
I downloaded your "Mighty Hymns at St. Martin's CD and a couple of your EP recitals for a Playlist that keeps me company while I rake the fallen leaves and tidy up my garden in the approaching cold. I cannot tell you how much listening to your organ music has brought about a contemplative and peaceful mood to the approaching winter. The quiet. The waning daylight, the vivid yellow and red leaves gently falling about me that remind me that "For everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven". Thank you Ben.
Love your comment, l felt l was in your garden with you for a moment. I'm in northern Ontario and have had a beautiful autumn, still putting things away before the snows fly!
Today’s music was spectacular! A trip down memory lane, and such beloved songs from my youth and childhood in our Methodist Episcopal Church . Singing in church choir was a highlight in high school as well. Such beautiful and moving hymns. My earliest memory as a 3 year old was the hymn Holy, holy, holy as the choir came from the back of the church and filed into the choir loft. The flood of memories brings tears!These were such lovely memories! Thank you for sharing all of these hymns with us today! Very great full!❤ Blessings!❤
I always l look forward to hearing youl play on Sunday afternoons ! Today was a real treat. Each Sunday I drive 70 miles one way to play for two worship services. One is Baptist and the other is Presbyterian. It is always great to hear other organists play. Thank you so much !
Further to the point about Cows in prior commentary, I was put in mind (belatedly) of the Edward Lear limerick, "How, -- shall I flee from this horrible Cow? / I will sit on this stile and continue to smile, / which may soften the heart of this Cow." (There is a typically simple but amusing drawing to accompany it.) Great idea to do the hymns, btw.
What a lovely surprise! Aside from the choice of beautiful hymns I enjoyed what I might call a few “Benbellishments” - little flourishes - at appropriately joyful moments. St Martins is a beautiful church with great acoustics. Thanks for an hour of blissful listening
We ha a lovely pipe organ in our Presbyterian Church in New Zealand. Sadly, our organists were retiring in short order. However the minister had a good idea! He brought a man over from the Anglican church in the next town west of us. The guy played so fast that we staunch Scots men and women couldn't keep up with him and enjoy our long hymns. So if we have a hymn with 8 lengthy verses, we are going to sing it all even if we're going to lose our voices. Because we don't want to miss out on any of it! He never got invited back again. Due to earthquake risk the church services were held in the hall, with a band, but it wasn't long after we all left in disgust at the minister that he moved it back into the church building. If there is ever a major earthquake up there, he will be in big trouble. I pray to God that never happens. Christchurch New Zealand suffered dreadfully with two major earthquakes one after the other. And yes, they were two different events.
Great Christian hymns on this Sunday evening (here in Northern Vermont, USA) during the Great Fall Jewish Feast of Tabernacles watching and waiting for Jesus' promised return. Ben, thank you and love to you.
So uplifting to hear all these wonderful hymns that we sang in our Church when I was growing up and continue, occasionally ,to sing them in our Baptist Church. Thank you Ben and continue to use your musical talent for the Glory of God.
Thank you Sir Ben for this excellent compilation. I love your quote: "To me, music is the most important thing on earth. It has the power to fill us with joy. To remind us of childhood days, days past of people we used to know, who we don't know anymore. But it's all in the spirit of hope." Well said, my good man. 🎹🎼🔔
It really does my heart good seeing and hearing young people who are following in the footsteps of great organists and playing on a path of their own. There is something extra special about hearing these great hymns played on great pipe organs. Thank you.
Dear Ben! Greetings from Connecticut, USA . Your selection of hymns are truly beautiful and heartwarming! I appreciate your thoughtful registrations from verse to verse of each hymn. It echoed the text of each verse, which tells me that your heart is relating to the text as well as the music. 😊🙏. As we await the sound of that trumpet for the rapture of Jesus’ bride it brings peace and joy that our faith in Jesus Christ can only bring. Much love to you and God bless you richly, Royden
Kipling's poem has been a favorite of mine since I first read it in high school, many decades ago. It's meaning is equally poignant and true for our daughters as for our sons. Thank you for this beautiful retelling of it, and for this wonderful organ music!
I just love your poetry readings. Such a rare event these days. Just wonderful. I look forward to you weekly visits to my "home" with much anticipation. I send PayPal, and my bank rejects it…..a problem i promise to solve!!! very best to you from Newport Rhode Island, Rob
This is some of the most sensitive organ-playing in the history of the world. Thank you! BTW, some versions of "How Great Thou Art" (an old Swedish hymn) end on an octave higher "A", try it some time!
Magasztos, fenséges himnuszok amelyeket Ben gyönyörűen játszott a művész lelkének tükrében. Ma van a születésnapom, de sajnos egyedül "ünnepeltem" mert elkaptam valamilyen vírus variánst. A nap végére Ben himnuszai ünnepivé varázsolták a szülinapomat. Köszönöm Ben áldásaid. " IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL" "ABIDE WITH" " NEARER MY GOD TO THE" God bless you!
This is a weekly, worth-waiting-for event, a gift of faith in this corner of Florida, and as a Roman Catholic, I hope Bishop Davies invites you to play in old RC churches too.
Thank you thank you Thank you for bringing back memories, reminding me that music soothes the soul. And for introducing us to England's village chuches on the Salisbury Plain, strolls through cemeteries and village lanes. Love your fold up camper. Your pump organ took me straight back to our village church in Ninga, Manitoba, a modest wooden church that is still used for services. From Ottawa, Ca.
Ben, I'm not sure whether you've encountered Bishop Andrew Rumsey in your travels (He has a small RU-vid channel -- I think fewer than 1K subscribers -- called Going to Ground) He's mentioned Salisbury, the "Chalkes," and other familiar places you've visited as being in his diocese. I think I would call him a Pastor/Poet, because when he speaks, poetry comes out -- whether intentional or not. Recently he posted on the celebration of Michealmas and the Feast of all Angels. He was strolling around an empty church (Russell Church), musing about the way buildings and sound go together, and commented: "[W]e come to feel that through music we feel that fading signal of hymns and songs sung past the centuries, the walls soaking in the sound -- almost as if -- if we were very quiet -- we would hear the saints humming along and singing from the graveyard and echoing back the sound that is faded away ...There's something in the words of hymns that still cuts through to our emotions..." He adds: "Church buildings are here to make visible what is otherwise invisible...to try and recreate in wood, stone, marble and glass the world unseen...a world intangible." Thanks for recognizing that, Ben.
Thank you.... You contribute to my weekly inspiration when I play for our services on my 70 rank Wicks/Walker English styled instrument across the 'pond' in America.
Ben - You are not only a gifted organist, not only in registration but phrasing, only to say a few things of your talents. Keep up the good work. Bill Simonds - 80 y.o. - Richmond, Virginia.
I've notice that your number of subscribers has grown by 400 in just the past month❤ The power of music and a kind and simple message of hope and optimism will do it.
This is so true. Ben is absolutely sincere and entertaining as well. I’m not particularly religious minded, but love the hymns of my youth, and totally enjoy visiting these wonderful ancient places of worship. Thanks Ben, for a lovely Sunday evening.
Good Sunday Afternoon Ben. This is a wonderful compilation of hymns we have all loved through the years. This takes me back 50 years to my own beginnings and falling in love with hymns and spiritual songs. There is nothing more relaxing or more uplifting than this. Thank You for 'The Old Rugged Cross'. Char
The amazing music you share with us is such a gift!! In this day and age of contention and stress it takes us to a much better place!! Thanks you so much!!
We love hearing your programs, the commentary, and the performances. Thanks for doing that. I just donated via paypal/credit card. I was a classical music announcer for 47 years, now retired.
The best way to spend a Sunday afternoon to relax .. Thank you for being you Ben .. The Lord gave you a gift .. And as I had a couple praise me for a hymn I sang .. " God gave you a gift and use it wisely, cause to glorify ,, cause He can take it away ..Peace to you !
I think God gave us a gift in Ben, one that reaches the furthest corners of the world. I've seen comments from various states of America, South Africa, New Zealand , Australia and if I recall correctly, Mexico (?) Ben's humility, whimsy and deep love of the Lord and his music and his ability to coax soul-touching melody from even the oldest and simplest organ is a joy we can all share.
Thank you Ben 🙏 I've saved this video so that I can play it (with the volume cranked up) on my new telly with soundbar whenever I want! 🎼🎵🎶🎹🙌👌 (I just wanted to add that I lost my mum this year and your beautiful music takes me to a place of quiet reflection 🫶🥹)
Thank you for this hour of the most memorable hymns I love, starting with my favorite, "Abide With Me." Some were to tunes that are different than the ones I am familiar with, and one I'd never heard before; "Be Still for the Presence of The Lord." All were beautiful. It hardly needs be said that your virtuosity is unmatched, and clearly speaks of the hours of work that you've put into these productions. Thank you again.
Thank you Ben these him are showing the humble faith of the writers and the music compliments the words that run through my mind as you play may the Lord bless you and these praises to him psalm 30, 1-12 peace of God.
"Thine be the glory" is actually Handel's "See the conquering hero come" from the oratorio "Judas Maccabaeus" a work composed to celebrate the victory of the duke of Cumberland over "Bonnie Prince Charlie" at the battle of Culloden in Scotland. In tune with the Jewish topic the music is actually based on the rhythm of Hebrew melodies.
While I love learning about the different churches in the country in England, an hour of hymns - what a great idea! Especially on a day where it was too cold for my truck to start, so I could not get into church. Your timing was perfect.
Thank you for a great celebration of traditional hymns. Regarding Bethany - Nearer my God to thee. As a subscriber to the Oecumuse catalogue in the 1990s I found "Improvisation on Nearer my God to Thee" by Karg Elert, and on the basis of the first page provided as a sample, I ordered it, only to discover that the rest of the piece was way beyond my limited technique. It would make a good challenge for an accomplished organist such as you.
Twice and a little more I've gone through this video, reflecting and writing. Just to conclude with: "Music is a carrier of Love wich gives sense to words and life for those of us who have (or had) covered our hearts with stones or armours to protect them against a hostile world instead of seeking the ashes of the Love God left for us to seek." (I could go on for hours writing about all you've allowed me to talk with God, but these words should sum it up). God Save the Music! - Dostoevsky has said: "Which beauty will save the world?" (DOSTOEVSKY, "The Idiot", Part 3, Chapter 5) And I think this beauty is Love, and This is what music brings to us.
I love all these hymns, probably Be Thou My Vision most of all. It surprised me that some of them were well known in the UK because they were staples in my southern US church when I was growing up.
Love hearing your music, on all the great instruments, but Im missing the relaxing dialogue, poetry and beatiful countryside. Its a comprehensive package of relaxation and goosebumps. Its not just the music........ You have a winner here, and its our way of chilling on a Sunday evening.........
Hi Ben as always uplifting and bringing back warm memories. Thank you so much How the world and Britain need this promise from God through your music. Trust in Him ❤
Dear Ben, Thank you very much for this episode. This will be my “ going to “ recording in future. In this recording, you have captured the richest and most lovely of the traditional church music that we cherish. Like fellow viewers, I have sang most of these in our local Methodist Church. Your love of music is shared by all of us. And as you so rightly said, it carries beautiful and precious memories. Kind regards D+W fm SA
