Rest - Vaughan Williams - Tenebrae conducted by Nigel Short
Composed in 1902, this subdued hymn is a masterful setting of Christina Rosetti's 'Rest' by Ralph Vaughan Williams. It is a comforting depiction of a woman at peace in death, and paints a picture of the perfect stillness which surrounds her. This recording was filmed live at St Mary's Church, Ealing in March 2024.
Rest - Vaughan Williams - Tenebrae conducted by Nigel Short
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O Earth, lie heavily upon her eyes;
Seal her sweet eyes weary of watching, Earth;
Lie close around her; leave no room for mirth
With its harsh laughter, nor for sound of sighs.
She hath no questions, she hath no replies,
Hushed in and curtained with a blessed dearth
Of all that irked her from the hour of birth;
With stillness that is almost Paradise.
Darkness more clear than noon-day holdeth her,
Silence more musical than any song;
Even her very heart has ceased to stir:
Until the morning of Eternity
Her rest shall not begin nor end, but be;
And when she wakes she will not think it long.
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Tenebrae Choir
Sopranos: Isabella Gibber, Hannah King, Laura Newey, Áine Smith, Rosanna Wicks
Altos: Amy Blythe, Hannah Cooke, Eleanor Minney, Elisabeth Paul, Anna Semple
Tenors: Jeremy Budd, Jack Granby, Hamish MacGregor, Joseph Wicks
Basses: Joseph Edwards, Simon Grant, Jimmy Holliday, Owain Park, Jonathan Pratt
Director: Nigel Short
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