Song of the Day - 26th June

Today's Song of the Day is seasonally out of sync, but I wanted to share the latest recording I have received from one of my partner Beta choirs. 

Maundy Thursday, set to a poem by Christina Rossetti, was recorded by the Cathures Chamber Choir on Tuesday 17th June 2025 as part of WestFest, Glasgow's biggest cultural and community festival.

When Cathures first approached me to be part of the Beta testing they explained that their summer concert, called "Windows of Wonder", was to be held at Kelvinside Hillhead Parish Church, Glasgow, and that the songs were to be relevant to the beautiful stained glass windows in the church. Together, we chose the song Maundy Thursday with its reference to Jesus as "The Great Vine" because of the window described on the church's website as: "Jesus turning water into wine at the marriage in Cana (by Cottier, 1893). Appropriately, the background is of vines and grapes."

The windows appear as the first image in the compilation I have put together in the video below.

I was very surprised, when I received a copy of the programme, to find that this choir consists of only 20 members. The sound they have produced is fantastic! Special thanks go to Musical Director Michael Cameron-Longden. I have deliberately been light with the dynamic and expressive direction in my pieces so as to allow the musical director to put their own interpretation on the music, and he has done an amazing job!

My huge thanks go to all the choir members and especially well done to the basses, who have a very low part to sing in "Will not have this thing" - listen out for it - it will give you chills!

Maundy Thursday

By Christina Georgina Rossetti

The great Vine left its glory to reign as Forest King.

" Nay, " quoth the lofty forest trees, " we will not have this thing;

We will not have this supple one enring us with its ring.

Lo, from immemorial time our might towers shadowing:

Not we were born to curve and droop, not we to climb and cling:

We buffet back the buffeting wind, tough to its buffeting:

We screen great beasts, the wild fowl build in our heads and sing,

Every bird of every feather from off our tops takes wing:

I a king, and thou a king, and what king shall be our king? "

Nevertheless the great Vine stooped to be the Forest King,

While the forest swayed and murmured like seas that are tempesting:

Stooped and drooped with thousand tendrils in thirsty languishing;

Bowed to earth and lay on earth for earth's replenishing;

Put off sweetness, tasted bitterness, endured time's fashioning;

Put off life and put on death: and lo! it was all to bring

All its fellows down to a death which hath lost the sting,

All its fellows up to a life in endless triumphing, —

I a king, and thou a king, and this King to be our King.