Hear my words, ye people

Welcome to Hyperion Records, an independent British classical label devoted to presenting high-quality recordings of music of all styles and from all periods from the twelfth century to the twenty-first.

Hyperion offers both CDs, and downloads in a number of formats. The site is also available in several languages.

Please use the dropdown buttons to set your preferred options, or use the checkbox to accept the defaults.

Don't show me this message again

composer

Sir Hubert Parry (1848-1918)

1894; for the Festival of the Salisbury Diocesan Choral Association; first performed on 10 May 1894 with organ and brass accompaniment

arranger

Grayston Ives (b1948)

brass arrangement

author of text

Bible

verses from Job & Isaiah

author of text

Henry Williams Baker (1821-1877)

Psalm 150 (metrical setting)

Introduction
English

The anthem Hear my words, ye people was written for the Festival of the Salisbury Diocesan Choral Association in 1894. Drawing on texts from Job, Isaiah and the Psalms, Parry concluded the anthem with Sir Henry Baker’s words ‘O praise ye the Lord, praise him in the height’, a paraphrase of Psalm 150, which first appeared as a hymn in the second edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern in 1875, though with a tune by Henry Gauntlett. Parry’s well-known tune, LAUDATE DOMINUM, became associated with the hymn when it was published sometime later, in 1915. Continuing in the tradition of those large-scale verse-anthem models of S S Wesley and Stainer, the choral fabric of Hear my words is interspersed with two extensive ‘verses’, the first for solo bass (‘Clouds and darkness are round about him’), the second, more penitent in mood, for solo soprano (‘He delivered the poor in his affliction’), here sung by trebles alone. The choral portion was also conceived for two contrasting bodies of singers, the larger one of 2,000 singers in which the music is deliberately less complex, and a semi-chorus of 400 voices where the choral writing is more demanding. Much of the accompaniment to the anthem is provided by the organ, which has a major role to play in the symphonic introduction and the support for the soloists, but at the first performance on 10 May 1894 the organist, Charles Frederick South, was joined by the band of the Royal Marines from Portsmouth whose presence can be felt not only in the grandiloquent conclusion, but also in moments of awe-inspiring splendour (notably the bracing ritornello ‘The Lord’s seat is in heaven’). Parry’s original scoring for brass, organ and timpani has, since then, remained largely forgotten, so in this recording we have the opportunity to experience something of its original conception (in an arrangement by Grayston Ives, after the edition by Jeremy Dibble from Parry’s autograph score in the Royal College of Music).

Recordings

A Festival of Psalms

Temple Church Choir, James Vivian (conductor)

SIGCD279Download only

An exploration of the themes conveyed by the Old Testament—strife and joy, prayer and praise—as interpreted by composers over the course of four and a half centuries—with music by Allegri, Bernstein, Byrd, Parry, Purcell and Wesley» More

English Hymn Anthems

King's College Choir Cambridge, Sir Stephen Cleobury (conductor)

Studio Master: KGS0004Download onlyStudio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

This album contains anthems based on hymn tunes from the Anglican choral tradition. It continues the Choir’s active commitment to expanding the popular understanding of choral repertoire through original research and recording.» More

Evensong Live 2015

King's College Choir Cambridge, Sir Stephen Cleobury (conductor)

Studio Master: KGS0011Download onlyStudio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

A generous cross section of the music-making that happens at King’s, capturing the atmosphere and acoustic of the Chapel and presenting Evensong as a living and breathing part of our national heritage.» More

Hear my words

Eton College Chapel Choir, Ralph Allwood (conductor), David Goode (organ)

SIGCD115Download only

'Hear my words ye people' by Hubert Parry, a former chorister at Eton College is the first track on the album featuring some of the bestloved anthems in the church repertoire, beautifully performed by the Eton College Chapel Choir.» More

Parry: I was glad & other choral works

Westminster Abbey Choir, James O'Donnell (conductor), Daniel Cook (organ)

Studio Master: CDA68089Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

Music that is part of the English psyche, and who better to rejoice in it than Westminster Abbey Choir?» More

Parry: Sacred choral music

St George's Chapel Choir Windsor, Christopher Robinson (conductor)

CDA66273Archive Service

‘A fine recital’ (Gramophone)» More

The English Anthem, Vol. 4

St Paul's Cathedral Choir, John Scott (conductor)

CDA66678Archive Service

‘The choir sing with their customary splendour and assurance’ (Gramophone)» More

Details

St George's Chapel Choir Windsor, Christopher Robinson (conductor)

Track 10 on CDA66273 [15'13] Archive Service

Hear my words, ye people, give ear
unto me all ye that have knowledge.
Let us choose to us judgement,
let us know among ourselves what is good.
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any,
He is mighty in strength and in wisdom.
Behold, He is great, and we know Him not,
neither can the number of His years be searched out.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven.
Clouds and darkness are round about Him,
Righteousness and judgement are the habitation of His seat.
He decketh Himself with light as with a garment,
and spreadeth out the heavens like a curtain.

He layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters,
and maketh the clouds His chariots,
and walketh upon the wings of the wind.
He bowed the heavens, and came down,
and it was dark under His feet.
He rode on the Cherubim, and did fly,
and came flying upon the wings of the wind.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven, His kingdom ruleth over all.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on them that fear Him,
and upon them that put their trust in His mercy.
To deliver their soul from death,
and to feed them in a time of dearth,
Our soul hath patiently tarried for the Lord,
For he is our help and our shield.
He delivered the poor in his affliction,
the fatherless and him that hath none to help him.
He shall bind up the broken hearted,
and proclaim liberty to the captive,
and comfort to those that mourn.
He shall give them beauty for ashes;
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud,
and as the garden causeth things that are sown
to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness
and peace to spring forth before all nations.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,
He hath not dealt with us after our sins,
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness,
for look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth,
so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him:
Look how wide also the east is from the west,
so far hath He set our sins from us.

O praise ye the Lord, praise Him in the height;
Rejoice in His word! Ye Angels of Light!
Ye Heavens adore Him by whom ye were made,
And Worship before Him in brightness arrayed

O praise ye the Lord, praise him upon earth,
In tuneful accord, ye sons of new birth,
Praise Him who hath brought you His grace from above,
Praise Him who hath taught you to sing of His Love.

O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song,
To him be outpoured all ages along;
For love in creation, for Heaven restored,
For grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord. Amen.

St Paul's Cathedral Choir, John Scott (conductor), Andrew Lucas (organ)

Track 13 on CDA66678 [16'40] Archive Service

O praise ye the Lord, praise Him in the height;
Rejoice in His word! Ye Angels of Light!
Ye Heavens adore Him by whom ye were made,
And Worship before Him in brightness arrayed

O praise ye the Lord, praise him upon earth,
In tuneful accord, ye sons of new birth,
Praise Him who hath brought you His grace from above,
Praise Him who hath taught you to sing of His Love.

O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song,
To him be outpoured all ages along;
For love in creation, for Heaven restored,
For grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord. Amen.

Onyx Brass, Westminster Abbey Choir, James O'Donnell (conductor), Daniel Cook (organ), Jonathan Brown (bass)

Track 4 on CDA68089 [15'30]

Clouds and darkness are round about him,
Righteousness and judgement are the habitation of his seat.
He decketh himself with light as with a garment,
and spreadeth out the heavens like a curtain.

He layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters,
and maketh the clouds his chariot,
and walketh upon the wings of the wind.
He bowed the heavens, and came down,
and it was dark under his feet.
He rode on the Cherubim, and did fly,
and came flying upon the wings of the wind.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven, his kingdom ruleth over all.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on them that fear him,
and upon them that put their trust in his mercy,
to deliver their soul from death,
and to feed them in the time of dearth.
Our soul hath patiently tarried for the Lord,
for he is our help and our shield.

He delivered the poor in his affliction,
the fatherless and him that hath none to help him.
He shall bind up the broken hearted,
and proclaim liberty to the captives,
and comfort to those that mourn.
He shall give them beauty for ashes;
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud,
and as the garden causeth things that are sown
to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness
and peace to spring forth before all nations.

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,
he hath not dealt with us after our sins,
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness,
for look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth,
so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
Look how wide also the east is from the west,
so far hath he set our sins from us.

O praise ye the Lord, praise him in the height;
Rejoice in his word! Ye Angels of Light!
Ye Heavens adore him by whom ye were made,
And Worship before him in brightness arrayed.

O praise ye the Lord, praise him upon earth,
In tuneful accord, ye sons of new birth,
Praise him who hath brought you his grace from above,
Praise him who hath taught you to sing of his Love.

O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song,
To him be outpoured all ages along;
For love in creation, for Heaven restored,
For grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord. Amen.

Daniel D'Souza (bass), Tom Pickard (treble), King's College Choir Cambridge, Sir Stephen Cleobury (conductor), Douglas Tang (organ)

Track 1 on KGS0004 [14'42] Download only

O praise ye the Lord, praise Him in the height;
Rejoice in His word! Ye Angels of Light!
Ye Heavens adore Him by whom ye were made,
And Worship before Him in brightness arrayed

O praise ye the Lord, praise him upon earth,
In tuneful accord, ye sons of new birth,
Praise Him who hath brought you His grace from above,
Praise Him who hath taught you to sing of His Love.

O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song,
To him be outpoured all ages along;
For love in creation, for Heaven restored,
For grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord. Amen.

Daniel D'Souza (bass), King's College Choir Cambridge, Sir Stephen Cleobury (conductor), Douglas Tang (organ)

Track 11 on KGS0011 [14'35] Download only

O praise ye the Lord, praise Him in the height;
Rejoice in His word! Ye Angels of Light!
Ye Heavens adore Him by whom ye were made,
And Worship before Him in brightness arrayed

O praise ye the Lord, praise him upon earth,
In tuneful accord, ye sons of new birth,
Praise Him who hath brought you His grace from above,
Praise Him who hath taught you to sing of His Love.

O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song,
To him be outpoured all ages along;
For love in creation, for Heaven restored,
For grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord. Amen.

Eton College Chapel Choir, Ralph Allwood (conductor), David Goode (organ), Alex Jones (bass)

Track 1 on SIGCD115 [15'03] Download only

O praise ye the Lord, praise Him in the height;
Rejoice in His word! Ye Angels of Light!
Ye Heavens adore Him by whom ye were made,
And Worship before Him in brightness arrayed

O praise ye the Lord, praise him upon earth,
In tuneful accord, ye sons of new birth,
Praise Him who hath brought you His grace from above,
Praise Him who hath taught you to sing of His Love.

O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song,
To him be outpoured all ages along;
For love in creation, for Heaven restored,
For grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord. Amen.

Temple Church Choir, James Vivian (conductor), Greg Morris (organ)

Track 8 on SIGCD279 [15'14] Download only

O praise ye the Lord, praise Him in the height;
Rejoice in His word! Ye Angels of Light!
Ye Heavens adore Him by whom ye were made,
And Worship before Him in brightness arrayed

O praise ye the Lord, praise him upon earth,
In tuneful accord, ye sons of new birth,
Praise Him who hath brought you His grace from above,
Praise Him who hath taught you to sing of His Love.

O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song,
To him be outpoured all ages along;
For love in creation, for Heaven restored,
For grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord. Amen.

Track-specific metadata

Click track numbers above to select

[Return to top of page]