At St Margaret’s we are blessed to welcome highly talented musicians to perform concerts for us. One of the more recent groups to do this is HeartEdge Manchester. This is a group of choral scholars from across Greater Manchester, led by Andrew Earis – the Director of Music at St Martin-in-the-Fields. You are probably aware that St Martin-in-the-Fields is a hub for music of all kinds, and Andrew Earis is internationally respected as a choral director. Having established a programme of Great Sacred Music concerts in London, performed by St Martin’s Voices, the natural progression was to establish something similar in the north west. And so, in the autumn of 2021 the first cohort of HeartEdge Manchester choral scholars was recruited. We missed that year’s round of Great Sacred Music concerts at St Margaret’s, but we were on the ‘tour list’ for Autumn 2022 and Spring 2023!
Tom and I are asked for a theme for our GSM concert, and we are sent the repertoire list – chosen by Andrew Earis. If I don’t know any of the music chosen then I google it. And that’s how I first heard Brad Nix’s “The Lord is my Light and my Salvation”. Picture the scene: there I was, sitting at my desk wearing headphones and listening to music whilst preparing programme notes. Suddenly I was gripped by the music, no longer working. Just listening and grinning.
On the day of the concert Tom and I usually arrive in time to hear the HeartEdge singers rehearse. There are many reasons for doing this, but on that particular day in January I really wanted to hear this piece sung live! The lyrics are:
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Oh I will rejoice, I will rejoice.
The Lord is my rock, a sure foundation.
Oh I will rejoice, I will rejoice. Alleluia!
With every breath I sing His praise,
With all my heart I seek His ways.
I will rejoice for all my days,
I will rejoice in the Lord!
The Lord is the hope of every nation.
Oh I will rejoice, I will rejoice.
The Lord is the light of all creation.
Oh I will rejoice, I will rejoice. Alleluia!
With every work I praise His name.
With every word I shout His fame.
With every song I will proclaim:
I will rejoice in the Lord!
The Lord God is faithful, His word is my sight.
My heart, always grateful, rejoices in His light.
His power and majesty, His wisdom and mystery
Are greater and higher, deeper and wider,
Reaching from the earth to heaven’s shore.
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Oh I will rejoice, I will rejoice.
The Lord is my rock, a sure foundation.
Oh I will rejoice, I will rejoice. Alleluia!
With every breath I sing His praise,
With all my heart I seek his ways.
I will rejoice for all my days,
I will rejoice in the Lord! Alleluia!
Musically, this piece begins very softly with a percussive ostinato rhythm in the tenors and bases: “Allelu, alleluia! Allelu, alleluia!” The sopranos and altos join in softly, but soon all voice parts build through a crescendo to a climax before the contrasting middle section (in italics above) which is softer and much more legato. Then there is a recapitulation of the opening section, with a spectacular conclusion.
Hopefully you will hear our own parish singers, Maggie’s Music Makers, sing this piece fairly soon. In the meantime, here is a recording for you to enjoy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfK2IGw57MY
Carol P
St Margaret's Church Prestwich 