The Last Supper

An apt following from The Lamb, on Youtube, is this video and choral music from The Last Supper (the Passion of Christ). I cannot see which choir is singing, but it is beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLBC64AB4635ECD7D2&feature=player_detailpage&v=ngwAn-V0bDQ

The Lamb

The Lamb

   Little lamb, who made thee?
   Does thou know who made thee,
Gave thee life, and bid thee feed
By the stream and o’er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing, woolly, bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice?
   Little lamb, who made thee?
   Does thou know who made thee?

   Little lamb, I’ll tell thee;
   Little lamb, I’ll tell thee:
He is callèd by thy name,
For He calls Himself a Lamb.
He is meek, and He is mild,
He became a little child.
I a child, and thou a lamb,
We are callèd by His name.
   Little lamb, God bless thee!
   Little lamb, God bless thee!

William Blake, 1794

 The Lamb  (Songs of Innocence and Experience) was intended to be sung; William Blake's original melody is now lost. It was made into a song by Vaughan Williams. It was also set to music by Sir John Tavener, who explained, "The Lamb came to me fully grown and was written in an afternoon and dedicated to my nephew Simon for his 3rd birthday." American poet Allen Ginsberg set the poem to music, along with several other of Blake's poems.


The lamb is a common metaphor for Jesus Christ, who is also called the "The Lamb of God" in John 1:29.

I've never been a great listener of Jamie Cullum, but as usual, Radio 4 does the job by teaching me something new yet again. I'm sad to say I was completely ignorant of The Lamb, before yesterdays' Desert Island Discs, either as the William Blake poem or as the subliminal psalm written by John Tavener (1944, not to be confused with John Taverner, born in the 15th Century, spookily both being composers of religious music).

 Jamie's mother sang at church, and would take young Jamie in the car practicing this piece on the way...what a fantastic experience this must have been. I don't think my kids would appreciate me trying the same thing somehow, sadly being completely out of tune no matter what.

Youtube has lots of brilliant versions, but the most electrifying one for me is the Tenebrae Choir. I would like to sit in a darkened chapel with lots of candles and hear the choir sing this, but am very happy with the download too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLBC64AB4635ECD7D2&feature=player_detailpage&v=h-mSmEfLmZc