Hymns

Looking ahead to ANZAC Day this week, with hymns including Abide with me and Shirley Murray’s Honour the dead. Audio

More Eastertide hymns today, including He is risen. The words, written by Cecil Frances Alexander in the 1840s, have been set to a tune by Dunedin composer and choral director Richard Madden. Audio

George Woodward's hymn This joyful Eastertide begins today's programme. George was a man of many talents: as well as writing hymns, he was a bell ringer, he played the cello and euphonium, and he was… Audio

Celebrate Easter Sunday with favourite Easter hymns, including Jesus Christ is risen today, Thine be the glory, and the New Zealand Easter hymn Christ is alive! Audio

Holy Week begins today - the sixth and final week of Lent. Palm Sunday commemorates the entry of Jesus in Jerusalem, and our hymns include Ride on, ride on in majesty and All glory, laud and honour. Audio

19th-century English architect James Edmeston wrote around 2000 hymns - it was said that he produced one every Sunday. We'll hear one of his best-known hymns this week: Lead us, heavenly Father, lead… Audio

It’s the Fourth Sunday in Lent, known as Laetare (‘rejoice’ in Latin) Sunday. Hymns include Praise, my soul, the king of heaven and the psalm paraphrase Praise God, for he is kind. And we remember New… Audio

This week, we’ve hymns that focus on peace, unity and consolation, including Make me a channel of your peace (The Prayer of St Francis), and Margaret Rizza’s In the Lord is my joy and salvation. Audio

This week, we've a hymn by Dunedin GP Nigel Eastgate; two different settings of Psalm 130 - Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; and a hymn from Hatea Kapa Haka: E kino koe te ingoa nei. Audio

In this week’s programme we’re marking the First Sunday in Lent, there’s a hymn written for Human Rights Day, and we get an insight into how American minister Robert Lowry wrote his hymns. Audio

There’s a reflective feel to this week’s selection of listener requests, with hymns including There is a balm in Gilead, Nearer my God to thee, and Margaret Rizza’s Prayer for Peace. Audio

It's all about descants today - those soaring vocal lines above the melody that are often sung on the final verse of hymns. Audio

There are sea-related hymns in this week’s programme of requests, including Eternal Father, strong to save (also known as ‘the Navy Hymn’) and Will your anchor hold in the storms of life. Audio

A memory of the Pope's visit to Cardiff in the 1980s, a favourite hymn from Bible Class days, and a dedication to a beloved grandfather: some of the inspirations behind this week's hymn requests. Audio

A gentle start to this week's hymn requests programme, with an arrangement of Eleanor Farjeon's Morning has broken sung by the Choir of Trinity College, University of Melbourne. Audio

One of the earliest surviving Christian hymns, a hymn to mark Epiphany, and St Francis of Assisi’s hymn All creatures of our God and king – all in this week’s programme of Summer Hymn Requests. Audio

Summer Hymn Requests begin today: for the next month or so, we’ll be playing your choices. Today’s programme includes Our life has its seasons by Shirley Murray, Charles Wesley’s hymn And can it be… Audio

A special edition of Hymns of Sunday for Christmas Day. Sing along to favourite carols including o come, all ye faithful, Angels we have heard on high, and Joy to the world. Video, Audio

Rejoice - it's Gaudete Sunday! Hymns for the Third Sunday in Advent include John Rutter's Angels' Carol, Rejoice! Rejoice at Christmas time by New Zealand hymn writer Bill Wallace and Tell out, my… Audio

In this week’s programme for the Second Sunday of Advent, we look towards Christmas with a carol by Shirley Murray and Jillian Bray; there’s an atmospheric recording in Westminster Abbey of Let all… Audio