"Angel Voices, Ever Singing" is an English Christian hymn. It was written in 1861 by the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...

vicar Francis Pott (1832–1909). It was written for the dedication of an organ.

History

The hymn's words were written by Francis Pott. Pott was invited by

William Macrorie The Rt Revd William Kenneth Macrorie (1831–1905) was bishop of Maritzburg, while John Colenso was bishop of the Diocese of Natal. Macrorie was born at Liverpool on 8 February 1831, was eldest son of David Macrorie, a Liverpool physician, by h ...

, the future Bishop of Maritzburg in what would become

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

, to compose a hymn to commemorate the installation and dedication of a new organ at St John's Church in Lancashire. Pott wrote it at Brasenose College in

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...

. Pott set the hymn to the newly written tune called "Angel Voices" by his friend

Edwin George Monk Edwin George Monk (13 December 1819 – 3 January 1900), English church organist and composer, who was Organist and Master of Choristers at York Minster for a quarter of a century, and was previously associated with St Columba's and Radley Col ...

as they collaborated to create "Angel Voices, Ever Singing". It was originally titled "For the Dedication of an Organ or for a Meeting of Choirs". Pott then published "Angel Voices, Ever Singing" in 1866 in his ''Hymns fitted to the Order of Common Prayer'' hymnal. The hymn eventually gained popularity in the United Kingdom and in the United States. In 1872,

Arthur Sullivan Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (13 May 1842 – 22 November 1900) was an English composer. He is best known for 14 comic opera, operatic Gilbert and Sullivan, collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, including ''H.M.S. Pinaf ...

wrote a separate tune, which was also called "Angel Voices" for the hymn. Though it gained popularity in the United States and was published with it, Pott did not like Sullivan's tune and banned it from being published alongside his words. He stated "I am afraid that some of its popularity arose from Sullivan having, contrary to my desire, set it in ''The Hymnary'' to a pretty, trivial but altogether unfit tune of his own – which caught the ear of people who did not trouble themselves to see that the hymn was of quite another character. In giving permission since for the printing of the hymn I have always made it a condition that Sullivan’s tune shall not be in any way referred to". Due to Pott's ban of Sullivan's tune being published with the words, "Angel Voices, Ever Singing" has predominantly been played using Monk's "Angel Voices" tune up to the 21st century. It is the 589th hymn in '' Hymns Ancient and Modern''.

References

{{Reflist

External links

''Songs of Praise''
1861 compositions English Christian hymns Brasenose College, Oxford Music in Oxford Christianity in Oxford