Be Thou My Vision

Slight improvisation on the hymn tune 'Be Thou My Vision' - sometimes because I forgot the actual melody so just had to make something up quick, other times intentional - you'll probably work out which bits are which!

All three manuals are heard in turn. Foundation stops mainly of flute/soft voices. Later 4 foots and 2 foots are added and then the enclosed Bassoon 16 foot to the pedals.

In the second verse, it turns out that when you start going up the keyboard, the Cor de Nuit suddenly loses volume and power.

This hymn is special to me. 4 months or so into my training to play the organ in 2005 my church needed someone to play the organ. Being the only one about they decided I could play... but I had to choose the hymn.

Then they said they also wanted me to give a talk on its origins and its meaning! Well, I couldn't play many hymns back then and it was a toss up between Before the Throne of God Above and this hymn. I chose this hymn in the end and it became my first time playing to a congregation. I felt more nervous about the talk than playing - I was perfectly calm and at peace when I sat on the bench.

I can never reach that same level of calmness before playing as I did that first time.