The Lord's Prayer

Richard Hill’s powerful new setting of The Lord’s Prayer brings to life a strikingly original musical vision: an antiphonal call-and-response between two choirs—one singing in ancient Anglo-Saxon (Old English), the other in modern English. This dramatic musical conversation spans a thousand years, evoking the voice of history while celebrating enduring spiritual faith.

The inspiration behind this work lies in the remarkable courage of Bishop Wulfstan of Worcester, a rare figure who survived the Norman Conquest of 1066. While most Anglo-Saxon leaders were swept aside after the Battle of Hastings, Wulfstan’s deep popularity and spiritual authority allowed him to preserve key elements of the Anglo-Saxon religious tradition under Norman rule. His legacy echoes in this composition, which pays homage to the resilience of a people and their language in the face of upheaval.

By setting this universally known 2,000-year-old prayer in both its ancient and modern forms, the music becomes more than a performance—it becomes a time-travelling tribute to the faith of our spiritual ancestors. The voices, separated by centuries, merge to form a unified expression of devotion that transcends language, era, and culture.