Enhance your ceremony with beautiful choral music that’s appropriate for the occasion. The list below is designed to help you make an informed choice.
HOW TO BROWSE
Click any underlined title below to watch/listen. Times shown for each item are approximate.
4 or more singers a cappella (without organ accompaniment)
4a. Byrd, William (c.1540–1623) Sanctus or Agnus Dei from Mass for Four Voices sung in Latin (3:00)
4b. Gibbons, Orlando (1583–1625) Come, Holy Ghost, the maker, come! (1:00)
4c. Palestrina, Giovanni Pierluigi da (c.1525–1594) Sanctus or Agnus Dei from Missa Aeterna Christi Munera sung in Latin (3:00)
4d. Palestrina, Giovanni Pierluigi da (c.1525–1594) Sanctus (Holy Lord) from Missa Quarta, sung in Latin or English (3:10)
4e. Stone, Robert (1516–1613) Our father which art in heaven (The Lord’s Prayer) (1:20)
4f. Tallis, Thomas (c. 1505–1585) All people that on earth do dwell (2:00)
4g. Thiman, Eric (1900–1975) The souls of the righteous Introit (0:30)
6 or more singers a cappella (without organ accompaniment)
6a. Bourgeois, Louis (c.1510–1561) O strength and stay (arr Harris, Willam (1883–1973)) (3:50)
6b. Stanford, Charles Villiers (1852–1924) Beati quorum via (3:40)
8 or more singers a cappella (without organ accompaniment)
8a. Elgar, Edward (1857–1934) Nimrod (arr. Anderson) sung to the Latin text, Lux Aeterna (5:10)
8b. Holst, Gustav (1874–1934) Nunc Dimittis (Lord, let thy servant depart in peace) sung in Latin (3:10)
8c. Mendelssohn, Felix (1809–1847) Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen (The Lord has commanded his angels to watch over thee) sung in German or English (3:10)
8d. Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756–1791) Ave verum (arr. Anderson) sung in Latin or English (3:20)
8e. Purcell, Henry (1659–1695) Hear my prayer, O Lord (2:30)
8f. Vaughan Williams, Ralph (1872–1958) Valiant-for-Truth Text from John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, in which Mr Valiant-for-truth meditates on his own approaching death (4:50)
If your package includes an organist, then choose music for the appropriate number of singers from the lists above and below.
4 or more singers with organ
14a. Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685–1750) Jesus, joy of man’s desiring sung in English or German (3:20)
14b. Lloyd-Webber, William (1914–1982) Be still my soul (2:30)
14c. Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756–1791) Ave verum (arr. Anderson) sung in Latin or English (3:10)
14d. Rutter, John (1945–-) The Lord bless you and keep you (2:40)
14e. Steel, Christopher (1938–1991) Thou art the way, the truth, the light (with baritone solo) (3:20)
14f. Wesley, Samuel Sebastian (1810–1876) Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace (4:20)
14g. Wesley, Samuel Sebastian (1810–1876) Lead me, Lord (with soprano and alto solos) (2:50)
6 or more singers with organ
16a. Bourgeois, Louis (c.1510–1561) O strength and stay (arr Harris, Willam (1883–1973)) (3:50)
16b. Rutter, John (1945–-) Deep peace to you (A Gaelic Blessing) (2:00)
We hope that you have found this page useful and that it has been of assistance to you in choosing the best classical songs for a funeral.