Bards of Faith and Passion
Jim Minchin sets poems by writers at play or at odds with eternity: soul-poet lyrics across the centuries, from anonymous Latin verse and the metaphysicals to Yeats, Shakespeare and living voices.
Jennifer Bryce vocals
5+Friends ensemble
Margaret Haggart soprano
Fay White vocals
Rose Bharati Vaitinathan vocals
Chan Ming Lye vocals
Karl Dorning vocals
Sidaislers ensemble
Sylvia Dunstan songwriter
John Donne songwriter
George Herbert songwriter
Lee Tzu Pheng songwriter
Jim Minchin songwriter
William Butler Yeats songwriter
Wendy Poussard songwriter
Brian Wren songwriter
William Shakespeare songwriter
Like playful, thoughtful lyrics? Sweet, serious or sly songs? Words by John Donne, George Herbert, William Shakespeare and other poets of heart and soul, with music by Jim Minchin.
This anthology gathers his settings of soul poets across the centuries – from anonymous Latin verse and the metaphysical sonnets of Donne and Herbert to Yeats, Shakespeare, and contemporary writers including Lee Tzu Pheng, Wendy Poussard, Sylvia Dunstan and Brian Wren. Friends of the Melbourne priest-composer perform them, drawn from recordings made between 1969 and 2016.
Artists
Jim Minchin
James Blundell “Jim” Minchin (b. 1942) is an Australian composer and Anglican priest whose jazz-inflected hymn settings helped renew church music in the 1960s, and who later wrote songs to contemporary texts for worship and beyond.
John Donne
John Donne’s poems move between erotic wit and hard-won faith, built from paradox, abrupt openings and metaphysical conceit. On these recordings his words are set anew for singing, devotion and reflection.
George Herbert
George Herbert’s sacred lyrics speak with plain force and metaphysical wit to the soul’s traffic with God. Shaped as altars and wings on the page, they have drawn composers for centuries and still ring out as hymns and art songs of rare intimacy.
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare's sonnets and the songs embedded in his plays remain living lyric for composers. On these recordings his words surface in art song, lieder and choral settings that still carry love, wit, jealousy and foolery.
Tracks
- O Holy Spirit Latin 9th Century Jim Minchin (Anonymous) 3:01
- Christus paradox Jim Minchin Sylvia Dunstan 2:39
- Batter my heart Holy Sonnets XIV Jim Minchin John Donne 2:13
- I got me flowers 'The Temple' Jim Minchin George Herbert 2:50
- Psalm 42: Like the deer that yearns Jim Minchin (Grail) 3:08
- Knowing that time withers Jim Minchin Lee Tzu Pheng 3:43
- Marriage song Cana Tuesday Jim Minchin Jim Minchin 2:43
- The stranger Jim Minchin Lee Tzu Pheng 2:40
- Running to Paradise Jim Minchin William Butler Yeats 1:52
- Dance there parts I & II Jim Minchin William Butler Yeats 2:32
- Universe inside me Jim Minchin Wendy Poussard 2:38
- Here hangs a man discarded Jim Minchin Brian Wren 2:29
- The Seed Jim Minchin Lee Tzu Pheng 3:46
- A kind of kingdom Jim Minchin Wendy Poussard 3:53
- Strangers Jim Minchin Wendy Poussard 3:14
- Hymn to God my God in my Sickness Divine Poems Jim Minchin John Donne 4:02
- Hymn to God the Father Divine Poems Jim Minchin John Donne 3:00
- Come away, death Twelfth Night Act 1 Scene 5 Jim Minchin William Shakespeare 2:09
- Death be not proud Holy Sonnets X Jim Minchin John Donne 3:06
- King of glory Jim Minchin George Herbert 2:45
- Rainbow song Jim Minchin Wendy Poussard 2:26
Performers
- Lyndon Green · tracks 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 12, 16–19
- Jennifer Bryce · tracks 1, 4, 16, 17 and 19
- 5+Friends · tracks 2, 14 and 15
- Margaret Haggart · tracks 5, 10 and 20
- Fay White · tracks 6, 11, 13 and 21
- Rose Bharati Vaitinathan · track 9
- Chan Ming Lye · track 10
- Karl Dorning · tracks 2, 14 and 15
- Sidaislers · track 9
Composers
Brian Wren
Brian Wren writes hymn texts that treat congregational song as poetry and theology. His lyrics, shaped by inclusive language and careful image, appear in hymnals across Christian traditions and on recordings of worship song.
Where to listen
Bards of Faith and Passion is available for streaming through Apple Music. It can also be purchased through the iTunes Music Store.
Bards of Faith and Passion is available as a CD. It can be purchased online through Buywell Music or the Australian Music Centre which both offer online ordering.
Product details
- Catalogue number
- MD 3152
- List price
- $25.00 AUD
- Total playing time
- 60 minutes 49 seconds
- Mastering Engineer
- Martin Wright
- Release date
- 15 Jan 2026
- Musical work
copyright - © 2016 Jim Minchin
- Sound recording
copyright - ℗ 2016 Move Records
- Categories
- Australian, Vocal
- Genres
- Vocal & Opera, Contemporary Classical, Choral & Sacred
- Barcode
- EAN 8721465437553
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