Welcome, Sweet and Sacred Feast

This is one of Finzi’s outstanding choral pieces. More straight-forward (and shorter) than the better-known Lo, the full, final sacrifice with which it shares an Eucharistic theme, this piece will serve as an ideal introduction to Finzi’s more extended choral works with organ. It contains some of Finzi’s most impressive word setting in this medium and a good deal of variety and colour. The moment of arrival at the words O rose of Sharon! O the lily of the valley! near the end is most affecting.