From the Organist & Choirmaster

This Sunday, the choir will sing “O Taste and See” by the English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, a brief but deeply poignant anthem that many will recognize from a moment of profound significance: it was sung during the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, and again at her state funeral in 2022. Though only a minute or two in length, the piece is a musical jewel that offers much to savor.

Composed late in Vaughan Williams’ life, “O Taste and See” sets a single verse from Psalm 34:

O taste and see how gracious the Lord is: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

The music mirrors the intimacy of the text, gentle, lyrical, and personal. Written for a soprano soloist and choir, it opens with a tender melodic line that seems to invite the listener to prayer. The harmonic language, while simple on the surface, is characteristically rich and nuanced, evoking a quiet sense of awe and spiritual trust.

Vaughan Williams, often associated with large-scale orchestral and choral works, shows her his remarkable ability to express the profound in the smallest frame. His deep love for English hymnody and folk melody comes through clearly in the contours of the line, yet the is not rustic tune, it is refined and quietly radiant.

As we sing this anthem during communion, its invitation becomes all the more powerful. The words and music together invite us to sacramental reflection: we are not merely told about God’s goodness; we are beckoned to experience it ourselves, to taste and see.