Conversation with Cheryl Frances-Hoad and Anthem 8 - Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit

Welcome to Anthem 8 in my attempt to write a new choir anthem every week for a year. I’m Kevin Mulryne and I hope you will enjoy listening to my progress throughout 2024. Please do visit the website Anthem52.com, follow along on x.com - @realanthem52 or instagram @realanthem52 and send me a message to show@anthem52.com.

I’m delighted to say that I managed (despite a few technical difficulties) to speak to Cheryl Fraces-Hoad this week for my first Anthem 52 interview. As you’ll hear in a few minutes’ time, Cheryl was generous and open about her process and thoughts on composition. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did - which is a lot!

Before that, though, I completed anthem 8 after another stop-start week. Initially, I wanted to set part of another psalm for the beginning of Lent but I couldn’t find a passage in the Church of England Lectionary which would work. So I decided to trust in the abilities of Google and typed in ‘ancient lent prayers’. I soon found a prayer from St Augustine of Hippo - possibly the best name of any saint - and noticed his dates were 354-430 AD - probably out of copyright, then. Here are the words:

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Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.

Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy.

Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I may love only what is holy.

Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, that I may defend all that is holy.

Guard me, O Holy Spirit, that I myself may always be holy.

Amen.

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