Watch: John Rutter composes a Prayer for Ukraine
NewsThe English devotional composer has reached out to the people of Ukraine with a new anthem, ‘Good Lord, protect Ukraine’.
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A shame that on his own admission he doesn’t believe in God.
A touch cynical? There are going to be an awful of these in the coming months – ‘Lament for Ukraine’ for string orchestra…easy, feel-good emotional uplift at no cost.
If you bother to do proper research into Rutter and how he actually thinks about God, the Church and liturgical music, you will find he is not cynical at all. And he is a lovely guy too. Was fortunate to work with him once.
http://www.bruceduffie.com/rutter
I had the privilege of transcribing this past interview for Bruce Duffie with John Rutter from WNIB Classical 97 in Chicago when he was there. I suggest you read it. Cynic? I don’t think so. There’s only one cynic around here. Wonder who it is, but it’s not John Rutter. I met him here two years ago, and have sung as soloist his Requiem and Magnificat many times. He was so generous with his time. He’s not just a successful composer, a good conductor and choir trainer but a lovely man. You may not like his music but that is not the point. It does not a religious person to write religious music. There are many composers who are aetheists who write and have written fantastic religious music, and they including Britten.
I agree I also know JR and he lives a very spiritual
Life
The untimely death of his son must have tested his faith
There is nothing to regret about his work or life
“I see no reason an atheist shouldn’t be able to write a good mass.”
–Ralph Vaughan Williams
Once again, John Rutter expresses in music what so many of us feel! Which leads me, once again, to wonder why Britain’s most popular classical composer has yet to receive his “gong”? As we learned from Slippedisc sometime ago, John Rutter is the most performed contemporary composer internationally* and from the “export” point of view alone he deserves it. On top of that, over the years, he has given an enormous amount to choral societies in this country and abroad without cost. Long live Sir John Rutter!!!
* Zinfonia’s most performed composers in 2019 were:#
1 John Rutter
2 Leonard Bernstein
3 Aaron Copland
4 George Gershwin
5 Ralph Vaughan Williams
6 Mack Wilberg
7 Benjamin Britten
8 Igor Stravinsky
9 Dmitri Shostakovich
10 Richard Strauss
John Rutter – a kind and gentle soul who has brought joy to millions through his compositions and music =making for almost sixty years. I see nothing but generosity in this response to the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine – certainly not cynicism!
Why should only ‘religious’ people or those who ‘believe in God’ need prayers?! It’s not an exclusive activity or need, come on folks!
And ‘a shame’ that ‘on his own admission’ etc – can’t believe the ignorance of such a statement. Step 1 open your mind!When things are desperate people reach for expressions & this is his!