Burgon's The song of the creatures was commissioned for the Choir of St Matthew’s Church, Northampton. He composed it in 1987 and it received its first performance on 21st September 1987 by Choir of St Matthew’s conducted by Andrew Shenton. Burgon's text which you'll see referred to as both 'The song of the creatures' and 'The Lauds of the creatures' is a settting of the canticle 'The Canticle of The Sun' attributed to St Francis of Assisi. Burgon's tight and elegant setting provides a wonderful frame for the there isn't an extraneous note to be found. The song itself is supposed to have been written by Francis of Assisi at Saint Damiano it compares a blind man's certainty in the existence of the sun he cannot see with faith in God's existence and praise for creation. This performance by the Wells Cathedral Choir conducted by Matthew Owens was recorded in Wells Cathedral on February 23rd 2006. The performers were:
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