Hymn to the Lord of Light - a commission for the choirs of Salford Cathedral
As part of our Inclusive Hymn Project we wanted to find a way to celebrate and give space to the voice of the Chinese community living in the UK
This was a wonderfully creative project which brought together our Project Partner, Salford Cathedral; representatives of the Chinese community living in the UK led by Revd Mark Nam of The Tea House; writer and ordinand (now ordained) Kenson Li; composer Litang Kiko Shao, and internationally acclaimed guzheng player Zi Lian Liao.
The commission was supported financially by the Postlethwaite Music Foundation, with further funding provided by private donation.
Kenson drew inspiration for his hymn from the vivid imagery and key concepts in the text of the Stele, in particular ‘the notion of humans as pilgrims on a raft or boat, a metaphor that resonates in both Western Christian mysticism and traditional Chinese thought.’
Following guidance from The Tea House, a network which supports Chinese-heritage clergy in the Church of England, Kenson Li (a priest in training) wrote the words for the hymn, basing them on the English translation by the theologian and sinologist Martin Palmer of an ancient Chinese monument, the Xi’an Stele, first erected in 781 CE, which chronicles 150 years of early Christianity in China.
Watch this video to learn more about the Guzheng
Kiko’s music incorporated the pentatonic scale as its primary pitch material, bringing a distinctly Chinese flavour to the music. One of the highlighted instrumental features of the piece is the use of the guzheng, a traditional Chinese plucked string instrument with over 2,500 years of history. Kiko explained that ‘the instrument’s resonant timbre, expressive glissandi and delicate ornamentations add unique characters to the choral texture, intertwining the voices with the rich sonorities of Chinese classical and folk traditions.’
We were thrilled that the internationally-acclaimed Guzheng player and cultural ambassador, Zi Lan Liao, was available to accompany the choir at the world premiere at the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus in Manchester on 1st March 2025. Zi Lan studied at the Royal Academy of Music and is renowned for her ability to bridge traditional Chinese music with contemporary and cross-cultural innovations.
The world premiere was performed by Salford Cathedral Choirs, directed by Alex Patterson, at the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus in Manchester on 1st March 2025. We are indebted to Alex for allowing us the freedom to explore this innovative project with his choirs, and we hope to continue this association with Salford Cathedral in the future.