Feast of St. George, patron saint of knighthood

Faire is the heaven where happy soules have place
In full enjoyment of felicitie;
Whence they do still behold the glorious face
Of the Divine, Eternall Majestie;

Yet farre more faire be those bright Cherubins
Which all with golden wings are overdight.
And those eternall burning Seraphins
Which from their faces dart out fiery light;

Yet fairer than they both and much more bright
Be the Angels and Archangels
Which attend on God's owne person without rest or end.
These then in faire each other farre excelling
As to the Highest they approach more neare,
Yet is that Highest farre beyond all telling

Fairer than all the rest which there appeare
Though all their beauties joynd together were;
How then can mortal tongue hope to expresse

The image of such endlesse perfectnesse?

Subsequent to holding posts as organist at Lichfield, New College and Christ Church Oxford, composer William Harris went on to become organist and Director of Music at St George’s Chapel, Windsor from 1933. In that post he conducted the music for two coronations and was involved in teaching Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret madrigals in the Red Drawing Room of Windsor Castle every Monday when they lived there throughout the wartime period. At these gatherings the two princesses were joined by senior choristers from St George’s with the lower parts sung by a mix of Etonians, Grenadier Guards and members of the Windsor and Eton Choral Society. One can only imagine much merriment was had at such gatherings and wonder whether our current monarch, back at Windsor Castle now, again as a place of shelter, currently dwells on such evenings from the past!