Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet cover

Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet

Released

One of the oddest, most beautiful, and most deeply moving compositions of Gavin Bryars’ oeuvre is this piece, which is built on a field recording of a homeless man singing a few lines of the gospel song “Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet.” The vocal recording is looped, and on each repetition a string ensemble plays a slightly different accompaniment. The back story to this composition is worth seeking out, but even if you know nothing about its genesis, the music is utterly entrancing.

Rick Anderson

Recommended by

Suggestions
Encounter cover

Encounter

Igor Levit
The Butterfly cover

The Butterfly

Martin Hayes, Brooklyn Rider
Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians cover

Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians

Ensemble Signal, Bradley Lubman, Steve Reich
Light Eternal – The Choral Music of Morten Lauridsen cover

Light Eternal – The Choral Music of Morten Lauridsen

I Virtuosi Italiani, Chamber Choir of Europe, Nicol Matt
Playtime 2050 cover

Playtime 2050

Nick Sanders Trio
Mesmerism cover

Mesmerism

Tyshawn Sorey
Messages & Portraits cover

Messages & Portraits

Giovanni Venosta, Roberto Musci