Lead, kindly light

In an effort to find out more about John Henry Newman's lovely poem "The Pillar of the cloud ", better known by its opening words "Lead, kindly light", we join music historian Monsignor Philip Whitmore in a programme produced by Veronica Scarisbrick.

"..can be sung to several different tunes..a more recent setting ..is to a tune called Alberta by Sir William Harris, one of the leading figures in Anglican Church music in the first half of the 20th century :"

"..there are angels waiting on us in Newman's poem as well: in the closing lines, the kindly light , which has led us on all through the night , brings us safely into their presence."