The majesty of mediaeval acoustics, modern choral excellence, and the soul of a Tennyson. Magical.

It never ceases to amaze me of the incredible things humans are capable of when they come together. Such beautiful sounds in such a beautiful place. We had a version of this played at my darling mum's funeral over a photo montage just over 20 months ago. It's the first time I have been able to listen to it since.

I first heard this at an Aged Care home during a service to celebrate the lives of those residents who passed away during the previous twelve months. In that context, it was very moving. It still is - and will ever be - a wonderful performance by a group of very talented men. The words are a poem - "Crossing the Bar" - by Alfred Lord Tennyson.

I have left instructions with my family that this is to be sung at my funeral. A recording will be fine. Good choirs are hard to find.

That man in the circle wiped tears away ..and set me off. Very moving. Crossing the Bar by Alfred, Lord Tennyson Sunset and evening star, And one clear call for me! And may there be no moaning of the bar, When I put out to sea, But such a tide as moving seems asleep, Too full for sound and foam, When that which drew from out the boundless deep Turns again home. Twilight and evening bell, And after that the dark! And may there be no sadness of farewell, When I embark; For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place The flood may bear me far, I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crost the bar.

I never tire of hearing this - especially this group of men. It is so haunting. Reaches down into your soul!

Ok. This isn’t quite fair. Where was the tissue alert? Didn’t see one. This needs a tissue alert. Preferably two tissues. One for the eyes and one for the nose! Absolutely beautiful.

My word what beauty. Sound is spectacular but look at the surrounds. Love to be there!

So many spooky men.So many angelic voices.

One of the most beautifully sung songs I’ve ever heard, so moving ❤️absolutely beautiful 🙏

Thankyou for this song. Very good. Here at my Tablet I hear mono, but it’s so good that my brain chanch the sound perfectly and I hear this with around. Thank God for You…😇🙏😘😍

I hadn’t heard of this group, until we went to see them on Saturday at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. I was completely blown away. Very emotional and wonderful.

Oh dear! I cant speak till I stop weeping. The most beautiful choral singing I have heard in an age.

Exquisite singing in an incredible space

What I wouldn't give to be sat in that circle....absolutely stunning , bravo 👏👏👏

My son sang this at my husband’s funeral. It touched mourners like no other music

I keep coming back to this video - one of my favourite performances of all time (from any group). Gives me goosebumps and makes me cry. You spooky men, this is stunning.

Please sing together forever. xx

This might be one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard! I have so many goosebumps all over my body right now!

You move me to tears guys. Beautiful voices, ecstatic harmonies, incredible emotion. Love ya!

Eeeee, fair blows yer socks off in it's glorious depth and simplicity. I'm sure Alfred, Lord Tennyson would get a tingle from this :-)

Utterly beautiful singing. We sang this lovely poem/song in our community choir, here in Cardiff, Wales, U.K. Tennyson's words are so profound & the melody touches the heart. Thank you.

Listening to this, and seeing these faces, is a religious experience for me. I also love the sense of the larger ensemble who came together to create this moment. Etheldreda (d.679), queen, foundress and abbess of Ely......Ely's builders, working for years to raise its wonderful, unusual turrets, its brilliantly-painted ceiling and glowing stained glass windows...Those who loved and tried to protect her from Henry VIII's attempts at destruction...people over the centuries, coming in out of the fields, feeling closer to God as they stood in that luminous space, with angels peering down... Tennyson, in 1889, still pale and haggard behind his dark beard after a recent serious illness-still able to feel his life hovering around him, freshly and delicately still present, with particular poignancy-hunched belowdecks on a boat crossing from Aldworth to Farringford on the Isle of Wight. "The words", he said, "came in a moment." Perhaps it struck him, before or maybe after he wrote it, how odd it was that after this near-brush with death, he felt more at peace, not more afraid. And perhaps this only served to deepen his faith. And then there was an American woman, in our time, who loved Tennyson's words, and then one day heard music in her mind when she thought of them-at a time when her husband's grandmother was near to dying, and her heart was perhaps aching to create a sound that could truly comfort. And there were all those travelers on that day who happened to be there when the Spooky Men gathered...the Spooky Men themselves....all these people, at all these times, all coming together like pieces of a stained glass window full of light. And for myself, there was also me, a day or two before my 21st birthday, approaching Ely alone, on foot, from the train station, backpack on back. In awe of what I was seeing: those strange and wonderful turrets rising above the bright green spring pasture, where Gypsy Vanner horses grazed, and bright green new-leafed trees. After I'd wandered under Ely's painted ceilings, I sat on a park hillside to eat lunch. From there I was to catch a train to Peterborough. I chose to miss it and get a later train, because I knew this was one of the most special places I would ever be, and I didn't want to leave yet. Normally I'd be afraid to diverge from my planned schedule, but I suppose Ely gave me something like faith. I felt trustful, floating in its embrace. There would be another train, and I'd catch that one, and say goodbye to Ely, and move onwards, toward Peterborough and 21.

How the hell can you sing this song without choking up? Beautiful!

Very moving. Thanks Spookies.

Superb. I saw them at Sidmouth folk festival. Funny and they sing like Angels

Spine tingling - eye watering. Thank you for making my Monday morning.

Several years ago, the choir I sang with (St. Edmundsbury Male Voice) recorded an album in this room. The privilege of singing in a space like this left a deep impression. We stood at one end of the room and had a job (initially) with a delayed echo..... singing more centrally, as the Spooky Men did here, would have been beneficial!!!!! What a sound, but then these men are exceptionally good. If you've never seen them in full concert, you're missing out. A great night's entertainment if you can catch them.

I have only just caught up with The Spooky Men's Chorale and Men of the West, and have nothing but admiration for the quality of your performances. A stunning rendition guys; a wonderful location and a great sound. The audience is obviously rapt; so am I.

Absolutely beautiful.

Just beautiful

just beautiful

Oh my! So beautiful.

Beautiful - very beautiful and moving.

Wow, that is so beautiful. I can feel the vibrations in my heart.

How wonderful is that? Thank you so much for this.

Beautiful and eerie!

Fantastic - the best versions ever

Never was able to read poetry aloud and have it come out the way i heard it in my head. Thanks to Rani Arbo for letting us hear Tennyson. Different musical interpretations work for me - producing different feelings. As a quartet, the Hopeful Gospel Quartet expresses it differently, more in the Gospel tradition of hope and joy. The Lady Chapel is perfect for the Spooky Men's Chorale.

Oh yes! Here's to listening experiences like those. Many thanks. Clare x

Dear Spooky Men - you've excelled once again. Merete Higginbotham (Pips)

Utterly sublime.

Wow! How beautiful...........

wow - fab. wish i had been there. lovely to observe peoples experiences and process - from grinning to eyes closed immersion x

Fantastic arrangement Stephen - just love it, tears rolling down my cheeks when I heard it. Go well, baz

this is so moving, i have heard the Spookies sing it live and it sent shivers down my back

Oh that is just gorgeous!

We are singing this in our mixed choir; lovely to see another arrangement, and in such a setting. I notice these guys tear up too.

so beautiful

Thank you for this beautiful, moving singing. Moved me to tears... And such lovely acoustics there. Hope to hear you guys in person some day...!

Absolutely spiffing. Thanks SMC for a spine tingling experience

Back again. Absolutely masterful. Perfectly sung for the space. Incredible. Bravo.

This is Stunning !

Listened to this so many many times today...thank you...a poignant day for this to arrive for me

My wife and I will hear you tonight in Gimli, Roskilde / Denmark. Will bring own hat ! -Cannot expect to hear this particiular piece, maybe ( needs good room ), but it is already on my singing list and I will be doing this on my next camino walk. I am impressed by the presentation of this poem, makes more sense when sung. Many things do....

Stunning

I love this.

Do love it!

Sublime

Makes me cry each time. Stunningly emotional lyrics, executed exceptionally

Absolutely beautiful. Nuffield said

Sensational x

I feel a better person after watching this.

Superb! Looking forward to seeing you at Warwick tomorrow night.

This is absurdly good. Angelic and etherial. Well done!!!!!!

Thank you.

Haunting.

Oh WOW. I saw you guys at Towersey last year and was blown away but this is something else.

Fantastic!

Tears. My friend turned me on to you because I love acapella. My uncle sang in the Vocal Majority for decades and I didn't know until I was in my 30's. Likely, he sang when the Vocal Majority sang at our High School in 1983. I had NO idea. I had no reason to look for my Uncle Buddy and he had no reason to know I was a student at Trinity High School. Acapella all day. It reverberates in the soul. Accompaniment takes some of that attention away from the vocals and in many cases, I'll assume that's intentional. But acapella means there is NO hiding. NO cover NO fear. You can sing or you can't and there's no escaping or hiding. You are or you aren't . No in between and no excuses.

That's the best version yet. See (and hear) you in Bristol soon

I can't thank you enough, that was lovely. (Even the ghastly blue doll hanging on the wall didn't spoil it. I have written to the Bishop about that - he thanked me for my interesting letter)

I've probably got 50 years or so until I have to start seriously contemplating my own mortality (or so I hope), but I intend to have this recording at my funeral.

Lovely version.

Fabulous

I sing with the Fron Male Voice Choir and would love to sing with you guys some day.

Thanks guys - nearly as beautiful as last night's performance in Motueka. I'm told that you could be tired from flying from Pomgolia, and Stephen was adequately restrained and coherent.

Makes me cry. Every time.

Epicly cool

Really sorry (well I am British) - but this is the most emotive thing ever on here

Thanks so much for uploading this - utterly lovely.

Sunset and evening star, And one clear call for me! And may there be no moaning of the bar, When I put out to sea, But such a tide as moving seems asleep, Too full for sound and foam, When that which drew from out the boundless deep Turns again home. Twilight and evening bell, And after that the dark! And may there be no sadness of farewell, When I embark; For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place The flood may bear me far, I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have cross’d the bar.

Never heard anything like this before. One for sitting up into the early hours with a bottle of port or cognac. But hide the sleeping tablets.

I sang this at my dear father's funeral; not very steadily but managed to get through it

Excellent at WOMAD on Sunday!

Love it!

(wipes away a tear)

I am seeing them at Farnham Maltings next month.

Go Vyv!

Why have I only just found you guys. Absolutely brilliant ✌❤🇦🇺

Awesome! There are not enough superlatives to describe their performances.

A many layered song. Is it possible to hear the bass, tenor etc tunes on their own to appreciate the real beauty

Wow

CROSSING THE BAR - BY ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON Sunset and evening star, And one clear call for me! And may there be no moaning of the bar, When I put out to sea, But such a tide as moving seems asleep, Too full for sound and foam, When that which drew from out the boundless deep Turns again home. Twilight and evening bell, And after that the dark! And may there be no sadness of farewell, When I embark; For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place The flood may bear me far, I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crost the bar.

Wonderful!!!! What a brilliant arrangement. Is it possible, to buy this notes? I would like to have them..

Check out the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's version of this under Moirmon church president Gordon B. HINCKLEY'S FUNERAL #3 Right at the beginning of the section. You'll faint!

The hairs on the back of my neck have hairs standing up on the back of theirs.

Does anyone know where one can find this particular arrangement? It's so beautiful!

Absolutely glorious. Thank you Spookies. Does anyone know who wrote the music?

Love this arrangement! I've found other arrangements of Arbo's melody, but like this one by far the best. Is there a way to purchase the sheet music for this arrangement?