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She was a hymn writer and poetess born in Redcross, County
Wicklow, Ireland. She started top write poetry as a
child and by the 1840s she was known as a hymn writer whose works appeared
in the Church
of Ireland hymnbooks. She married William Alexander in
1850, an Anglican bishop of Derry and Raphoe and later
the Anglican primate of Ireland. Often working with children she set
up Londonderry's Girl's
Friendly Society and with her sister she founded a school for the deaf. She traveled with her husband
throughout Ireland and during that time wrote in the region of 400 poems and
hymns which appeared in publications that include The Legend of the Golden Prayer and Hymns for Little Children.
Her involvement in children's charity work led her to donate
the profits from Hymns for Little
Children to the Derry and Raphoe Diocesan Institute Institution for the Deaf and
Dumb. She is possibly best known for "All
Things Bright and Beautiful", "Once in Royal David's City"
and "There is a Green Hill Far Away".
Once in Royal
David's City recordings
The Bach Choir and members
of The Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
London
417 898-2 (CD: O Come All Ye Faithful)
Organ - John
Scott
Conductor -
Sir David Willcocks
Cathedral Symphony Orchestra,
MHS 512240T
New York Vocal Consort and the American Boychoir
Conductor
- James Litton
Choir of Canterbury Cathedral
Conifer CDCF 160
Conductor -
Dr. Allan Wicks
Organ -
Michael Harris
Choir of Keble College
Priory PRCD 708 (CD: The Complete New English
Hymnal, Vol. 8) ymna
Conductor - Gavin Plumley
Organ - Mark Laflin
Choir of King's College, Cambridge
EMI 66241 (CD: Christmas Carols from
King's College, Cambridge)
Conductor -
Sir David Willcocks
Choir of St.
Thomas Church
Pro Organo 7200 (CD: Christmas on Fifth
Avenue)
Clare College
Singers and Orchestra
EMI 69950 (CD:
Carols from Clare)
Conductor
- John Rutter
Arturo Delmoni
and Nina Bodnar
JMR 18 (CD: A
String Quartet Christmas, Volume 2)
Violin
- Arturo Delmoni
Violin - Nine Bodnar
Musicians of The Museum
of Fine
Arts, Boston
North Star NS0035 (CD:
And The Angels Sing)
Sources:
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/a/l/e/alexander_cfh.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Frances_Humphreys_Alexander
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