The singers and musicians represented both Catholic and Protestant traditions, including denominations such as Wesley, Methodist, Baptist, and Hebron.
Hyderabad:Around 100 western classical musicians enthralled the Christian community with ‘The Tabernacles: An Evening of Hymns’. The concert aimed to revive and restore old classical hymns that are slowly fading away.
The singers and musicians represented both Catholic and Protestant traditions, including denominations such as Wesley, Methodist, Baptist, and Hebron. For many senior citizens in attendance, the musical extravaganza was a nostalgic journey through hymns of the past.
The concert was held at the 108-year-old CSI Wesley Church, Clock Tower, a heritage structure known for its stained-glass windows. The concluding hymn, “Abide With Me,” deeply moved the audience.
The evening featured celebrated musicians of the city, sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses, accompanied by violinists, guitarists, double bass players, and trumpet artists.
Elizabeth Christen, a soprano who has been part of the group for 15 years, explained, “Old hymns are no longer sung in church services. Many are almost forgotten. My favourite hymn sung today was ‘Love Lifted Me.’ All the hymns rendered carry deep meaning, with lyricists pouring their heart and soul into them.”
The event was organised by The Tabernacles, a group that has been actively conducting such concerts for the past 58 years. Conductor Zubin Gibson shared, “Around a hundred singers and musicians spent months rehearsing these classical hymns. They are treasures of music and meaningful lyrics. Our mission is to revive and restore them.”
Double bass violinist Sudarshan Raju said, “Performing on stage with so many professionals is a next-level feeling. There’s a lot to learn from these practices and performances.”
Young violinist Asoda Shifra Alina added, “As a young artist, it’s a great exposure and honour to be part of such a concert.”
Such hymn concerts are rarely conducted in the city, making the evening a memorable and cherished event for both performers and the audience.
