The Ghent Altarpiece by Jan van Eyck

Great Sacred Music

Sundays, 8:00 a.m.-Noon Eastern Time

Over 4 hours of inspiring music.

Our weekly schedule of Great Sacred Music draws from the traditions of many faiths.

Sing for Joy

SUNDAYS AT 7:30 a.m. EASTERN

Alexandra Jacob

Rev. Jacob

Produced by St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., Sing for Joy is a 30-minute program of great choral music and thoughtful commentary.

The musical performances eloquently “do the talking,” while the Rev. Alexandra M. Jacob, your host, concisely illuminates the meaning.

Great Sacred Music

SUNDAYS, 8:00 a.m. TO NOON EASTERN

James Steelmon

Steelmon

We get your Sunday morning off to a gentle start. During Hour 1, you’ll hear a variety of shorter choral and organ works, from the Renaissance through the 20th century.

Then, a Bach cantata airs at approximately 9:00 a.m. Eastern. A major choral work follows. A regular feature of the program is a commentary offered by a distinguished church musician or member of the clergy.

During hours 3 and 4, we feature major choral works such as oratorios, masses and requiems.  Your host is James Steelmon.

Browse our program schedule
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Spring 2026

March 1
Bach: O ewiges Feuer, o Ursprung der Liebe, BWV 34a
Pärt: Passio

March 8
Bach: Widerstehe doch der Sünde, BWV 54
Tallis: Lamentations of Jeremiah

March 15
Bach: Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir, BWV 131
Gesualdo: Tenebrae Responsoria, Feria Quinta

March 22
Bach: In allen meinen Taten, BWV 97
Beethoven: Missa solemnis

March 29
Bach: Himmelskönig, sei willkommen, BWV 182
Bach: St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244

April 5
Bach: Christ lag in Todes Banden, BWV 4
Pergolesi: Stabat Mater

April 12
Bach: Am Abend aber desselbigen Sabbats, BWV 42
Rutter: Requiem

April 19
Bach: Ich bin ein guter Hirt, BWV 85
Mozart: Ave Verum Corpus, K. 618
Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli

April 26
Bach: Ihr werdet weinen und heulen, BWV 103
Pärt: Te Deum

May 3
Bach: Wo gehest du hin?, BWV 166
Mozart: Exsultate, jubilate, K. 165

May 10
Bach: Wahrlich, wahrlich, ich sage euch, BWV 86
Rutter: Magnificat

May 17
Bach: Wer da gläubet und getauft wird, BWV 37
Bach: Ascension Oratorio

May 24
Bach: Sie werden euch in den Bann tun, BWV 44
Elgar: The Apostles, Op. 49: Part I

May 31
Bach: Erschallet, ihr Lieder, erklinget, ihr Saiten!, BWV 172
Elgar: The Apostles, Op. 49: Part II


Great Sacred Music is made possible by our listeners and the following people and organizations:

  • All Saints Anglican Church, Raleigh, North Carolina
  • The Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
  • First Presbyterian Church, Durham, North Carolina
  • The Kirk of Kildare, Cary, North Carolina
  • University Presbyterian Church, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
  • Dr. & Mrs. Harold Chapman, Macon, Georgia
  • David Crabtree, Raleigh, North Carolina
  • Ms. Ethel Girvin, Timberlake, North Carolina
  • Dr. Alfred Goshaw, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
  • Dr. Jerry Grise, Cary, North Carolina
  • Mrs. Carole Keeler, Raleigh, North Carolina
  • The Rev. David Livingstone James, Cary, North Carolina
  • James H. Lazenby, Fearrington Village, North Carolina
  • William Marley, Raleigh, North Carolina
  • Thomas Nutt-Powell, Boston, Massachusetts
  • Blaine Hall Paxton, Fearrington Village, North Carolina
  • William Raper of Trinity Concepts, Raleigh, North Carolina
  • Carter Reed, Montgomery, Alabama
  • Claude and Sarah Snow, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

If you or your organization would like to be a patron of Great Sacred Music, please e-mail Mary Moonen!

Now Playing

Flute Quartet No. 4 in A, K. 298

Composed by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Performed by

Grafenauer/Kremer/Hagen/Hagen

Label

Sony Classical

Catalog Number

66240

Today's Playlist

6:20pm Concerto for Harp and Orchestra in E flat, Op. 74

Composed by

Reinhold Gliere (1875-1956)

Performed by

Maistre/WDR Symphony Orchestra of Cologne/Stutzmann

6:47pm Music selected by the announcer

7:01pm Clarinet Concerto No. 1 in F minor, Op. 73

Composed by

Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826)

Performed by

Meyer/Dresden State Orchestra/Blomstedt

7:23pm Preludes, Op. 28

Composed by

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Performed by

Nelson Freire

8:00pm Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor, Op. 15

Composed by

Gabriel Faure (1845-1924)

Performed by

Schubert Ensemble of London

8:32pm Concerto in F for Lute & Strings

Composed by

Carl Kohaut (1726-1784)

Performed by

Smith/Banchini/Plantier/Dieltens

8:47pm Romance in F minor, Op. 11

Composed by

Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)

Performed by

Ughi/Philharmonia/Slatkin

9:01pm Raymonda, Op. 57 (Music from the ballet)

Composed by

Alexander Glazunov (1865–1936)

Performed by

Scottish National Orchestra/Jarvi

9:58pm Clair de lune from Suite Bergamasque

Composed by

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Performed by

Wibi Soerjadi

10:04pm Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56 "Scottish"

Composed by

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Performed by

Israel Philharmonic/Bernstein

10:45pm Symphony No. 5 in E flat

Composed by

Samuel Wesley (1766-1837)

Performed by

Milton Keynes Chamber Orchestra/Wetton

11:01pm Evocation from Iberia, Book 1

Composed by

Isaac Albeniz (1860-1909)

Performed by

Lang Lang

11:09pm Hungarian Rhapsody No. 1 in F minor

Composed by

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Performed by

Vancouver Symphony/Comissiona

11:23pm Guitar Quintet No. 9 in C, "Retreat from Madrid"

Composed by

Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805)

Performed by

Pepe Romero/Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble

11:52pm Music selected by the announcer