Welcome to Gnu tube
This site is the home to much of the Gnu’s musical output and is being built up as a record of Berj’s body of work and in recognition of the scores of people from Christ Church Clifton that contributed their time and talent over the years.
Launched in April 2017 with the content of three “early” albums – Out Of Nowhere, House On The Rock and Rough and Steep – it has since had For All He Gives Us and three volumes of Psalms and Songs added. Other items include the 1989 recording of Candlelit Christmas Carols along with 1993’s All About The Courtly Stable. The Gnu has recently spread his hooves into the realms of orchestral compositions, performed by the LA Philharmonic DLH Orchestra. All of these albums can be found on the Menu along with some Bonus Tracks, new Arrangements and the Gnu’s latest musings in his Blog.
If you are lucky enough to be blessed with fingers rather than cloven hooves you may wish to get in touch with the Gnu via the contact page, alternatively, your Comments are most welcome and provide great encouragement!
The Gnu has his own virtual vestibule on facebook where he provides parish notices and information about occasional updates to the site or his blogs. The most recent posts are displayed below:
The Gnu
The outward and visible manifestation of The Singers and Musicians of Christ Church Clifton from the 1980s and 90s. Recordings are now available at www.gnu-tube.com
Ailsa Craig is a small island that is 3.2km in circumference and said to have been formed by volcanic eruptions stretching tens of millions of years. As the magma cooled quickly it formed a smooth granite that makes up the surface of the island today. Ailsa Craig granite is some of the hardest and purest found in the world and every single Olympic curling stone comes from this little island and it’s said that no other stone curls like an Ailsa Craig stone.
The 2026 winter Paralympics opens on Friday but, with a logic known only to a few, the first event - wheelchair curling - commences today. It is to the excitement of the Winter Olympics that the Gnu turns in his latest blog at https://shorturl.at/dXxVR
Not only will life and (remaining) limbs be risked in the events such as Para Ice Hockey, Para Skiing and Para Snowboarding, but the Gnu's excitement will be enhanced by a brand-new event - Wheelchair curling mixed doubles.
In the week that we also celebrate the feast of John and Charles Wesley, two Anglican priests credited as the founders of Methodism, it is fitting that the accompanying music should be a bootleg live recording of one of Charles’ hymns included in John’s “Collection of Hymns for the People Called Methodists”.
'Tis music in the sinner's ears, at https://shorturl.at/PcvZ3
The 2026 winter Paralympics opens on Friday but, with a logic known only to a few, the first event - wheelchair curling - commences today. It is to the excitement of the Winter Olympics that the Gnu turns in his latest blog at https://shorturl.at/dXxVR
Not only will life and (remaining) limbs be risked in the events such as Para Ice Hockey, Para Skiing and Para Snowboarding, but the Gnu's excitement will be enhanced by a brand-new event - Wheelchair curling mixed doubles.
In the week that we also celebrate the feast of John and Charles Wesley, two Anglican priests credited as the founders of Methodism, it is fitting that the accompanying music should be a bootleg live recording of one of Charles’ hymns included in John’s “Collection of Hymns for the People Called Methodists”.
'Tis music in the sinner's ears, at https://shorturl.at/PcvZ3
The Act of Uniformity was passed on January 21st 1549 establishing the Book of Common Prayer as the sole legal form of worship in England. It was largely a new creation, mainly the work of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, who was eventually burned at the stake for his troubles.
Should “any manner of parson, vicar, or other whatsoever minister” fail to use the BCP, they were liable to face 6 months imprisonment and the loss of a years living. Further offences added more jail time - up to life imprisonment.
The Book (along with John Merbecke’s semi-rhythmical melodies) underwent a number of revisions over the following
century, however the 1662 version has remained the primary influence on liturgy across many English-speaking denominations.
The CofE finally had the Act repealed in 1974 in favour of “Alternative Services” but not before many of its phrases had entered common usage.
The Collect for the 25th Sunday after Trinity starts with the words “Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people…” and the tradition of Stir-up Sunday as the day on which families engage in stirring up the ingredients for their Christmas puddings. It is to the subject of home baking that the Gnu has recently turned his attention and his blog at https://tinyurl.com/4bu5ncfb marks his first steps towards the Bake-Off tent.
Should you have “erred and straied from thy waies, lyke lost shepe” in these dark days, perhaps you might find your way home by listening again to the Gnu’s setting of the Evening Collect and “Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord” at https://tinyurl.com/ykz3uted
Should “any manner of parson, vicar, or other whatsoever minister” fail to use the BCP, they were liable to face 6 months imprisonment and the loss of a years living. Further offences added more jail time - up to life imprisonment.
The Book (along with John Merbecke’s semi-rhythmical melodies) underwent a number of revisions over the following
century, however the 1662 version has remained the primary influence on liturgy across many English-speaking denominations.
The CofE finally had the Act repealed in 1974 in favour of “Alternative Services” but not before many of its phrases had entered common usage.
The Collect for the 25th Sunday after Trinity starts with the words “Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people…” and the tradition of Stir-up Sunday as the day on which families engage in stirring up the ingredients for their Christmas puddings. It is to the subject of home baking that the Gnu has recently turned his attention and his blog at https://tinyurl.com/4bu5ncfb marks his first steps towards the Bake-Off tent.
Should you have “erred and straied from thy waies, lyke lost shepe” in these dark days, perhaps you might find your way home by listening again to the Gnu’s setting of the Evening Collect and “Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord” at https://tinyurl.com/ykz3uted
The Great Os are not the items that Ronnie Barker requested following that for fork handles, but rather the O Antiphons used at Vespers on the last seven days of Advent in Western Christian traditions. They likely date to sixth-century Italy, and have subsequently become one of the key musical features of the days leading up to Christmas.
Each antiphon has the structure ‘O’ followed by a Messianic title, an extrapolation of the title and ending with a request to ‘come’.
On December 17th the first of the antiphons O Sapentia (O Wisdom) ends with the request to ‘Come and teach us the way of prudence”.
In his efforts to exemplify this virtue, the Gnu offers a prudent blog which lists some wise things we can do, however small, every day to lessen our detrimental impact on the planet and the wellbeing of others. https://tinyurl.com/4c3vt5wf
The O Antiphons are best known in their amalgamated form as the hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”; dispel the long night's lingering gloom by listening to the Gnu’s recording at https://tinyurl.com/nstxz82j
Each antiphon has the structure ‘O’ followed by a Messianic title, an extrapolation of the title and ending with a request to ‘come’.
On December 17th the first of the antiphons O Sapentia (O Wisdom) ends with the request to ‘Come and teach us the way of prudence”.
In his efforts to exemplify this virtue, the Gnu offers a prudent blog which lists some wise things we can do, however small, every day to lessen our detrimental impact on the planet and the wellbeing of others. https://tinyurl.com/4c3vt5wf
The O Antiphons are best known in their amalgamated form as the hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”; dispel the long night's lingering gloom by listening to the Gnu’s recording at https://tinyurl.com/nstxz82j
Saint Cecilia whose legend is recounted by Chaucer in "The Second Nun's Tale" is celebrated today as the patron saint of music and musicians.
She is perhaps an unlikely choice; although often depicted playing a variety of instruments such as a portative organ, viola or lute, her association with music was not as a composer or player but as one who once “sang in her heart to the Lord” as the musicians played at her wedding.
She was martyred in the third century for failing to renounce her faith having initially survived three attempts to decapitate her with a sword. Over the centuries she has inspired dozens of works from composers as diverse as Purcell, Handel, Britten, Pärt and Foo Fighters.
In his latest blog at https://tinyurl.com/3pnxff8m the Gnu muses about repurposing and doing the right thing inspired by A New Life in the Wild.
To celebrate this post he’s repurposed his version of The Lord’s Prayer and added it to his Bonus Tracks selection listen to the 2025 version at https://tinyurl.com/59p865zk
She is perhaps an unlikely choice; although often depicted playing a variety of instruments such as a portative organ, viola or lute, her association with music was not as a composer or player but as one who once “sang in her heart to the Lord” as the musicians played at her wedding.
She was martyred in the third century for failing to renounce her faith having initially survived three attempts to decapitate her with a sword. Over the centuries she has inspired dozens of works from composers as diverse as Purcell, Handel, Britten, Pärt and Foo Fighters.
In his latest blog at https://tinyurl.com/3pnxff8m the Gnu muses about repurposing and doing the right thing inspired by A New Life in the Wild.
To celebrate this post he’s repurposed his version of The Lord’s Prayer and added it to his Bonus Tracks selection listen to the 2025 version at https://tinyurl.com/59p865zk
The tradition of observing a festival on the Sunday nearest to the Harvest Moon may seem like an ancient tradition, but it was a Victorian creation initiated by Rev. Stephen Hawker, the eccentric vicar of Morwenstow.
In 1843 Hawker posted a notice reading “Let us gather together in the chancel of our church, and there receive, in the bread of the new corn, that blessed sacrament which was ordained to strengthen and refresh our souls.” On 1st October that year this first Harvest Festival service took place and quickly became an established tradition.
Parson Hawker’s many eccentricities included walking his pet pig ‘Gyp’, a phase of only eating clotted cream, ex-communicating his cat for mousing on a Sunday and scaring the townsfolk of Bude by dressing up as a mermaid, swimming out to sea, sitting on a rock and singing.
Hawker believed strongly in symbolism and he wore the vestments, as he claimed, of “an Armenian archimandrite” For everyday use he wore a long purple cloak, a bright blue fisherman’s jersey and pink brimless hat and red trousers stuffed into huge waterproof boots. If it rained, he added, a bright yellow poncho made of horsehair which he named the “habit of Saint Morwenna”.
In his recent blog at https://tinyurl.com/y8h25a9n ,The Gnu turns to matters sartorial having recently discovered a new source of fashionable clothing.
Celebrate Gathering in the Sheaves with The Gnu’s version of Psalm 126 – When the Lord Turned Again at https://tinyurl.com/ymb4ufhm
In 1843 Hawker posted a notice reading “Let us gather together in the chancel of our church, and there receive, in the bread of the new corn, that blessed sacrament which was ordained to strengthen and refresh our souls.” On 1st October that year this first Harvest Festival service took place and quickly became an established tradition.
Parson Hawker’s many eccentricities included walking his pet pig ‘Gyp’, a phase of only eating clotted cream, ex-communicating his cat for mousing on a Sunday and scaring the townsfolk of Bude by dressing up as a mermaid, swimming out to sea, sitting on a rock and singing.
Hawker believed strongly in symbolism and he wore the vestments, as he claimed, of “an Armenian archimandrite” For everyday use he wore a long purple cloak, a bright blue fisherman’s jersey and pink brimless hat and red trousers stuffed into huge waterproof boots. If it rained, he added, a bright yellow poncho made of horsehair which he named the “habit of Saint Morwenna”.
In his recent blog at https://tinyurl.com/y8h25a9n ,The Gnu turns to matters sartorial having recently discovered a new source of fashionable clothing.
Celebrate Gathering in the Sheaves with The Gnu’s version of Psalm 126 – When the Lord Turned Again at https://tinyurl.com/ymb4ufhm
Following an unusually hot summer, the first day of meteorological autumn has been heralded by a series of heavy showers but there are as yet no forecasts of impending floods. In addition to that record in Genesis 7, over 200 Great Flood stories have been recorded around the globe, such as the Greek myth of Deucalion and Pyrrha, the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh and the Indian account of Manu and the Fish.
One of the strangest comes from South America where in Incan mythology a llama looked at the sky and warned a human that a great flood was coming. Together they took shelter on a mountain and despite the deluge that followed, they survived thanks to of the animal’s warning. As a result of this in Andean mythology the llama is revered as a sacred and intelligent creature, often seen as a messenger or helper.
In his latest blog, at https://tinyurl.com/mryu2zt7 The Gnu has discussed his encounter with one such magnificent beast, musing on the lessons we can learn from their assimilation into alien societies, their peaceable approach to life and their role in protecting others.
Whilst pondering on the mysteries of Human Lives, grab your Pan Pipes and play along to the Gnu’s Lament for the Maya at https://tinyurl.com/nhd93nd4 for “All flesh is like the meadow grass / its beauty like the flower must pass.”
One of the strangest comes from South America where in Incan mythology a llama looked at the sky and warned a human that a great flood was coming. Together they took shelter on a mountain and despite the deluge that followed, they survived thanks to of the animal’s warning. As a result of this in Andean mythology the llama is revered as a sacred and intelligent creature, often seen as a messenger or helper.
In his latest blog, at https://tinyurl.com/mryu2zt7 The Gnu has discussed his encounter with one such magnificent beast, musing on the lessons we can learn from their assimilation into alien societies, their peaceable approach to life and their role in protecting others.
Whilst pondering on the mysteries of Human Lives, grab your Pan Pipes and play along to the Gnu’s Lament for the Maya at https://tinyurl.com/nhd93nd4 for “All flesh is like the meadow grass / its beauty like the flower must pass.”
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