(Youtube video courtesy of Susie Bella)
One of my absolute favorite hymns is “What Wondrous Love is This.” This version is sung by baritone Calvin Marsh. Mr. Marsh, who died in 2012 at age 91, was a former opera star. According to his obituary, in the 1950s and 1960s he “sang more than 900 performances of the Metropolitan Opera before forsaking the stage for a life in music.” There’s even a Calvin Marsh Facebook page, if you want to learn more.
As for the song, “What Wondrous Love is This,” it is a folk hymn pegged to early 1800s Appalachia. I love its haunting melody and how it starts off asking a question (“What wondrous love is this?”) and ends with an answer (To God and to the Lamb I will sing.”)
Hope you’re enjoying this bit of nostalgia on a Sparkling Vintage Sunday!