released 12/26/2025

In this Feature, Ken Myers introduces various settings of the medieval carol “Ther is no rose of swych vertu” (“There is no rose of such virtue”), an early medieval carol that uses imagery of a rosebush to describe the Virgin Mary. This metaphor is related to Isaiah’s prophecy that a rod would grow from the root of Jesse. Myers explores notable settings of this hymn, including renditions by Benjamin Britten, John Joubert, and Sting. He also samples settings of “Lo, how a rose e’er blooming,” taken from a late medieval German hymn. The Mary-as-rose-tree symbolism is also present in Herbert Howells’s “A Spotless Rose,” which is heard on this Feature.

29 minutes

PREVIEW

The player for the full version of this Feature is only available to current members. If you have an active membership, log in here. If you’d like to become a member — with access to all our audio programs — sign up here.

Related reading and listening