One of the glories of Anglicanism has to be the Choir School, of which King’s College, Cambridge is among the best.  My wife and I had the joy of hearing Evensong at the York Minster last month, sung by their Choir School boys and men.  For us lesser musicians, to hear the precision, diction, intonation and musicality of these young people is both humbling as well as inspiring. Sadly, the contrast with the kind of Happy, Clappy church camp songs that have become common in the “contemporary” service music in many of our parishes is striking.  That kind of music is, I suppose, more “accessible” to modern audiences but it seems pretty thin gruel compared to the great cathedrals’ choirs.

I am afraid I am missing something here.  What is the apple tree connection to Christ?

oh, how i love this hymn. 

Fr. J, this is but one interpretation of this particular image:

Now, at this time I want you to think of Jesus, not as a Prince, but as an apple tree; and when this is done, I ask you to sit down under His shadow. It is not much to do. Any child, when it is hot, can sit down in the shade.

I want you next to feed on Jesus: any simpleton can eat apples when they are ripe upon the tree. Come and take Christ, then. You who never came before, come now. Come and welcome. You who have come often, and have entered into the palace, and are reclining at the banqueting table, you lords and princes of Christianity, come to the common woods and to the common apple tree where poor saints are shaded and fed. You had better come under the apple tree, like poor sinners such as I am, and be once more shaded with boughs and comforted with apples, for else you may faint beneath the glories of the palace. The best of saints are never better than when they eat their original fare, and are comforted with the apples which were their first gospel feast.

May the Lord Himself bring forth His own sweet fruit to you! Amen.

http://www.biblebb.com/files/spurgeon/song2-3.htm