Joseph Stephenson

Life

Born: 1723

Died: 1810

Biography

Joseph Stephenson was a composer of parochial psalmody (West Gallery music) and clerk of the Unitarian congregation at the Hill Street meeting house in Poole. His first book, Church Harmony Sacred to Devotion (first edition 1757) included a commendatory letter of review from William Knapp, who was the parish clerk of St James' Church, Poole and an established composer.

View the Wikipedia article on Joseph Stephenson.

List of choral works

• For works at CPDL sorted alphabetically by title, see Joseph Stephenson compositions

Anthems Behold, I bring you glad tidings Hear my prayer, O Lord I heard a voice from heaven I know my Redeemer liveth Let the righteous be glad O be joyful in the Lord O give thanks unto the Lord O Sion, that bringest good tidings Praise the Lord, O my soul Praise the Lord, ye servants Sing, O ye heavens, for the Lord hath done it The King shall rejoice in thy strength Canticles Te Deum Jubilate Canons Lord, tune my heart to sing thy praise My lot is fallen in that blest land Secular songs Here's a health to the King

Metrical psalms, hymns and carols Against all those that strive with me Arise and hail the sacred day At the nativity of Christ our Lord Attend, O Earth, whilst I declare Behold that splendour: hear the shout But, Lord, thy mercy, my sure hope Defend me, Lord, from shame Erect your heads, eternal gates God is our refuge in distress Hark, hark what news the angels bring He's blest whose sins have pardon gained He's come, let every knee be bent How blest is he who ne'er consents How long wilt thou forget me, Lord? How num'rous, Lord, of late are grown If angels sung a Saviour's birth I'll celebrate thy praises, Lord Indulgent mercy with a look serene I waited meekly for the Lord Jehovah reigns, let all the earth Judge me, O Lord, for I the paths Let all the just to God with joy Let all the lands with shouts of joy Look down, O God, regard my cry Lord, hear the voice of my complaint Lord, let me know my term of days Lord, who's the happy man that may No change of times shall ever shock O God of hosts, the mighty Lord O Lord my God, since I have placed

O Lord, my rock, to thee I cry O Lord, that art my righteous Judge O praise ye the Lord, prepare your glad voice O thou to whom all creatures bow Preserve me, Lord, from crafty foes Rejoice, loud hallelujahs let us sing Shepherds rejoice, lift up your eyes Since I have placed my trust in God Since godly men decay, O Lord Sure wicked fools must needs suppose The God of glory sends his summons forth The heavens declare thy glory, Lord The King, O Lord, with songs of praise The Lord himself, the mighty Lord The Lord to thy request attend Though wicked men grow rich or great Thou turnest man, O Lord, to dust Through all the changing scenes of life Thus in thy sacred courts will I Thy chastening wrath, O Lord, restrain Thy dreadful anger, Lord, restrain Thy presence why withdraw'st thou, Lord? To bless thy chosen race To celebrate thy praise, O Lord To God, in whom I trust To my just plea and sad complaint To thee, my God and Saviour, I To thee, O God, we render praise Whom should I fear, since God to me Ye princes that in might excel

Arrangements of Stephenson's works by other composers

• Hark, hark, glad tidings charm our ears (arr. Asahel Benham)
• Hosanna to the prince of light (arr. Thomas Jarman)

 
Click here to search for this composer on CPDL

Publications

• Church Harmony Sacred to Devotion, first edition 1757 (no known extant copies); third edition 1759; fourth edition c1763-1771
• An Anthem taken out of the 44 Chap. of Isaiah, 1758
• A new Loyal Health to the Prince, Duke, and the Heroic King of Prussia, 1758
• The Musical Companion, 1771

External links

add web links here