This Advent moon shines cold and clear (Charles H. Giffen): Difference between revisions
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This Advent moon shines cold and clear, | This Advent moon shines cold and clear, | ||
These Advent nights are long; | |||
Our lamps have burned year after year | Our lamps have burned year after year | ||
And still their flame is strong. | |||
'Watchman, what of the night?' we cry, | 'Watchman, what of the night?' we cry, | ||
Heart-sick with hope deferred: | |||
'No speaking signs are in the sky,' | 'No speaking signs are in the sky,' | ||
Is still the watchman's word. | |||
The Porter watches at the gate, | The Porter watches at the gate, | ||
The servants watch within; | |||
The watch is long betimes and late, | The watch is long betimes and late, | ||
The prize is slow to win. | |||
'Watchman, what of the night?' But still | 'Watchman, what of the night?' But still | ||
His answer sounds the same: | |||
'No daybreak tops the utmost hill, | 'No daybreak tops the utmost hill, | ||
Nor pale our lamps of flame.' | |||
One to another hear them speak | One to another hear them speak | ||
The patient virgins wise: | |||
'Surely He is not far to seek'— | 'Surely He is not far to seek'— | ||
'All night we watch and rise.' | |||
'The days are evil looking back, | 'The days are evil looking back, | ||
The coming days are dim; | |||
Yet count we not His promise slack, | Yet count we not His promise slack, | ||
But watch and wait for Him.' | |||
One with another, soul with soul, | One with another, soul with soul, | ||
They kindle fire from fire: | |||
'Friends watch us who have touched the goal.' | 'Friends watch us who have touched the goal.' | ||
'They urge us, come up higher.' | |||
'With them shall rest our waysore feet, | 'With them shall rest our waysore feet, | ||
With them is built our home, | |||
With Christ.'—'They sweet, but He most sweet, | With Christ.'—'They sweet, but He most sweet, | ||
Sweeter than honeycomb.' | |||
There no more parting, no more pain, | There no more parting, no more pain, | ||
The distant ones brought near, | |||
The lost so long are found again, | The lost so long are found again, | ||
Long lost but longer dear: | |||
Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, | Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, | ||
Nor heart conceived that rest, | |||
With them our good things long deferred, | With them our good things long deferred, | ||
With Jesus Christ our Best. | |||
We weep because the night is long, | We weep because the night is long, | ||
We laugh for day shall rise, | |||
We sing a slow contented song | We sing a slow contented song | ||
And knock at Paradise. | |||
Weeping we hold Him fast, Who wept | Weeping we hold Him fast, Who wept | ||
For us, we hold Him fast; | |||
And will not let Him go except | And will not let Him go except | ||
He bless us first or last. | |||
Weeping we hold Him fast to-night; | Weeping we hold Him fast to-night; | ||
We will not let Him go | |||
Till daybreak smite our wearied sight | Till daybreak smite our wearied sight | ||
And summer smite the snow: | |||
Then figs shall bud, and dove with dove | Then figs shall bud, and dove with dove | ||
Shall coo the livelong day; | |||
Then He shall say, 'Arise, My love, | Then He shall say, 'Arise, My love, | ||
My fair one, come away.' | |||
</poem> | </poem> | ||
Revision as of 23:38, 7 February 2012
Music files
ICON | SOURCE |
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File details | |
Help |
- Full text version
- Editor: Charles H. Giffen (submitted 2009-11-08). Score information: Letter, 2 pages, 107 kB Copyright: CPDL May be freely copied, distributed, performed, or recorded. Please inform the composer of any performances of this work.
- Edition notes: "Hymnal version" - seven stanzas, one harmonization.
- Abridged text versions
- Editor: Charles H. Giffen (submitted 2009-11-08). Score information: Letter (landscape), 2 pages, 135 kB Copyright: CPDL May be freely copied, distributed, performed, or recorded. Please inform the composer of any performances of this work.
- Edition notes: Abridged version, five stanzas in length plus a Doxology, two harmonizations. Corrected edition uploaded 2009-11-16, correcting an error in alto part on p.2, 2nd system, m.4 (third note is F, not G).
- Editor: Charles H. Giffen (submitted 2009-11-08). Score information: Letter (landscape), 3 pages, 149 kB Copyright: CPDL May be freely copied, distributed, performed, or recorded. Please inform the composer of any performances of this work.
- Edition notes: Abridged version, five stanzas in length plus a Doxology, two harmonizations, with descants for stanza 5 and the Doxology.
- See also
- This Advent moon for the anthem that inspired this hymn setting.
General Information
Title: This Advent moon shines cold and clear
Composer: Charles H. Giffen
Lyricist: Christina Rossetti
Number of voices: 4vv Voicing: SATB
Genre: Sacred, Hymn
Language: English
Instruments: Organ
Published: 2009
Description: Set to the composer's hymn tune Advent, the text of this hymn is the poem Advent, by Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830-1894). The music itself was inspired by the composer's anthem This Advent moon, which sets the first three stanzas of the poem.
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
- Advent by Christina Georgina Rossetti
This Advent moon shines cold and clear,
These Advent nights are long;
Our lamps have burned year after year
And still their flame is strong.
'Watchman, what of the night?' we cry,
Heart-sick with hope deferred:
'No speaking signs are in the sky,'
Is still the watchman's word.
The Porter watches at the gate,
The servants watch within;
The watch is long betimes and late,
The prize is slow to win.
'Watchman, what of the night?' But still
His answer sounds the same:
'No daybreak tops the utmost hill,
Nor pale our lamps of flame.'
One to another hear them speak
The patient virgins wise:
'Surely He is not far to seek'—
'All night we watch and rise.'
'The days are evil looking back,
The coming days are dim;
Yet count we not His promise slack,
But watch and wait for Him.'
One with another, soul with soul,
They kindle fire from fire:
'Friends watch us who have touched the goal.'
'They urge us, come up higher.'
'With them shall rest our waysore feet,
With them is built our home,
With Christ.'—'They sweet, but He most sweet,
Sweeter than honeycomb.'
There no more parting, no more pain,
The distant ones brought near,
The lost so long are found again,
Long lost but longer dear:
Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard,
Nor heart conceived that rest,
With them our good things long deferred,
With Jesus Christ our Best.
We weep because the night is long,
We laugh for day shall rise,
We sing a slow contented song
And knock at Paradise.
Weeping we hold Him fast, Who wept
For us, we hold Him fast;
And will not let Him go except
He bless us first or last.
Weeping we hold Him fast to-night;
We will not let Him go
Till daybreak smite our wearied sight
And summer smite the snow:
Then figs shall bud, and dove with dove
Shall coo the livelong day;
Then He shall say, 'Arise, My love,
My fair one, come away.'