Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
SATB choir and organ score
PEL5014-Choir and Organ
A HYMN ARRANGEMENT FOR SATB CHOIR AND ORGAN
This hymn (tune Picardy)was frequently sung at the Offertory at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, during the years when Paul Halley was Organist & Choirmaster. Because of the time required for the censing, Paul always improvised at considerable length between the 3rd and 4th verses. Hence, in this setting the 3rd verse is sung unaccompanied in organum, and the 4th verse entails a descant that would continue to raise the spirits after the improvisation.
Texts
1 Let all mortal flesh keep silence
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly-minded,
For with blessing in his hand
Christ, our God, to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.
2 King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth he stood,
Lord of lords in human vesture,
In the body and the blood
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food.
3 Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way
As the Light of light, descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.
4 At his feet the six-winged seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the Presence
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
“Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, Lord Most High!”
Words: Liturgy of St. James; para. Gerard Moultrie (1829-1885)
