Hear my words, ye people

Track 10 on SIGCD691 [16'25] Download only Available Friday 19 November 2021

Hear my words, ye people, give ear
unto me all ye that have knowledge.
Let us choose to us judgement,
let us know among ourselves what is good.
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any,
He is mighty in strength and in wisdom.
Behold, He is great, and we know Him not,
neither can the number of His years be searched out.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven.
Clouds and darkness are round about Him,
Righteousness and judgement are the habitation of His seat.
He decketh Himself with light as with a garment,
and spreadeth out the heavens like a curtain.

He layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters,
and maketh the clouds His chariots,
and walketh upon the wings of the wind.
He bowed the heavens, and came down,
and it was dark under His feet.
He rode on the Cherubim, and did fly,
and came flying upon the wings of the wind.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven, His kingdom ruleth over all.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on them that fear Him,
and upon them that put their trust in His mercy.
To deliver their soul from death,
and to feed them in a time of dearth,
Our soul hath patiently tarried for the Lord,
For he is our help and our shield.
He delivered the poor in his affliction,
the fatherless and him that hath none to help him.
He shall bind up the broken hearted,
and proclaim liberty to the captive,
and comfort to those that mourn.
He shall give them beauty for ashes;
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud,
and as the garden causeth things that are sown
to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness
and peace to spring forth before all nations.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,
He hath not dealt with us after our sins,
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness,
for look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth,
so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him:
Look how wide also the east is from the west,
so far hath He set our sins from us.

O praise ye the Lord, praise Him in the height;
Rejoice in His word! Ye Angels of Light!
Ye Heavens adore Him by whom ye were made,
And Worship before Him in brightness arrayed

O praise ye the Lord, praise him upon earth,
In tuneful accord, ye sons of new birth,
Praise Him who hath brought you His grace from above,
Praise Him who hath taught you to sing of His Love.

O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song,
To him be outpoured all ages along;
For love in creation, for Heaven restored,
For grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord. Amen.

Along with Stanford, Charles Hubert Hastings Parry led a renaissance in British composition. Hear my words, ye people (1894) was written for the Diocesan Choral Festival at Salisbury Cathedral, an annual British choral tradition which continues in dioceses around the country to this day, albeit with smaller numbers now participating. In Parry’s era special trains were run, at reduced fares, to bring singers to the festival. Jeremy Dibble writes that almost a hundred local choirs took part—around 2000 singers! The work is a through-composed cantata, with passages for solo voices or semi-chorus, contrasting with music for the massed choirs and solo passages for the famous ‘Father’ Willis organ (then just 17 years old). The work is part of a tradition that extends from seventeenth-century Symphony Anthems such as Purcell’s O sing unto the Lord, Wesley’s nineteenth-century anthems like Ascribe unto the Lord, and on to such twentieth-century works as Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb and Walton’s The Twelve.

Parry drew his libretto from the Books of Isaiah, Job and the Psalms. The soprano aria uses passages that Elgar was later to set in The Spirit of the Lord—the musicality of the text inspires extraordinary melodic richness from both composers. The work ends with a metrical version of Psalm 150 by Henry W Baker; Parry’s setting was to become the greatly loved hymn tune Laudate Dominum. It is hard to imagine a more perfect work for the festival in Salisbury. Parry’s organ introduction builds up to an exhilarating first choral entry, foreshadowing his 1902 coronation anthem I was glad. At the Salisbury premiere the organ was supplemented by the Band of the Royal Marine Light Infantry (Portsmouth Division). 'The Lord is full of compassion' portrays the contrast between heaven and earth, between God and his subjects, as well as the vastness of God’s mercy and of the world He created; small and large forces are pitted against each other with masterly dramatic effect. A dominant pedal point, a stirring unison hymn tune, and an inexorable build-up of antiphonal Amens—all these elements ensure that the choirs will have returned home on their trains deeply inspired and motivated for the next year of singing.

Track 10 on CDA66273 [15'13] Archive Service

Hear my words, ye people, give ear
unto me all ye that have knowledge.
Let us choose to us judgement,
let us know among ourselves what is good.
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any,
He is mighty in strength and in wisdom.
Behold, He is great, and we know Him not,
neither can the number of His years be searched out.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven.
Clouds and darkness are round about Him,
Righteousness and judgement are the habitation of His seat.
He decketh Himself with light as with a garment,
and spreadeth out the heavens like a curtain.

He layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters,
and maketh the clouds His chariots,
and walketh upon the wings of the wind.
He bowed the heavens, and came down,
and it was dark under His feet.
He rode on the Cherubim, and did fly,
and came flying upon the wings of the wind.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven, His kingdom ruleth over all.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on them that fear Him,
and upon them that put their trust in His mercy.
To deliver their soul from death,
and to feed them in a time of dearth,
Our soul hath patiently tarried for the Lord,
For he is our help and our shield.
He delivered the poor in his affliction,
the fatherless and him that hath none to help him.
He shall bind up the broken hearted,
and proclaim liberty to the captive,
and comfort to those that mourn.
He shall give them beauty for ashes;
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud,
and as the garden causeth things that are sown
to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness
and peace to spring forth before all nations.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,
He hath not dealt with us after our sins,
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness,
for look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth,
so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him:
Look how wide also the east is from the west,
so far hath He set our sins from us.

O praise ye the Lord, praise Him in the height;
Rejoice in His word! Ye Angels of Light!
Ye Heavens adore Him by whom ye were made,
And Worship before Him in brightness arrayed

O praise ye the Lord, praise him upon earth,
In tuneful accord, ye sons of new birth,
Praise Him who hath brought you His grace from above,
Praise Him who hath taught you to sing of His Love.

O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song,
To him be outpoured all ages along;
For love in creation, for Heaven restored,
For grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord. Amen.

Track 13 on CDA66678 [16'40] Archive Service

Hear my words, ye people, give ear
unto me all ye that have knowledge.
Let us choose to us judgement,
let us know among ourselves what is good.
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any,
He is mighty in strength and in wisdom.
Behold, He is great, and we know Him not,
neither can the number of His years be searched out.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven.
Clouds and darkness are round about Him,
Righteousness and judgement are the habitation of His seat.
He decketh Himself with light as with a garment,
and spreadeth out the heavens like a curtain.

He layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters,
and maketh the clouds His chariots,
and walketh upon the wings of the wind.
He bowed the heavens, and came down,
and it was dark under His feet.
He rode on the Cherubim, and did fly,
and came flying upon the wings of the wind.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven, His kingdom ruleth over all.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on them that fear Him,
and upon them that put their trust in His mercy.
To deliver their soul from death,
and to feed them in a time of dearth,
Our soul hath patiently tarried for the Lord,
For he is our help and our shield.
He delivered the poor in his affliction,
the fatherless and him that hath none to help him.
He shall bind up the broken hearted,
and proclaim liberty to the captive,
and comfort to those that mourn.
He shall give them beauty for ashes;
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud,
and as the garden causeth things that are sown
to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness
and peace to spring forth before all nations.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,
He hath not dealt with us after our sins,
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness,
for look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth,
so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him:
Look how wide also the east is from the west,
so far hath He set our sins from us.

O praise ye the Lord, praise Him in the height;
Rejoice in His word! Ye Angels of Light!
Ye Heavens adore Him by whom ye were made,
And Worship before Him in brightness arrayed

O praise ye the Lord, praise him upon earth,
In tuneful accord, ye sons of new birth,
Praise Him who hath brought you His grace from above,
Praise Him who hath taught you to sing of His Love.

O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song,
To him be outpoured all ages along;
For love in creation, for Heaven restored,
For grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord. Amen.

Track 4 on CDA68089 [15'30]

Hear my words, ye people, give ear
unto me all ye that have knowledge.
Let us choose to us judgement,
let us know among ourselves what is good.
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any,
he is mighty in strength and in wisdom.
Behold, he is great, and we know him not,
neither can the number of his years be searched out.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven.

Clouds and darkness are round about him,
Righteousness and judgement are the habitation of his seat.
He decketh himself with light as with a garment,
and spreadeth out the heavens like a curtain.

He layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters,
and maketh the clouds his chariot,
and walketh upon the wings of the wind.
He bowed the heavens, and came down,
and it was dark under his feet.
He rode on the Cherubim, and did fly,
and came flying upon the wings of the wind.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven, his kingdom ruleth over all.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on them that fear him,
and upon them that put their trust in his mercy,
to deliver their soul from death,
and to feed them in the time of dearth.
Our soul hath patiently tarried for the Lord,
for he is our help and our shield.

He delivered the poor in his affliction,
the fatherless and him that hath none to help him.
He shall bind up the broken hearted,
and proclaim liberty to the captives,
and comfort to those that mourn.
He shall give them beauty for ashes;
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud,
and as the garden causeth things that are sown
to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness
and peace to spring forth before all nations.

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,
he hath not dealt with us after our sins,
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness,
for look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth,
so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
Look how wide also the east is from the west,
so far hath he set our sins from us.

O praise ye the Lord, praise him in the height;
Rejoice in his word! Ye Angels of Light!
Ye Heavens adore him by whom ye were made,
And Worship before him in brightness arrayed.

O praise ye the Lord, praise him upon earth,
In tuneful accord, ye sons of new birth,
Praise him who hath brought you his grace from above,
Praise him who hath taught you to sing of his Love.

O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song,
To him be outpoured all ages along;
For love in creation, for Heaven restored,
For grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord. Amen.

Track 1 on KGS0004 [14'42] Download only

Hear my words, ye people, give ear
unto me all ye that have knowledge.
Let us choose to us judgement,
let us know among ourselves what is good.
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any,
He is mighty in strength and in wisdom.
Behold, He is great, and we know Him not,
neither can the number of His years be searched out.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven.
Clouds and darkness are round about Him,
Righteousness and judgement are the habitation of His seat.
He decketh Himself with light as with a garment,
and spreadeth out the heavens like a curtain.

He layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters,
and maketh the clouds His chariots,
and walketh upon the wings of the wind.
He bowed the heavens, and came down,
and it was dark under His feet.
He rode on the Cherubim, and did fly,
and came flying upon the wings of the wind.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven, His kingdom ruleth over all.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on them that fear Him,
and upon them that put their trust in His mercy.
To deliver their soul from death,
and to feed them in a time of dearth,
Our soul hath patiently tarried for the Lord,
For he is our help and our shield.
He delivered the poor in his affliction,
the fatherless and him that hath none to help him.
He shall bind up the broken hearted,
and proclaim liberty to the captive,
and comfort to those that mourn.
He shall give them beauty for ashes;
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud,
and as the garden causeth things that are sown
to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness
and peace to spring forth before all nations.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,
He hath not dealt with us after our sins,
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness,
for look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth,
so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him:
Look how wide also the east is from the west,
so far hath He set our sins from us.

O praise ye the Lord, praise Him in the height;
Rejoice in His word! Ye Angels of Light!
Ye Heavens adore Him by whom ye were made,
And Worship before Him in brightness arrayed

O praise ye the Lord, praise him upon earth,
In tuneful accord, ye sons of new birth,
Praise Him who hath brought you His grace from above,
Praise Him who hath taught you to sing of His Love.

O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song,
To him be outpoured all ages along;
For love in creation, for Heaven restored,
For grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord. Amen.

Track 11 on KGS0011 [14'35] Download only

Hear my words, ye people, give ear
unto me all ye that have knowledge.
Let us choose to us judgement,
let us know among ourselves what is good.
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any,
He is mighty in strength and in wisdom.
Behold, He is great, and we know Him not,
neither can the number of His years be searched out.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven.
Clouds and darkness are round about Him,
Righteousness and judgement are the habitation of His seat.
He decketh Himself with light as with a garment,
and spreadeth out the heavens like a curtain.

He layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters,
and maketh the clouds His chariots,
and walketh upon the wings of the wind.
He bowed the heavens, and came down,
and it was dark under His feet.
He rode on the Cherubim, and did fly,
and came flying upon the wings of the wind.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven, His kingdom ruleth over all.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on them that fear Him,
and upon them that put their trust in His mercy.
To deliver their soul from death,
and to feed them in a time of dearth,
Our soul hath patiently tarried for the Lord,
For he is our help and our shield.
He delivered the poor in his affliction,
the fatherless and him that hath none to help him.
He shall bind up the broken hearted,
and proclaim liberty to the captive,
and comfort to those that mourn.
He shall give them beauty for ashes;
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud,
and as the garden causeth things that are sown
to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness
and peace to spring forth before all nations.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,
He hath not dealt with us after our sins,
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness,
for look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth,
so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him:
Look how wide also the east is from the west,
so far hath He set our sins from us.

O praise ye the Lord, praise Him in the height;
Rejoice in His word! Ye Angels of Light!
Ye Heavens adore Him by whom ye were made,
And Worship before Him in brightness arrayed

O praise ye the Lord, praise him upon earth,
In tuneful accord, ye sons of new birth,
Praise Him who hath brought you His grace from above,
Praise Him who hath taught you to sing of His Love.

O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song,
To him be outpoured all ages along;
For love in creation, for Heaven restored,
For grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord. Amen.

Track 1 on SIGCD115 [15'03] Download only

Hear my words, ye people, give ear
unto me all ye that have knowledge.
Let us choose to us judgement,
let us know among ourselves what is good.
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any,
He is mighty in strength and in wisdom.
Behold, He is great, and we know Him not,
neither can the number of His years be searched out.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven.
Clouds and darkness are round about Him,
Righteousness and judgement are the habitation of His seat.
He decketh Himself with light as with a garment,
and spreadeth out the heavens like a curtain.

He layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters,
and maketh the clouds His chariots,
and walketh upon the wings of the wind.
He bowed the heavens, and came down,
and it was dark under His feet.
He rode on the Cherubim, and did fly,
and came flying upon the wings of the wind.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven, His kingdom ruleth over all.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on them that fear Him,
and upon them that put their trust in His mercy.
To deliver their soul from death,
and to feed them in a time of dearth,
Our soul hath patiently tarried for the Lord,
For he is our help and our shield.
He delivered the poor in his affliction,
the fatherless and him that hath none to help him.
He shall bind up the broken hearted,
and proclaim liberty to the captive,
and comfort to those that mourn.
He shall give them beauty for ashes;
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud,
and as the garden causeth things that are sown
to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness
and peace to spring forth before all nations.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,
He hath not dealt with us after our sins,
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness,
for look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth,
so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him:
Look how wide also the east is from the west,
so far hath He set our sins from us.

O praise ye the Lord, praise Him in the height;
Rejoice in His word! Ye Angels of Light!
Ye Heavens adore Him by whom ye were made,
And Worship before Him in brightness arrayed

O praise ye the Lord, praise him upon earth,
In tuneful accord, ye sons of new birth,
Praise Him who hath brought you His grace from above,
Praise Him who hath taught you to sing of His Love.

O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song,
To him be outpoured all ages along;
For love in creation, for Heaven restored,
For grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord. Amen.

Track 8 on SIGCD279 [15'14] Download only

Hear my words, ye people, give ear
unto me all ye that have knowledge.
Let us choose to us judgement,
let us know among ourselves what is good.
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any,
He is mighty in strength and in wisdom.
Behold, He is great, and we know Him not,
neither can the number of His years be searched out.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven.
Clouds and darkness are round about Him,
Righteousness and judgement are the habitation of His seat.
He decketh Himself with light as with a garment,
and spreadeth out the heavens like a curtain.

He layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters,
and maketh the clouds His chariots,
and walketh upon the wings of the wind.
He bowed the heavens, and came down,
and it was dark under His feet.
He rode on the Cherubim, and did fly,
and came flying upon the wings of the wind.
The Lord’s seat is in heaven, His kingdom ruleth over all.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on them that fear Him,
and upon them that put their trust in His mercy.
To deliver their soul from death,
and to feed them in a time of dearth,
Our soul hath patiently tarried for the Lord,
For he is our help and our shield.
He delivered the poor in his affliction,
the fatherless and him that hath none to help him.
He shall bind up the broken hearted,
and proclaim liberty to the captive,
and comfort to those that mourn.
He shall give them beauty for ashes;
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud,
and as the garden causeth things that are sown
to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness
and peace to spring forth before all nations.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,
He hath not dealt with us after our sins,
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness,
for look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth,
so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him:
Look how wide also the east is from the west,
so far hath He set our sins from us.

O praise ye the Lord, praise Him in the height;
Rejoice in His word! Ye Angels of Light!
Ye Heavens adore Him by whom ye were made,
And Worship before Him in brightness arrayed

O praise ye the Lord, praise him upon earth,
In tuneful accord, ye sons of new birth,
Praise Him who hath brought you His grace from above,
Praise Him who hath taught you to sing of His Love.

O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song,
To him be outpoured all ages along;
For love in creation, for Heaven restored,
For grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord. Amen.

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