Mount Vernon Hymn (Stephen Jenks)
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- (Posted 2016-09-26) CPDL #41244:
- Editor: Aaron Giles (submitted 2016-09-26). Score information: Letter, 3 pages, 44 kB Copyright: Public Domain
- Edition notes: Transcribed from Jacob French's "Harmony of Harmony"
General Information
Title: Mount Vernon Hymn
First Line: What solemn sounds the ear invade
Composer: Stephen Jenks
Lyricist:
Number of voices: 4vv Voicing: SATB
Genre: Sacred Meter: 88. 88 (L.M.)
Language: English
Instruments: A cappella
First published: 1802 in Harmony of Harmony
Description: An ode to the death of George Washington.
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
What solemn sounds the ear invade,
What wraps the land in sorrow's shade,
From Heav'n the awful mandate flies,
The father of his country dies.
Let ev'ry heart be filled with woe,
Let ev'ry eye with tears o'erflow,
Each form oppress'd with deepest gloom,
Be clad in vestments of the tomb!
Behold that venerable band,
The rulers of our mourning land;
With grief proclaim, from shore to shore,
Our Guide, our Washington's no more!
Where shall Columbia turn its eye,
What help remains beneath the sky?
Our friend, protector, strength and trust,
Lies low and mould'ring in the dust.
Almighty God, to Thee we fly,
Before thy throne above the sky;
In deep prostration humbly bow,
And pour the pentitential vow.
Hear, O Most High, our earnest pray'r,
Our Country take beneath thy care;
When dangers press and foes draw near,
May future Washingtons appear.