Let All Creation Bless the Lord William Bradley Roberts
Composer
William Bradley Roberts TextA Song of Creation (Benedicte, omnia opera Domini), para. Carl P. Daw, Jr.
Voicing SATB, organ, tambourine, triangle Topic Communion Length 4' 15" Price $2.25 (U.S.) Released 12/00 Catalog no. 410-655 Difficulty Mod. difficult
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Description An exciting and extroverted setting of Carl Daw's paraphrase of the Benedicite, complete with spirited parts for organ and percussion instruments. The work features a chantlike middle section for tenor solo or section before returning to the opening material.
Anthem text Let all creation bless the Lord,
till heav'n with praise is ringing.
Sun, moon, and stars, peal out a chord,
stir up the angels' singing.
Sing, wind and rain! Sing snow and sleet!
Make music, day, night, cold, and heat:
exalt the God who made you,
exalt the God who made you, exalt!
All living things upon the earth,
green fertile hills and mountains,
sing to the God who gave you birth;
be joyful, springs and fountains.
Lithe waterlife, bright airborne birds,
wild roving beasts, tame flocks and herds;
exalt the God who made you.
O men and women ev'rywhere,
lift up a hymn of glory:
let all who know God's steadfast care,
tell out salvation's story.
No tongue be silent; sing your part,
you humble souls and meek of heart:
exalt the God who made you.
Let all creation bless the Lord,
till heav'n with praise is ringing.
Let all creation bless the Lord!
Excerpt from performance at Virginia Theological Seminary (watch on YouTube to listen to the whole anthem).
Review "This anthem has [a] text by Carl Daw, a paraphrase of the Benedicite omnia opera Domini. The anthem is written with the same excellent craftsmanship as 'In All These You Welcomed Me,' [another anthem by Roberts], but the contrast between the two is striking. First the text of this anthem is an artful paraphrase of Canticle 12 from the Book of Common Prayer, rather than original poetry. Second, the musical setting is styled as a festival anthem for a large choir, using a demanding keyboard accompaniment with tambourine and triangle. The tempo is marked 'spirited and fast,' and the text and keyboard part are frequently accented. Especially in the sections sung by the full chorus, syncopation is common, meters change quickly, and the dynamics are often fortissimo. The form is da capo; section A begins with excitement generated by the accompaniment and the ff dynamics and full chords for the choir. Twenty-two measures into the composition, the tempo picks up noticeably, the meter changes to duple and becomes dance-like, and the choral texture contrasts the women's and men's sections as they sing separately and in four parts. Section B is written for a tenor solo (or section). The vocal range and tessitura of the solo are moderate for a tenor voice. Following section B, the repetition of A is the same, but the text changes. The work then moves to a coda and an especially powerful ending. For the right festival occasion, and especially in praise of God's creation, this work would be a thrilling and energetic choice." --Dr. Donal R. Cox, The Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians (April 2005)
