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Come, Ye Thankful People, Come
Composer Robert J. Powell
Text Henry Alford (1810-1871), alt.
Voicing SAB, organ, opt. cong.
Topics Thanksgiving
Length 3' 30" Price $1.50 (U.S.) Released 5/05
Catalog no. 425-701 Difficulty Moderately easy
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 Review
"At Thanksgiving, I know I am not alone in being called upon to join with other choirs in the leadership of a joint service for several congregations. Robert Powell's arrangement of the traditional Thanksgiving hymn, "Come, ye thankful peope" (and its tune, ST. GEORGE'S, WINDSOR) could well serve as an anthem on an occasion at which the choral forces are uncertain--or as a source of enrichment for the congregational singing of this seasonal favorite. A full (and nicely varied) play-through serves as an introduction; the first two stanzas are set in unison, the third for unaccompanied choir a3 (SAB); after a short interlude, the fourth provides a descant above the melody." --AAM Journal, October 2006
Description
Here is a good, practical addition to the Thanksgiving repertoire for smaller choirs and youth choirs. The well-known hymntune ST. GEORGE'S WINDSOR is expertly arranged for SAB voices and organ (or piano), with the possibility of congregational participation on every stanza but one (the third stanza being sung by the choir, a cappella). A treble descant on stanza 4 brings the work to a fitting climax.
Anthem text
Come, ye thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home:
all is safely gathered in
ere the winter storms begin;
God, our Maker, doth provide
for our wants to be supplied;
come to God’s own temple, come,
raise the song of harvest home.
All the world is God’s own field,
fruit unto his praise to yield;
wheat and tares together sown,
unto joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade, and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear;
grant O harvest Lord, that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.
For the Lord our God shall come,
and shall take his harvest home;
from his field shall in that day
all offences purge away;
give his angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast,
but the fruitful ears to store
in his garner evermore.
Even so Lord, quickly come
to your final harvest home;
gather all your people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin;
there for ever purified:
in your presence to abide:
come, with all your angels, come,
raise the glorious harvest home.
--Henry Alford (1810-1871), alt.
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