ME = Moderately Easy
M = Medium
MD = Moderately Difficult
D = Difficult
As We Sing of Hope and Joy (E. Alexander)
SATB a cappella - SEA-008-01 - $1.00/copy3 minutes - ME
A thoughtful and poetic hymn of social justice, with engaging inner voices and a modally inflected harmonic palette. Concluding with a melismatic "alleluia," this song is appropriate for concert or worship settings.
To view the score, click here
As We Sing of Hope and Joy
As we sing of hope and joy today,
Some know only anguish and despair.
How can we lift our voices in this way
While some have pain and misery to spare?
If a crumbling world we would renew,
We must sing no ordinary song.
Peals from a noisy gong will never do!
We must compose a love-song, warm and strong.
Let this song our greatest hopes contain:
Laughter of a well-fed child its tune,
Roofs over every heartbeat its refrain,
Its harmony from peaceful cities hewn.
Let this song our every footstep guide.
No mere clanging cymbals shall we be!
Under a stone our light we'll never hide,
Nor sing our holy psalms indifferently.
Sing of joy while hammering each nail!
Sing of hope while pulling every weed!
So shall we sing together and prevail:
May every Alleluia bear a seed.
Copyright 1995 by Elizabeth Alexander. Reprinted by permission.
As we sing of hope and joy today,
Some know only anguish and despair.
How can we lift our voices in this way
While some have pain and misery to spare?
If a crumbling world we would renew,
We must sing no ordinary song.
Peals from a noisy gong will never do!
We must compose a love-song, warm and strong.
Let this song our greatest hopes contain:
Laughter of a well-fed child its tune,
Roofs over every heartbeat its refrain,
Its harmony from peaceful cities hewn.
Let this song our every footstep guide.
No mere clanging cymbals shall we be!
Under a stone our light we'll never hide,
Nor sing our holy psalms indifferently.
Sing of joy while hammering each nail!
Sing of hope while pulling every weed!
So shall we sing together and prevail:
May every Alleluia bear a seed.
Copyright 1995 by Elizabeth Alexander. Reprinted by permission.
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