This edition was prepared by Barry Johnston — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Andover
Staff Notation • Sacred
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2 editions of this piece
Different typesettings and voicings of the same work. This page shows the main edition; the others are below.
STB · Barry Johnston
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Andover by Samuel Holyoke — Lyrics
And let this feeble body fail,
And let it droop, or die.
My soul shall quit the mournful vale,
And soar to worlds on high:
Shall join the disembodied saints,
And find its longsought rest,
(That only bliss for which it pants,)
In my Redeemer's breast.
In hope of that immortal crown,
I now the cross sustain.
And gladly wander up and down,
And smile at toil and pain :
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About Andover
Samuel Holyoke was a prominent figure in early American sacred music. This STB anthem, set to English lyrics, reflects the deep faith and hope for eternal rest common in the period's devotional literature. The text speaks of enduring earthly trials with the steadfast expectation of heavenly reward, finding solace in the prospect of reunion with the Redeemer. The music likely provides a setting that is both earnest and uplifting, suitable for congregational or choir use in churches of the late 18th or early 19th century. It captures the fervent longing for release from worldly suffering and the anticipated peace of the afterlife.
