This edition was prepared by James Gibb — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Brightest and best
Staff Notation • Sacred, Hymns
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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.
SATB · John Henry Fowler
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Brightest and best by Samuel Sebastian Wesley — Lyrics
The Christian Observer, 1811
1. Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid!
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid!
2. Cold on his cradle the dewdrops are shining,
Low its his bed with the beasts of the stall;
Angels adore him in slumber reclining,
Maker, and Monarch, and Savior of all!
3. Say, shall we yield him, in costly devotion,
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About Brightest and best
Sung during the season of Epiphany, Brightest and best is a revered hymn that reflects on the adoration due to the infant Jesus. The text, first published in The Christian Observer in 1811, addresses Christ as the Light of the World, the Star of the East, guiding the faithful. It questions the value of material offerings compared to the sincerity of the heart, concluding that true devotion is richer and more precious than any earthly treasure. This arrangement for SATB choir captures the solemnity and profound spiritual message of the hymn, offering a moving musical setting for congregational reflection and praise.
