This edition was prepared by Barry Johnston — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Conviction
Staff Notation • Sacred, Set pieces
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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 · Barry Johnston
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Conviction by Jacob French — Lyrics
1. Alas, my aching heart!
Here the keen torment lies;
It racks my waking hours with smart,
And frights my slumbering eyes.
2. Guilt will be hid no more;
My griefs take vent apace;
The crimes that blot my conscience o'er
Flush crimson in my face.
3. My sorrows, like a flood,
Impatient of restraint,
Into Thy bosom, O my God,
Pour out a long complaint.
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About Conviction
Jacob French’s setting of Conviction opens with a sense of urgent, yet controlled, lament. The SATB choir navigates passages of chromatic harmony and suspensions that reflect the text's distress, with moments of stark homophony emphasizing words of guilt and sorrow. The English lyrics express a profound and personal confession of sin and regret, a 'long complaint' poured out to God. The music faithfully captures the spiritual turmoil described, moving from moments of intense anguish to a plea for divine grace. This is a powerfully expressive setting for mature choirs, demonstrating a deep engagement with the text's emotional landscape.
