This edition was prepared by Barry Johnston — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Essex
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.
SATB · Barry Johnston
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Essex by Oliver Holden — Lyrics
Go, worship at Immanuel's feet,
See in His face what wonders meet!
Earth is too narrow to express
His worth, His glory, or His grace.
The whole creation can afford
But some faint shadows of my Lord;
Nature, to make His beauties known,
Must mingle colors not her own.
Is He compared to wine or bread?
Dear Lord, our souls would thus be fed
That flesh, that dying blood of Thine,
Is bread of life, is heavenly wine.
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About Essex
Oliver Holden's setting of Essex is a sacred choral work for SATB voices in English. The music opens with a flowing melodic line, quickly joined by the other voices to create a rich, homophonic texture. The composer's setting emphasizes the devotional nature of the text, which offers a series of poetic images to express the ineffable glory and grace of Immanuel. The lyrics compare Christ to various elements of creation – wine, bread, a tree, a rose, a lily – suggesting that even nature is insufficient to fully convey His worth. The music captures this sense of awe and wonder, with the SATB harmonies providing a warm and resonant foundation for the praise offered.
