This edition was prepared by Barry Johnston — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Fairfield
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 · Barry Johnston
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Fairfield by William Billings — Lyrics
Canticum graduum. De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine;
Domine, exaudi vocem meam.
Fiant aures tuae intendentes in vocem deprecationis meae.
Si iniquitates observaveris, Domine, Domine, quis sustinebit?
Quia apud te propitiatio est; et propter legem tuam sustinui te, Domine.
Sustinuit anima mea in verbo ejus:
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About Fairfield
William Billings, a self-taught American composer, published this work in his 1778 collection The Singing Master's Assistant. The text is drawn from Psalm 130, a penitential psalm often used as a prayer for the dead. The Latin 'De profundis' ('From the depths') sets a somber and pleading tone, beginning with a cry to the Lord from the depths of distress. The English translation that follows echoes this plea for mercy and redemption. Billings' SATB setting is a powerful example of early American sacred music, reflecting the devotional practices and musical styles of the era.
