This edition was prepared by Edmund Gooch — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Hark from the tombs a doleful sound
Staff Notation • Sacred, Hymns
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Hark from the tombs a doleful sound by Thomas Clark — Lyrics
Hark! from the tombs a doleful sound;
My ears, attend the cry;
"Ye living men, come view the ground
Where you must shortly lie.
"Princes, this clay must be your bed,
In spite of all your towers;
The tall, the wise, the reverend head
Must lie as low as ours!"
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About Hark from the tombs a doleful sound
Thomas Clark’s setting of Hark from the tombs a doleful sound is a hymn for SATB choir, sung in English. The text expresses a stark meditation on mortality, urging listeners to contemplate their own inevitable demise and the futility of earthly power in the face of death. It then shifts to a plea for divine grace, seeking spiritual preparation for the afterlife. The hymn’s powerful message is amplified by its sacred context, offering a profound reflection on life, death, and the hope of resurrection. Clark’s arrangement provides a fitting musical expression for this solemn yet ultimately hopeful text, ideal for choirs looking for a piece with deep theological and emotional resonance.
