Be veewy, veewy qwuiet!...

...or so state the lyrics to the arrangement I am working on today - Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.

It's 10:08 on Sunday, July 5, 2009.

This carol is obscure to some - not so much to others. However, I LOVE it, and it has the potential to be one of my favorites on this project - although, can I really play favorites when they are all my 'brain children'? Of all the arrangements on the project, this one is sweeping and 'cinematic' in breadth and scope.

I'd be interested to know who does - and who does not know this tune? Most of my music is instrumental, and when vocals appear, they are more 'instrumental-like' than sing-song performance like. Currently this tune has no vocals at all - thus no text to hear. I'm nearing the end of the arrangement so we'll see what happens today. Here's the text:

1.  Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
    and with fear and trembling stand;
    ponder nothing earthly-minded,
    for with blessing in his hand,
    Christ our God to earth descendeth,
    our full homage to demand.

2.  King of kings, yet born of Mary,
    as of old on earth he stood,
    Lord of lords, in human vesture,
    in the body and the blood;
    he will give to all the faithful
    his own self for heavenly food.

3.  Rank on rank the host of heaven
    spreads its vanguard on the way,
    as the Light of light descendeth
    from the realms of endless day,
    that the powers of hell may vanish
    as the darkness clears away.

4.  At his feet the six-winged seraph,
    cherubim, with sleepless eye,
    veil their faces to the presence,
    as with ceaseless voice they cry:
    Alleluia, Alleluia,
    Alleluia, Lord Most High!