Come, O Come Our Voices Raise (Alex Wyton 1921-2007)

September 27th Performance at the Janet A. and Willis S. Strauss Performing Arts Center Recital Hall, UNO
Schola Cantoribus of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Choirmaster James D. Johnson
Organist David Schack
Image Courtesy of Sandy Tracy.
www.stpaulscb.com/
1. Come, O Come, our voices raise,
Sounding God Almighty's praise;
Hither bring in one consent
Heart, and voice, and instrument.
Alleluia!
2. Sound the trumpet! Touch the lute!
Let no tongue or string be mute,
Nor a voiceless creature found,
That hath neither note nor sound.
Alleluia!
3. Come ye all before his face,
In this choir take your place;
And amid the mortal throng,
Be ye masters of the song.
Alleluia!
4. Let in praise of God the sound
Run a never-ending round,
That our songs of praise may be
Everlasting, as is he.
Alleluia!
5. So this huge wide orb we see
Shall one choir, one temple be;
Where in such a praiseful tone
We shall sing what he hath done.
Alleluia!
6. Thus our song shall over-climb
All the bounds of space and time;
Come, O come, our voices raise,
Sounding God Almighty's praise.
Alleluia!

[@pravoslavn]

I have enjoyed listening to your group's UA-cam presentations. Thank you for the good, and grand and stately pieces from the church repertoire. However, this kind of composition (by Wyton) will not stand the test of time and will probably never be performed again after two more decades. First, good church vocal music (even Gregorian Chant) has an identifiable melodic line. This piece has none. Second, the harmonizations (chords) border more on the discordant than on pleasingly resolved chords. And thus the whole piece takes on the character of secular screech-music brought into the church. If the choirmaster of my church performed pieces like this, I would let her know every time that her selections were neither pleasant nor pleasing... and I would also make my displeasure know to the clergyman every time, too.