EACH JUBILANT CHORD
Musical settings of Thomas Traherne

Rick Sowash (b.1950)

Gifts of God

A two-part motet, composed for the Harvard University Choir, which adapts words from Thomas Traherne’s poem Wonder (verse 2).

The Skies in their Magnificence,
The Lively, Lovely Air;
Oh how Divine, how soft, how Sweet, how fair!

(The sunset and the stars at night
the moon and the sunrise
e’en so are all the gifts of God,
all bright and pure and wise.
Gifts rich and great to us they seem
and may they thus endure.
As long as we draw breath and live,
our gratitude and praise be God’s,
gifts we in turn may give,
gifts we in turn may give,
in turn in turn may give
may give in turn,
in turn may give.)

Published: The composer 2010