Composer

:

Michael Wise

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Anthem

Average_duration

:

8:21

The Ways of Zion Do Mourn is a sacred choral work composed by Michael Wise in the 17th century. It was written in 1683 and premiered in London, England. The piece is divided into six movements, each of which is based on a different biblical text. The first movement, "How are the mighty fallen," is a lamentation for King Saul and his son Jonathan. It is a slow and mournful piece, with the choir singing in unison and accompanied by a simple organ accompaniment. The second movement, "She weeps alone," is a setting of the Book of Lamentations. It is a solo aria for alto, accompanied by a string quartet. The music is slow and mournful, with the soloist singing of the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of the people. The third movement, "The righteous perisheth," is a setting of the Book of Isaiah. It is a duet for soprano and tenor, accompanied by a string quartet. The music is more upbeat than the previous movements, with the singers celebrating the life of the righteous. The fourth movement, "How is the gold become dim," is a setting of the Book of Lamentations. It is a solo aria for tenor, accompanied by a string quartet. The music is slow and mournful, with the soloist singing of the destruction of the Temple and the loss of the people's wealth. The fifth movement, "They are at rest," is a setting of the Book of Wisdom. It is a quartet for soprano, alto, tenor, and bass, accompanied by a string quartet. The music is slow and peaceful, with the singers celebrating the rest of the righteous. The final movement, "The ways of Zion do mourn," is a setting of the Book of Jeremiah. It is a choral piece, with the choir singing in four parts and accompanied by a string quartet. The music is slow and mournful, with the choir singing of the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of the people. Overall, The Ways of Zion Do Mourn is a powerful and emotional work that reflects the biblical texts on which it is based. The music is simple and elegant, with a focus on the text and the emotions it conveys. It remains a popular piece in the choral repertoire to this day.

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