Composer

:

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Hymn

Compose Date

:

1906

Publication Date

:

1906

Average_duration

:

3:19

"Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones" is a hymn composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 1906. It was first published in the English Hymnal in 1906 and has since become a popular hymn in many Christian denominations. The hymn is composed of four verses, each with a refrain. The text of the hymn is based on a medieval Latin hymn, "Sancti Venite Christi Corpus," which was translated into English by Athelstan Riley in 1905. The hymn is often sung during the Easter season and is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The first movement of the hymn is a joyful and triumphant introduction, with the choir singing "Ye watchers and ye holy ones, bright seraphs, cherubim, and thrones." The second movement is a more subdued and reflective section, with the choir singing "Raise the song of gladness, voices of the choirs above." The third movement is a return to the joyful and triumphant tone of the first movement, with the choir singing "Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, alleluia!" The final movement is a grand and majestic conclusion, with the choir singing "To God who all creation made, the Father, Son, and Spirit blest, give we our hearts, our hands, our voices, now and evermore." The characteristics of "Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones" are its joyful and triumphant tone, its use of traditional Christian imagery, and its celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The hymn is often performed with a large choir and organ accompaniment, and its grand and majestic sound makes it a popular choice for Easter services and other celebrations of the Christian faith.

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