FUNERAL ANTHEM (Billings)

FUNERAL ANTHEM (Billings)

Composer: William Billings
Published in 4 hymnals


Audio files: MIDI

Composer: William Billings

William Billings (b. 1746; d. 1800) was an American choral composer, thought by some to be the father of American choral music. His father died when William was 14, and he was forced to drop all formal education and take up tanning to get by. With no formal musical training he began to compose, and his songs were well-loved and traveled quickly. However, due to unsubstantial copyright laws, Billings received hardly a penny from the publication of his music. After a period of fame and prosperity, his music was forgotten, and his last decade was one of decline. Married with six children, he died in poverty, though his music would be resurrected after his death and sung to this day. Laura de Jong Go to person page >

Tune Information

Title: FUNERAL ANTHEM (Billings)
Composer: William Billings
Incipit: 15517 65543 45555
Key: f♯ minor
Copyright: Public Domain

Texts

I Heard a Great Voice from Heaven


I heard a great voice from heaven,
Saying unto me, write,
From henceforth, write,
From henceforth, write,
From henceforth, write,
Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord.

Yea, saith the Spirit, for they rest,
For they rest, for they rest, for they rest
For they rest from their labors,
From their labors and their works, which do follow,
Follow, follow, which do follow them.
Which do follow them.

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Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 1 of 1)

The Sacred Harp #320

Include 3 pre-1979 instances
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