This edition was prepared by Douglas Brooks-Davies — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Advent Anthem
Staff Notation • Sacred, Anthems
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Advent Anthem by Douglas Brooks-Davies — Lyrics
This Advent moon shines cold and clear,
These Advent nights are very long;
Our lamps have burned year after year
And still their flame is strong.
'Watchman, what of the night?' we cry,
Heartsick with hope deferred:
'No speaking signs are in the sky,'
Is still the watchman's word.
The Porter watches at the gate,
The servants watch within;
The watch is long betimes and late,
The prize is slow to win.
'Watchman, what of the night?' But still
His answer sounds the same:
'No daybreak tops the utmost hill,
Nor pale our lamps of flame.'
Read full lyrics
About Advent Anthem
This SATB anthem is ideal for Advent services, evoking the season's atmosphere of patient waiting and hopeful expectation. The English text, set by Douglas Brooks-Davies, draws upon the familiar imagery of watchfulness, likening the vigil of Advent to that of the wise virgins. It speaks of lamps burning brightly through long nights, of the porter at the gate, and of the servants within, all anticipating a longed-for arrival. The music likely reflects the yearning and steadfastness described in the lyrics, offering a reflective yet resolute setting for choirs during this liturgical period.
