JOHN NEWTON
THE COLLECTION OF SHORT ANTHEMS
1. Lord, Afford a Spring to Me
KINDLY SPRING AGAIN IS HERE (1779)
“Lord, afford a spring to me
Let me feel like what I see
Speak, and by thy gracious voice
Make my drooping soul rejoice”
2. Within These Walls
OLNEY HYMNS, BOOK II, ORDINANCES, HYMN XLIII
“Within these walls let holy peace,
And love, and concord dwell;
Here give the troubled conscience ease,
The wounded spirit heal.”
3. The Grace of Christ
"May the grace of Christ our savior,
and the Father's boundless love,
With the Holy Spirit's favour,
Rest upon us from above.
Thus may we abide in unity
with each other and the Lord,
and possess in sweet communion
the joys which Earth cannot afford.
THE JOHN NEWTON COLLECTION OF SHORT ANTHEMS
Begun by commission from Jay Carter, Artist-in-Residence and Director of Schola Cantorum at William Jewell College, this series focuses on short passages of text from the pen of John Newton. The set is intended to mirror the arc of a worship service; the first piece, Lord, Afford a Spring to Me, describes the state in which many come to worship: seeking guidance, fulfillment, and encouragement. The second, Within These Walls, references the sense of calm and love that fills a church when its members gather together, marking the space as a holy one. The final piece will act as a benediction or sending forth. From the beginning, this set was intended to draw the maximum musical impact from the most minimal of means, both textually and musically. Thus, the pieces are short, but in their economy they gain a sense of purpose and concise beauty.
The collection is published by Alliance Music Publishing on Simon Carrington's series; links to purchase these pieces may be found on the MUSIC page of this website.