# 59 Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding

Words: Latin, ca 6th century

Tune: MERTON

Composer: William Henry Monk

From the 1982 Hymnal Companion

As is the case with several carols and anthems for Advent and Christmas in current common use, this text and tune with its descant have gained greater acceptance and use in the Episcopal Church through their inclusion in a recording of Advent Lessons and Carols by the choir of King’s College, Cambridge.

The hymn is found in two 10th century sources. The hymn abounds with scripture references; indeed every line in the Latin original can reasonably be associated with a passage from scripture, if not a direct reference, at least a reflection. The translation by Edward Caswall, which appeared in his Lyra Catholica [1849] preserves most of the biblical references.

The word “hark” is a perfectly good word but for some reason it seems to appear mostly at this time of year in Advent and Christmas hymns. Defined as “to listen carefully, to be attentive,” it surely is the correct word for our waiting and watching during the Advent season.

MERTON, composed by William Henry Monk, first appeared in the Parish Choir, 1850, and in the first addition of Hymns: Ancient & Modern [1861] for which Monk served as musical editor and was the person who suggested the title for that historic collection. The tune’s title is thought to refer to Walter de Merton, founder of Merton College, Oxford, England.

Here’s a video of the hymn from St. Bart’s in New York. Make sure to listen to the end to hear the descant in verse 5. YOUTUBE