This octavo contains two versions of Sarah Hart’s moving hymn: the first is a boldly conceived concerto arrangement (including full SATB choir and an obbligato cello part) by her OCP colleague, Scott Soper, and the second is her original congregational hymn in C major for unison choir and piano. This setting of the timeless text by Thomas Moore (Verses 1, 2), 1779–1852, and Thomas Hastings (Verse 3), 1784–1872, would be a suitable choice for liturgies whose themes encompass the topics of comfort, healing, hope, and welcome. The concertato version of the piece, effectively a choral anthem of moderate difficulty, features various choral textures from simpler two-part writing to the more florid, imitative setting of the third and final verse. The modulation from E major to D major between the second and third verses is harmonically striking, subtly suggesting the change in authorship. The piece closes quietly and contemplatively with unison choir and treble figuration in the piano.
