"Let All the World in Every Corner Sing" was originally a poem written by George Herbert (1593-1633). It was turned into a hymn after his death. As a young man, Herbert was not that religious and did not give much thought to God. His spiritual calling came when he was 36 years old. He left politics and became the rector of a country parish near Salisbury.
Birth of the Hymn and Text Author George Herbert
One of Herbert's greatest joys was music, playing and singing with his friends. One day, in his usual walks, he stopped to help a man whose horse collapsed in the mud under its heavy load. He was soiled and dirty that surprised his friends knowing him to be so smart and clean. Herbert replied that the thought of what he had done was music to him: 'I am bound to practice what I pray for… and I praise God for this occasion. Come, let's tune our instruments.' From that inspired deed, "Let All the World in Every Corner Sing" was created.
Setting of the Words to Music
The verses first appeared as set out in the collection of Herbert's work which was published under the title of "The Temple", shortly after his death. They were designed to be sung antiphonally, either by two choirs or by choir and congregation. In 1760 in his New Book of Psalmody, John Hill of Lydd set the words to music as Herbert had written them, assigning the first verse to alto and tenor and the second to treble and bass, with a four-part chorus.
The rearrangement into a conventional congregational hymn of two verses, with the refrain being repeated at the end of the first as well as the second, has been made in the volume of Church Hymns published by the Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge. It was included in the supplement to Hymns Ancient and Modern and is the version that appears in all hymn-books.
Some Composers of the Tune
Four greatest church musicians of the last 150 years have written music for this hymn.
- William Henry Monk composed the melody for the supplement to Hymns Ancient and Modern, of which he was music editor. It was one of the last tunes that he wrote before his death. Monk was organist of four major London churches, and composer of numerous hymn tunes, including the favorites Eventide, for "Abide with Me."
- Basil Harwood, organist at Oxford cathedrals, first used in the Oxford Hymn Book.
- Martin Shaw, organist and director of music, supplied High Road, which was taken up by the English Hymnal. He was a pupil of Sir Charles Stanford, Charles Parry and Walford Davies at the Royal College of Music. Shaw arranged and adapted the folk melody Royal Oak for "All Things Bright and Beautiful."
- Erik Routley, writer of Augustine which appears in the current edition of the Church Hymnary.
First Stanza of "Let All The World in Every Corner Sing"
Let all the world in every corner sing, My God and King!
The heavens are not too high, His praise may thither fly;
The earth is not too low, His praises there may grow.
Let all the world in every corner sing, My God and King!
Lyrics and Music
Cyber Hymnal (Click MIDI from there)
Sources:
Famous Hymns, compiled by Christopher Idle, A Lion Book (1991)
The Penguin Book of Hymns, edited by Ian Bradley (1990)
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