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Give Us Grace Music & Lyrics (adapted from a prayer by Jane Austen)
by Joanna Forbes L’Estrange a gospel-style part-song
SSA (unaccomp.) andagio
Give us grace (A prayer of Jane Austen) When I was commissioned to write a piece for a concert on International Women's Day 2018, a hundred years after women (though not all of them) got the vote in the UK, I wanted to set a text written by a woman and which expressed something of the ongoing campaign for equal rights and opportunies. Jane Austen's beautiful and powerful prayer On each return of the night struck a chord with me as soon as I read it; I was particularly taken with the relevance and poignancy of the opening line Give us grace, Almighty Father, so to pray as to deserve to be heard. The song is inspired by gospel style and should be sung with plenty of expression and with a rock-solid pulse. Above all, the words should be clear and as speech-like as possible. Sing it as if you mean it and you can't go wrong! Joanna Forbes L' Estrange
Commissioned by Patrick Craig for Aurora Nova First performed by Aurora Nova on International Women's Day, 8th March 2018 at St James's Church, Piccadilly, London UK Copyright © 2018 andagio
Dedicated to Patrick Craig & Aurora Nova who gave the first performance on International Women's Day, 8th March 2018
Give us grace (A prayer of Jane Austen)
Words based on the prayer On each return of the night by Jane Austen (1775-1817) with additional words by Joanna Forbes L'Estrange
Joanna Forbes L’Estrange
Gospel style (simple, with minimal vibrato) q = c. 72 SOPRANO 1
° # 4 mf °™ 3 4 3 & 4 œ œ ™¢™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 4 œ ‰ œj œ œ ™ 4 ùœ œ œ ™ œ œ œ 4 ù Give us
SOPRANO 2
grace, Al - migh - ty Fa - ther, so to pray,
°™ ¢™
#4 & 4Œ
as to de - serve to be heard this and
mf
3 4 3 4 Œ ‰ œj œ œ ™ 4 ùœ œ œ ™ œ œ œ 4
∑
as to de - serve to be heard this and
ALTO
°™ ¢™
#4 Œ & ¢ 4
3 4
∑
∑
4 4
œ œ™
j œ
3 4
∑
4
° #3 & 4œ
ev - 'ry
#3 & 4œ
day,
to
#3 Œ & ¢ 4
ad -
day,
to
ad -
Œ
6
#
& œ
4 4œ œ œ
‰
œ
œ œ™
j œ
this
with our
lips,
œ this
#
¢& œ
dress
œ Thee
œ Thee
with our
hearts
j œ
œ œ™ with our
‰ ‰
œ
œ
as
we
nœ
hearts
œ sing
œ œ
as
we
sing
œ
œ œ
mf
to
° # œ &
dress
4œ œ œ 4
‰
œ œ œ
ev - 'ry
4 œ œ 4œ
‰
œ œ œ
œ œ ™ #œj with our
œ
ad -
dress
Thee
œ œ™
œ
œ
with our
‰
j œ
œ œ™
hearts
as
we
sing
p
‰
Give us
grace,
œ
œ œ œ ù
Al - migh - ty
Fa
-
œ
œ
œ œ
ther,
so
to
œ
œ
œ œ
ther,
so
to
œ
œ
œ œ
ther,
so
to
pray.
p
‰
lips,
œ œ™ Give us
œ grace,
œ
œ
œ œ œ ù
Al - migh - ty
Fa
-
pray.
p
œ
œ œ™
j œ
this
with our
lips,
‰
œ œ™ Give us
© 2018
œ grace,
œ
œ
œ œ œ ù
Al - migh - ty
andagio
Fa
-
pray.
2
VERSE 1 8
° # 1. & ˙
f j ‰ più ™ œ œ œ
mfcresc. œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ mp œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ ‰ œ œ œ J J
Thou art
ev - 'ry - where pre - sent, from Thee no
più f
#
& ˙
j‰ œ™ œ œ
ev - 'ry - where pre - sent, from Thee no
ev - 'ry - where pre - sent, from Thee no
11
° # œ œ œ >œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ & J teach us to
teach us to
œ
œ œ œœ œœœ œ œ
With re - v'rence and de - vo -
œ
j ‰ œ œ œ œ œ
vain.
Give us
œ
‰ œj œ œ nœ œ
fix our thoughts on Thee.
With re - v'rence and de - vo -
grace, Al - migh - ty Fa - ther, so
˙
to pray.
p j ‰ & œ œ ™ œ œ™ œ nœ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ù
#
not in
vain.
Give us
tion
grace, Al - migh - ty Fa - ther, so
tion
pray
Give us
˙
j ‰ Œ œ
™™ ü †
˙
j ‰ Œ œ
™™ ü †
to pray.
j ‰ œ œ™ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ ùœ œ œ
not in
vain.
Give us
grace, Al - migh - ty Fa - ther, so © 2018
andagio
that we
j ‰ mf ™™ ü œ ™ œ œ †
p
¢& #œ
that we
œ œ œœ œœœ œ œ
#
pray
that we
mp
14
not in
tion
œ œ œœ œœœ œ œ
With re - v'rence and de - vo -
p ° # œ œ™ & œ œ™ œJ ‰ œ œ ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ùœ œ œ pray
May the know -
mp
#
teach us to
œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ
fix our thoughts on Thee.
j ‰ & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ ¢ >
se - cret can be hid.
mp
fix our thoughts on Thee.
# > & œ œ œ œ ‰ œJ œ œ œ œ
- ledge of this
May the know -
mfcresc. j j‰ œ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ‰ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Thou art
- ledge of this
se - cret can be hid.
mp
j ‰ œ œ™ œ
- ledge of this
mfcresc.
j‰ œ œœ œ œ œ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œœ J œœ œ œ œ œ
più f
¢& ˙
May the know -
mp
Thou art
#
se - cret can be hid.
to pray.
3
VERSE 2
17
° # & ˙ 2.
f j ‰ più œ œ -œ -œ -œJ ‰ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ ùœ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ ù J Give us
#
& ˙ ¢& ˙
thank - ful sense
of the bles - sings in which we
live,
and of the
più f j ‰ œ œ œ j ‰ œ œ œ -œ -œ -œ ‰ ‰ œ œ œ ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ù ù œ J Give us
#
a
a
thank - ful sense
of the bles - sings in which we
live;
and of the
più f j ‰ ‰ ‰ j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ ùœ œ œ œj ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ù Give us
a
thank - ful sense
of the bles - sings in which we
20
# & œ œœœœœ
of
our
and of the
-œ -œ -œ -œ ™ 4 œ ‰ œ ‰ œJ bœ œ œ 4
° # œ œœœœœ œœ 3 & J ‰ œ œ œ 4 œ™ ma - ny, ma - ny com - forts
live;
lot;
that we
may not de - serve
to
lose
them
3 œj œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ ™ 44 -œ -œ -œ -œ ‰ œj œ 4 œ œœ œ œ J
ma - ny, ma - ny com - forts
of
our
lot;
that we
#
3 j ‰ ¢& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 4 œ™ ma - ny, ma - ny com - forts
of
our
may not de - serve
to
lose
them
‰ œ œ™ 44 ‰ j œ- œ- œ- œœ œ œ <n> œ
lot;
that we
may not de - serve
to
lose
them
A tempo q = c. 72 poco rit.
23
° # ‰ œ œ œ nœ œ & J by dis - con - tent
#
& œ by
# & ¢ #œ by
œ™ œ œ œ œ or
in - dif - fer - ence.
œ œ œ œ
œ™ œ œ œ œ
dis - con - tent
or
or
‰ œ
œ
this
we
œ
œ
‰
in - dif - fer - ence.
© 2018
œ œ œ
˙
This we pray.
in - dif - fer - ence.
œ œ œ œ nœ ™ œ # œ œ œ
dis - con - tent
‰ Œ
j ‰ mf œ œ œ™
andagio
this
we
Give us
b˙
œ
Œ
pray.
n˙ ™
pray.
Œ
4
FINAL REFRAIN
26
° # 3 & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 4œ ù grace, Al - migh - ty Fa -
& ¢&
#
ther, so
#
° #3 œ 5 & 4 œ œœ ‰ œœ4œ cresc.
ev - 'ry day,
œ œ™ œ
as
to be heard
ev - 'ry day,
cresc.
5 4 œœ œ
‰
to be heard
œ œ œ™ œ Œ œ œ œ™ Œ œ
lips,
#
œ œ™ Give us
-
serve
4 4
& œ
œ
lips,
#
œ œ™ Give us
¢& ˙ lips,
œ œ™ Give us
this and
3 4
˙ œ™ œ œ œ œœ œ œ 4 œ ™™ œ œ 4 sing
this with our
4 œ œ 4 ˙ œ™ œ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œ ™™ as we
sing
this with our
Œ nœ œ 44 ˙ œ œ œ œ™ ™œ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ ™™ œ as we
sing
this with our
poco rit.
œ œ œ œùœ œ œ Œ
grace, Al - migh - ty Fa -
ther,
ù˙
Œ
ù˙
Œ
so
œ
U w
to
pray
œ œ œ œùœ œ œ
grace, Al - migh - ty Fa -
Œ
œ
U w
ther,
so
to
pray
œ
U w
mp
Œ
3 œ œ 4
poco rit.
mp
Œ
this and
∑
*
as we
mp
Œ
to de
∑
A touch slower
° # & ˙
serve
as
to ad - dress Thee with our hearts
32
-
œ œ™ œ
to ad - dress Thee with our hearts
Œ
to de
œ œ 43
j œ ™ 44 œ œ œ
to ad - dress Thee with our hearts
cresc. #3 5œ ‰ & 4œ œ œœ 4 œœ
#3 & ¢ 4Œ
j œ œ ™ 44 œ œ mf
‰
3 4
∑
29
to pray,
3 4Œ
∑
‰
œ œ œ œùœ œ œ grace, Al - migh - ty Fa - ther,
Œ
ùso˙
Œ
to
pray
* small notes are optional; for example, if you are singing just one to a part, they can be left out © 2018
andagio
Joanna Forbes L’Estrange (b.1971) is a British singer, songwriter and choral composer who receives engagements throughout the world. A Master of Arts music graduate of Oxford University, she began her career as soprano and Musical Director of the five-time Grammy® Award-winning a cappella group the Swingle Singers, during which time she started composing and arranging music. She is founder and artistic director of the all-female vocal group AQUILA and appeared as a judge on the Sky 1 television series Sing: Ultimate A Cappella. In 2018, she made history with her charity single Twenty-first-century Woman, the first all-female recording session ever to have taken place at Abbey Road Studios. For more information visit joannaforbeslestrange.com Facebook Joanna Forbes L’Estrange; Twitter @JoForbesLE; Instagram @joforbeslestrange
L’Estrange Music … for you and your choir For perusal scores, audio demos, learning resources, videos and to order sheet music go to lestrangemusic.com To book us to run a rehearsal on our music with your choir or to commission us to write a new piece/arrangement for your choir and for any other enquiries email us info@lestrangemusic.com To be the first to hear about new music from L’Estrange Music Like us on Facebook L’Estrange Music Follow us on Twitter @ForbesLEstrange Follow us on Instagram @lestrangesinthenight See back page for more pieces for Upper Voice Choirs
L’Estrange Music More pieces for Upper Voice Choirs by Alexander L’Estrange & Joanna Forbes L’Estrange
Amazing Grace An Irish Blessing A Woman (Wearing Bloomers) on a Wheel Three Eva Cassidy songs Friends Apart and True Give Us Grace High as the Heavens Hodie! Let Nothing Disturb Thee Love’s Philosophy New College Service On Eagles’ Wings Panis Angelicus St Swithun’s Preces & Responses Suffragette March The Chorister’s Prayer There Will Always Be Music The Three Wise Women The Twyford Carols This is our World Twenty-first-century Woman We Will Remember Them Winter Songs
SSAA (unaccomp.) SSA + piano & opt. flute SSA + piano SA + piano SSAA + piano SSAA (optional piano) SSAA (unaccomp.) SA + organ SA + organ SA + piano 2-part trebles + organ 2-part trebles + organ SSA + organ SSA + optional organ SA + piano 2-part trebles + organ SSA + piano SSA + piano SA + piano & opt. percussion SSAA + piano SSA + piano SSA + piano & opt. trumpet Unison/2-part + piano
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