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Committal
Close thine eyes
Posted by Vale
I was at a funeral recently when this song by Purcell was played at the committal. We listened to the Treorchy Male Voice Choir, but I couldn’t find their version on You Tube so this is the Kirkintilloch Male Voice Choir instead.
Close thine eyes and sleep secure;
Thy soul is safe, thy body sure;
He that loves thee, He that how to buy a cialis keeps
never slumbers, never sleeps.
The quiet conscience in the breast
Has only peace, has only rest;
The music and the mirth of kings
Are out of tune unless she sings;
Then close thine eyes in peace and sleep secure.
There is a lovely, fuller version too. If you are keen you can listen to it here. Worth it to my mind.
Take him, earth, for cherishing
Tony Piper, a very good friend of the GFG, whose wise and gentle counsel we value incredibly highly, sang these words the other night at a concert London.
As he did so he wondered “What would be the most moving and powerful words of committal we could find, courtesy the GFG blog?”
The words are from a 4th-century poem by Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, translated by Helen Waddell. The music is by Herbert Howells. The piece commemorates Howells’ dead son.
Have you got anything to rival this?
Take him, earth, for cherishing,
to thy tender breast receive him.
Body of a man I bring thee,
noble even in its ruin.
Once was this a spirit’s dwelling,
by the breath of God created.
High the heart that here was beating,
Christ the prince of all its living.
Guard him well, the dead I give thee,
not unmindful of his creature
shall he ask it: he who made it
symbol of his mystery.
Comes the hour God hath appointed
to fulfil the hope of men,
then must thou, in very fashion,
what I give, return again.
Not though ancient time decaying
wear away these bones to sand,
ashes that a man might measure
in the hollow of his hand:
Not though wandering winds and idle,
drifting through the empty sky,
scatter dust was nerve and sinew,
is it given to man to die.
Once again the shining road
leads to ample Paradise;
open are the woods again,
that the serpent lost for men
Take, O take him, mighty leader,
take again thy servant’s soul.
Grave his name, and pour the fragrant
balm upon the icy stone.