He Giveth His Beloved Sleep

Lyricist. William H. Gardner

Publisher. M. Witmark and Sons

Date. 1911

Key/Range. A♭ Major (e♭' -- f")

COMMENTARY

Lyricist William H. Gardner was a Boston businessman who wrote poetry and lyrics as a “diversion,” according to his 1932 obituary in The New York Times. Gardner’s text, which was intended for Christmas religious services, suggested the verse-and-refrain form of the song. Tours set the two sections in different meters, which enabled him to create a syllabic setting with a natural scansion for each that, nonetheless, are related as compound meters (6/4 and 12/8). By changing the value of the subdivisions from quarter-note to eighth-note, his setting allows for a seamless change of tempo in the transition from the gracious lullaby rhythm of the verse to the triumphant march of the chorus. The music for this song is reminiscent of the late-romantic liturgical music of Gounod, which Tours’ father, Berthold, published at Novello, Ewer & Co. in the 1870s.