About the piece
An evening hymn, and a hymn of company in farewell: it asks God to stay when everything changes and fades. This edition carries the melody with its text, in 16 measures.
How to prepare it
The line sits in a comfortable register, E♭4–C5 (a major sixth), with no hard leaps, so it works well with the whole assembly. What makes it delicate is the phrasing: each line should rest on one long, calm breath, without pushing the syllables. Rehearse it slowly (in Cantico you can lower the tempo and loop a passage) until the four lines of each verse sound like one idea.
When to use it
It fits Ordinary Time and Lent for its sober tone, and it is one of the most common choices for funerals because of its message of comfort.