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Holy, Holy, Holy (NICAEA)

John B. Dykes · Reginald Heber

Score

Read it and listen to it right here. It can't be downloaded — to sing it with your choir, use it in Cantico.

History

Holy, Holy, Holy (NICAEA)

The text “Holy, Holy, Holy” is by the Anglican bishop Reginald Heber (1783–1826) and was published after his death. The tune NICAEA was composed by John Bacchus Dykes (1823–1876) in 1861 for “Hymns Ancient and Modern”; its name recalls the Council of Nicaea, which defined the doctrine of the Trinity.

About the piece

A hymn of praise to the Holy Trinity, one of the best loved in the Anglican tradition. This edition carries the melody with its text, in 16 measures.

How to prepare it

The melody spans only an octave, C4–C5 (an octave), and its broad phrases call for long breath: plan the breathing points with the assembly so you don't cut the sense of the line. It is sung solemnly: the tempo should be unhurried but with drive, without dragging. A good technique is to rehearse it with a metronome at a slow pulse and raise it slightly until you find the point at which it flows.

When to use it

The classic hymn for the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity, and it works very well as an entrance chant in Ordinary Time.