Let all mortal flesh keep silence

Today is the 20th upload in the Advent-Hymn-of-the-Day project. Like yesterday's hymn, this one is not strictly for the season of Advent. It is often used as a Communion hymn, and is often sung at the great "mystical celebrarions," such as the Feast of All Saints, Trinity Sunday, etc.

The words for this great hymn come from the
Liturgy of St. James, which was paraphrased in the famous translation by Gerald Moultrie (1829-1885).

The music is a 17th century French carol melody, found in "Chansons populaires des Provinces de France", 1860. The name of the tune is "Picardy".

When performing this hymn, I often just "let myself go," improvising as the spirit moves me - sometimes austere, sometimes highly chromatic, etc. This performance is a relatively "mild" one, but I hope that it still captures a sense of mystery and expectation.

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessing in His hand
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth he stood,
Lord of lords in human vesture,
In the Body and the Blood
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of eheaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Lord of Light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.

At his feet the six-winged seraph;
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the Presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry,
"Alleluya, aleluya!
Alleluya, Lord Most High!"