Obedience, discipleship and commitment are the themes of this lesser-known spiritual. The mood of the anthem - austere, languid and plaintive - is perfect for the Lenten season and the reference to Jesus' return to heaven certainly makes it suitable for Ascension. The real appeal, though, lies in Howard Helvey's musical setting - simple and introspective with a hint of jazz harmony in the Satie-like figures of the accompaniment and a beautiful obbligato in the oboe. It is rare to find a 2-part anthem with this level of sophistication. |
