Let Peace Then Still the Strife

Not too long ago, I purchased a recording of Mack Wilberg's Requiem and Other Choral Works. It contains a piece entitled, "Let Peace Then Still the Strife." Recently, my Grandfather passed away. Music has affected me very deeply in my life and the combination of the text and the music struck a chord, as it were.

However, I tend to think in terms of how music might affect others, and I think of his widow after 47 years of marriage, and how she might take heart from the piece. She sang in choirs until her vision was impaired by a degenerative eye disease. Now 91, she still encourages me to continue singing, ya, ya (she is from Germany). She is not my natural Grandmother, but as a family we've adopted her as one of our own.

David Warner wrote these words that were set to music by Mack Wilberg:

Let peace then still the strife,
The loneliness and grief,
Come heal the piercing silence of passing.
And sweet familiar strains,
The voices lost in death,
Arise in songs of hope everlasting.
Then let the voices roll
As waves upon the sea;
Come forth and break upon us, refreshing.

And barren coves be filled,
O'erflow with reverie!
Let mem'ry salve as Gilead's caressing.
And though the balm be spread,
Let tender rifts remain
That breaking hearts not yield to forgetting.
For hearts rent wide at death,
Unfolded to our dead,
Hear singing from beyond sunlight's setting.

Then sing, beloved ones,
Reach o'er the summer sea.
Pour forth thy boundless love for us living!
Sweep into ev'ry soul,
Make music of our tears,
Turn all our songs to joy and thanksgiving!
And when we silent pass,
From far across the sea
Let praises ring for life's wond'rous blessing.

Then sing ye living souls!
Sing generations past,
Swell high the tide of life, us refreshing!
Sing forth as with one voice,
Bear silent grief away,
Resound with peace and hope everlasting!
And all who wait and sing
Sing on from earth and heav'n
And make our crossing forth joyful passing!
Amen!