This is a restrained hymn from Estelle White. We’ve used it a lot but it can be very dreary if not done with care. You can listen to a solo vocals of the song here and here.
It was in a collection called 20th Century Folk Hymnal and I recall we had a tattered handwritten copy at church that I transcribed on an ancient notation program in the Win98 era. I gather McCrimmons hold the publishing rights but I’m not sure if you can get it from them.
My backing is at 96 bpm.
Oh, the love of my Lord is the essence
Of all that I love here on earth.
All the beauty I see, He has given to me,
And his giving is gentle as silence.Every day, every hour, every moment,
Have been blessed by the strength of His love.
At the turn of each tide, He is there at my side,
And his touch is as gentle as silence.There’ve been times when I’ve turned from his presence,
And I’ve walked other paths, other ways,
But I’ve called on his name, in the dark of my shame
And his mercy was gentle as silence.
© McCrimmon Publishing
McCrimmons do indeed hold the copyright to most Estelle White’s work. Some is published in their Celebration Hymnal, and in Kevin Mayhew’s Hymns Old and New (of course different editions have different hymns, so it’s not in all of them).
I like your backing track, by the way. Suspect my parish might be going to hear it sometime soon.
I say i am just saying this to someone who already knows but “As Gentle As Silence” and “An Upper Room Did Our Lord Prepare” are both found in Gather Australia. Sadly they dis continued publishing GA a couple of years ago.
Thanks, Chris. I keep forgetting to check Gather Australia for the very inadequate reason that my version has no guitar chords and so I rarely use it. Thank you for picking up on that and I’ll try to remember to check it in future. I’m sorry to hear it’s no longer being published.
Hello there – this is a beautiful backing track. Could you tell me what key it is in? It suits my voice perfectly and I will be singing it on Saturday at a mass and I’d love to sing it in this key with the group (obviously Im not using your track! I just would like the guitarist to play it in this key and I dont’ have the sheet music). Many thanks Patricia
The backing is in F.
Geoff
Such a beautiful hymn!
It was in the orginal CWB at 621.
It is in the new CWBII at 580.
Copyright is obtainable through CCLI, but not yet One Licence.
Thanks, Jon.
I’m glad it made CWBII but you’d hope McCrimmon would get in on One Licence.
Now I have my accompaniment edition of Gather Australia I have a full arrangement, which is nice.
Geoff
McCrimmons are an English company. OneLicence are an American company, with options for Canada, Australia and New Zealand only.
I don’t begin to understand the publishing industry. But I’m told there are fundamental differences between the US and UK approaches. Based on this, I don’t expect to see McCrimmons or Kevin Mayhew or Decani owned material under OneLicense anytime soon.
Maybe I’ll be proved wrong!
But it’s even worse for people in the Philippines, India, Africa, Pacific Islands and mainland Europe, who have no way to legally use English-language materials that aren’t covered by CCOI.
Hi Mary,
I can’t speak to the copyright requirements and conditions overseas, but Kevin Mayhew Ltd is a member publisher under One License.
There are many other UK based publishers also listed as members.
(CCLI is also a US based Licensing agency)
The OneLicense.net homepage has a link to an ever-growing list of publishers, so maybe McCrimmons will be added soon.
Willow Publishing, their Australian agent, have also been of great assistance to us in tracking down more obscure hymns.
HI GEOFF,
HOW ARE YOU, IT’S ME AGAIN
HOW CAN I DOWNLOAD THE BEAUTIFUL MP3 BACKING UP OF THIS SONG
AS GENTLE AS SILENCE, PLEASE IF YOU CAN SEND A COPY PLEASE
dirextor@rocketmail.com
thanks a lot,
Rex U.
OLOF Choir Acacia ridge