“All Things Bright and Beautiful” is a beloved hymn written by Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895), an Anglo-Irish poet known for her hymns “There is a Green Hill Far Away” and “Once in Royal David’s City” as well as her metrical paraphrase of “St. Patrick’s Breastplate” (a prayer attributed to Patrick, patron saint of Ireland), known by its opening words, “I bind unto myself today the strong name of the Trinity.”
An exposition of the clause of the Apostles’ Creed that describes God as “maker of heaven and earth,” “All Things Bright and Beautiful” was published in Alexander’s Hymns for Little Children in 1848. It was later included in The English Hymnal (1906) with a tune composed by W.H. Monk in 1887.
“All Things Bright and Beautiful” is also frequently sung to the hymn tune ROYAL OAK, adapted from a 17th-century English folk tune, “The Twenty-Ninth of May” and published in the collection of English country dances, The Dancing Master, in 1686. This tune was first associated with Alexander’s poem in a 1916 arrangement published by English composer Martin Shaw (1875-1978) and earned wide popularity after its inclusion in the 1925 English hymnal, Songs of Praise.
This accompaniment to unison voices for organ and brass quintet is based on the ROYAL OAK tune.
Full score, parts for organ, Bb tpt. 1, Bb tpt. 2, F horn, tbn, tuba, and reproducible bulletin insert for voices (8.5×11″ PDF) — $25