Go Out!
by Elizabeth Alexander
4-Part - Sheet Music

Mixed Chorus and Piano (SATB choir and piano) - Moderate

SKU: SF.SEA-081-00

Composed by Elizabeth Alexander. Concert Music, Church Choir-Anthem. Love, Forgiveness, Sacred (Worship & Praise), Choral. Octavo. With Text language: English. Duration 5 minutes. Published by Seafarer Press (SF.SEA-081-00).

Text by John Murray, "Go Out!". Abridged by Elizabeth Alexander.

Preaching a gospel of religious tolerance and unconditional love, the words of early American minister John Murray are as relevant and refreshing today as they were during his own time. Elizabeth Alexander brings her Appalachian roots and inventive ear to this rousing song of commission, with a soulful piano accompaniment, sweet gospel harmonies and an "anti-hellfire-and-brimstone" message.

Composer's Note: In shaping John Murray's original sermon excerpt into a lyric, his words have been "abridged," not "adapted." I omitted words whose historical context is so complex as to require lengthy explanation, or which refer to the specific location of Murray's audience in America. However, my decision not to add or substitute my own words into the original text was an intentional one. Murray did indeed use the word "men" - not "all" or "people" or "men and women" - so that is the word I set to music, and the word that I would like choirs to sing. Thank you, E.A.

Text: Go out into the highways and by-ways And give the people something of your new vision. You may possess only a small light, but uncover it and let it shine. Use it to bring more understanding to the hearts and minds of men. Give them not Hell, but hope and courage. Do not push them deeper into their despair, But preach the kindness and the everlasting love of God. Abridged lyric Copyright 2009 by Elizabeth Alexander.