Bringing in the Sheaves in Tonic Solfa
Bringing in the Sheaves in Tonic Solfa to HARVEST: the solfa with the words, staff notation, the three verses and the refrain, and a piano.
The solfa with the words
| sSow-singsin-,lthesmor--mning,- | d'sow-d'ingd'seeds-,r'ofd'kind--lness,- |
| sSow-singsin-,lthesnoon--mtide- | mandmtherdew-deyreve;--- |
| mWait-singsfor-,ltheshar--mvest,- | d'andd'thed'time-,r'ofd'reap--ling,- |
| sWesshalld'comer're-m'joic--d'ing,- | r'bring-d'ingm'in-,r'thed'sheaves.--- |
| mBring-singsin-,lthessheaves,--- | lbring-d'ingd'in-,lthessheaves,--- |
| sWesshalld'comer're-m'joic--d'ing,- | m'bring-m'ingr'in-,d'ther'sheaves;--- |
| mBring-singsin-,lthessheaves,--- | lbring-d'ingd'in-,lthessheaves,--- |
| sWesshalld'comer're-m'joic--d'ing,- | r'bring-d'ingm'in-,r'thed'sheaves.--- |
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- Key
- C major
- Doh
- C
- Time
- 4/4
- Starts on
- s (G)
- Range
- de to m' (C♯ to E, a tenth)
- Tune
- HARVEST
- Words
- Knowles Shaw
- Music
- George A. Minor
Tune HARVEST by George A. Minor (1845–1904); words by Knowles Shaw (1834–1878). Sources and licences.
The solfa line by line
The same solfa as plain text, a line of the hymn at a time, with the words of the first verse under it — easy to copy into your own notes or a message to the choir. To print it, download the solfa as a PDF.
Doh is C · 4/4
Staff notation
The melody on the treble staff in C major, with the first verse under the notes.
The staff is drawn here when you scroll to it.
The words
Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Refrain
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves;
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds nor winter’s chilling breeze;
By and by the harvest, and the labour ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping’s over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
How to sing it from the solfa
- Find doh first. Play or hum C and sing d r m f s up from it, so the whole choir has the key in their ears before you start.
- Pitch the first note. The tune starts on s (G).
- Count the time. 4/4 means four crotchet beats in each bar. In the grid every cell is half a crotchet: a dash (–) holds the note before it, and _ is a rest. A cell split by a comma holds two quarter beats: d -,r is a dotted quaver and a semiquaver, d,r two semiquavers. That comma sits between two syllables; an octave mark sits small and low against its own letter (s,).
- Know the notes. The tune uses d r m s l and the chromatic de. A comma after a note (s,) is the octave below; an apostrophe (d') is the octave above.
New to solfa? Read how to read Tonic Solfa and how to find the doh of a song.
About the hymn
Knowles Shaw wrote the words in 1874, on Psalm 126:6. Shaw also wrote music for them, but they are now sung to George A. Minor’s tune of 1880.
- Words (1874): Knowles Shaw (1834–1878)
- Music (1880): George A. Minor (1845–1904)
Tune HARVEST by George A. Minor (1845–1904); words by Knowles Shaw (1834–1878).
Questions about Bringing in the Sheaves
What is the doh of Bringing in the Sheaves?
In this version, in C major, doh is C. If your choir sings it in another key, doh moves to the new key note and every solfa syllable stays the same — that is what movable doh means.
What note does Bringing in the Sheaves start on?
It starts on s (G in C major). Find doh first, then sing up or down to s.
Is Bringing in the Sheaves in the public domain?
Yes. Knowles Shaw died in 1878, George A. Minor died in 1904; the words were first published in 1874 and the music in 1880. Everyone named died before 1955 and both were published before 1929, so the hymn is out of copyright in the UK, the EU, the United States and Nigeria. Modern arrangements and translations can still be under copyright.