Heavenly Sunlight in Tonic Solfa
Heavenly Sunlight in Tonic Solfa to SUNLIGHT: the solfa with the words, staff notation, the three verses and the refrain, and a piano.
The solfa with the words
| s,Walk-l,ingt,indsun---dlight-- | mallrofdmyrjour---sney,-- |
| sO-lversthemmoun---dtains,-- | mthroughrtheddeeprvale;----- |
| s,Je-l,sust,hasdsaid,--dI’ll-- | mnev-rerdfor-rsake--sthee—-- |
| sPro-lmisesdi-mvine--dthat-- | rnev-merrcandfail.----- |
| sHeav-sen-slylsun---flight!-- | fHeav-sen-llyssun---mlight!-- |
| sFlood-singsmyssoul--mwith-- | mglo-rryddi-rvine--s_-- |
| s,Hal-l,le-t,lu-djah!--dI-- | mamrre-djoic-ring--s_-- |
| sSing-lingsHismprais---des,-- | rJe-msusrisdmine!----- |
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- Key
- G major
- Doh
- G
- Time
- 9/8
- Starts on
- s, (D)
- Range
- s, to l (D to E, a ninth)
- Tune
- SUNLIGHT
- Words
- Henry J. Zelley
- Music
- G. H. Cook
Tune SUNLIGHT by G. H. Cook (1864–1948); words by Henry J. Zelley (1859–1942). 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 G · 9/8
Staff notation
The melody on the treble staff in G major, with the first verse under the notes.
The staff is drawn here when you scroll to it.
The words
Walking in sunlight all of my journey,
Over the mountains, through the deep vale;
Jesus has said, I’ll never forsake thee—
Promise divine that never can fail.
Refrain
Heavenly sunlight! Heavenly sunlight!
Flooding my soul with glory divine;
Hallelujah! I am rejoicing,
Singing His praises, Jesus is mine!
Shadows around me, shadows above me
Never conceal my Saviour and Guide;
He is the light, in Him is no darkness,
Ever I’m walking close to His side.
In the bright sunlight, ever rejoicing,
Pressing my way to mansions above;
Singing His praises, gladly I’m walking,
Walking in sunlight, sunlight of love.
How to sing it from the solfa
- Find doh first. Play or hum G 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, (D).
- Count the time. 9/8 means three dotted-crotchet beats (nine quavers) in each bar. In the grid every cell is half a crotchet: a dash (–) holds the note before it, and _ is a rest.
- Know the notes. The tune uses d r m f s l t. 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
Henry J. Zelley wrote the words, published in 1899 with the tune SUNLIGHT by G. H. Cook.
- Words (1899): Henry J. Zelley (1859–1942)
- Music (1899): G. H. Cook (1864–1948)
Tune SUNLIGHT by G. H. Cook (1864–1948); words by Henry J. Zelley (1859–1942).
Questions about Heavenly Sunlight
What is the doh of Heavenly Sunlight?
In this version, in G major, doh is G. 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 Heavenly Sunlight start on?
It starts on s, (D in G major). Find doh first, then sing up or down to s,.
Is Heavenly Sunlight in the public domain?
Yes. Henry J. Zelley died in 1942, G. H. Cook died in 1948; the words were first published in 1899 and the music in 1899. 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.