Peace, Perfect Peace in Tonic Solfa
Peace, Perfect Peace in Tonic Solfa to PAX TECUM: the solfa with the words, staff notation, the 7 verses, and a piano.
The solfa with the words
| sPeace,---sper--sfect- | speace,-----sin- | lthis-ldark-lworld-sof- | ssin?-----sThe- |
| d'Blood---r'of--- | m'Je--r'sus-d'whis--lpers- | speace---swith--f_- | min.------- |
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- Key
- C major
- Doh
- C
- Time
- 4/4
- Starts on
- s (G)
- Range
- m to m' (E to E, an octave)
- Tune
- PAX TECUM
- Music
- George Thomas Caldbeck, Charles Vincent
Tune PAX TECUM by George Thomas Caldbeck (1852–1918) and Charles Vincent (1852–1934); words by Edward Henry Bickersteth (1825–1906). 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
Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin?
The Blood of Jesus whispers peace within.
Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties press’d?
To do the will of Jesus, this is rest.
Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round?
On Jesus’ Bosom nought but calm is found.
Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away?
In Jesus’ keeping we are safe and they.
Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown?
Jesus we know, and He is on the Throne.
Peace, perfect peace, death shadowing us and ours?
Jesus has vanquish’d death and all its powers.
It is enough: earth’s struggles soon shall cease,
And Jesus call us to Heav’n’s perfect peace.
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.
- Know the notes. The tune uses d r m f s l. 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
Edward Henry Bickersteth wrote the words in 1875. The tune PAX TECUM is by George Thomas Caldbeck, arranged and harmonised by Charles Vincent in 1877.
- Words (1875): Edward Henry Bickersteth (1825–1906)
- Music (1877): George Thomas Caldbeck (1852–1918)
- Arranged (1877): Charles Vincent (1852–1934)
Questions about Peace, Perfect Peace
What is the doh of Peace, Perfect Peace?
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 Peace, Perfect Peace start on?
It starts on s (G in C major). Find doh first, then sing up or down to s.
Is Peace, Perfect Peace in the public domain?
Yes. Edward Henry Bickersteth died in 1906, George Thomas Caldbeck died in 1918, Charles Vincent died in 1934; the words were first published in 1875 and the music in 1877. 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.