Savior, Visit Thy Plantation in Tonic Solfa
Savior, Visit Thy Plantation in Tonic Solfa to RUSTINGTON, doh is F: the solfa with the words, staff notation, 5 verses and a piano.
The solfa with the words
| dSa---dvior, | fvis--mit-rthy--dplan- | t,ta--s,tion,-dGrant-dus,- |
| lLord,-sa-fgra---scious | mrain!---rAll-swill- |
| fecome-mto-rdes---do- | t,la--s,tion,-rUn--dless- |
| t,thou-s,re--l,turn--l,a- | s,gain:---s,Keep-ta,no- |
| l,lon---l,gerl,at-da- | ddis--t,tance,-t,Shine-rup-- |
| don--dusdfrom-fon- | rhigh;---rLest,-lfor- |
| swant-taof-lthine-sas-- | fsis--mtance;-rEv--fery- |
| mplant-rwould-l,droop-t,and- | ddie.--- |
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- Key
- F major
- Doh
- F
- Time
- 4/4
- Starts on
- d (F)
- Range
- s, to ta (C to E♭, a tenth)
- Tune
- RUSTINGTON
- Words
- John Newton
Tune RUSTINGTON by Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848–1918); words by John Newton (1725–1807). 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 F · 4/4
Staff notation
The melody on the treble staff in F major, with the first verse under the notes.
The staff is drawn here when you scroll to it.
The words
Savior, visit thy plantation,
Grant us, Lord, a gracious rain!
All will come to desolation,
Unless thou return again:
Keep no longer at a distance,
Shine upon us from on high;
Lest, for want of thine assistance;
Every plant would droop and die.
Surely, once thy garden flourished,
Every part looked gay and green;
Then thy word our spirits nourished,
Happy seasons we have seen!
But a drought has since succeeded,
And a sad decline we see;
Lord, thy help is greatly needed,
Help can only come from thee.
Where are those we counted leaders,
Filled with zeal, and love, and truth?
Old professors, tall as cedars,
Bright examples to our youth!
Some, in whom we once delighted,
We shall meet no more below;
Some, alas! we fear are blighted,
Scarce a single leaf they show.
Younger plants-the sight how pleasant,
Covered thick with blossoms stood;
But they cause us grief at present,
Frosts have nipped them in the bud!
Dearest Savior, hasten hither,
Thou canst make them bloom again;
O, permit them not to wither,
Let not all our hopes be vain!
Let our mutual love be fervent,
Make us prevalent in prayers;
Let each one esteemed thy servant,
Shun the world's bewitching snares:
Break the tempter's fatal power,
Turn the stony heart to flesh;
And begin, from this good hour,
To revive thy work afresh.
How to sing it from the solfa
- Find doh first. Play or hum F 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 d (F), on the first syllable of “Savior”, as a pickup before the first full bar.
- 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 t and the chromatic fe ta. 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
John Newton wrote these words. They were printed in Olney Hymns (London, 1779), Book II, hymn 51, “Prayer for a revival”.
The book printed the words without tunes, marked Eights and Sevens Double (8.7.8.7.8.7.8.7), to be sung to any tune of that metre. This page sets them to RUSTINGTON; any other Eights and Sevens Double tune fits them as well.
- Words: John Newton (1725–1807)
- Music (1897): Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848–1918)
Tune RUSTINGTON by Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848–1918); words by John Newton (1725–1807).
Sung to the same tune: As the Serpent Raised by Moses, Hark! the Voice of Jesus Crying, Herald of the Lord's Salvation, Holy Spirit, Source of Gladness, May the Grace of Christ Our Savior, Righteous God! Whose Vengeful Phials.
Questions about Savior, Visit Thy Plantation
What is the doh of Savior, Visit Thy Plantation?
In this version, in F major, doh is F. 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 Savior, Visit Thy Plantation start on?
It starts on d (F in F major), a pickup on the first syllable of “Savior” before the first full bar. Find doh first, then sing up or down to d.
Is Savior, Visit Thy Plantation in the public domain?
Yes. John Newton died in 1807, Charles Hubert Hastings Parry died in 1918; the words were in print by 1779 and the music in 1897. 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.