Th’ Atoning Work Is Done in Tonic Solfa
Th’ Atoning Work Is Done in Tonic Solfa to ST. JOHN (PARISH CHOIR), doh is D: the solfa with the words, staff notation, 4 verses and a piano.
The solfa with the words
| dTh’a-- | mton--ming-swork-sis- | d'done,-----d'The- |
| tVic--ltim’s-sblood-feis- | sshed,-----sAnd- |
| lJe--tsus-d'now-lis- | sgone-----sHis- |
| fpeo--mple’s-rcause-rto- | dplead:-----dHe- |
| dstands-rin-mheaven-dtheir- | mgreat-fHigh-sPriest-sAnd- |
| lbears-ttheir-d'names-d'up-- | r'on---tHis--- |
| d'breast.------- |
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- Key
- D major
- Doh
- D
- Time
- 4/4
- Starts on
- d (D)
- Range
- d to r' (D to E, a ninth)
- Tune
- ST. JOHN (PARISH CHOIR)
- Words
- Thomas Kelly
- Music
- Parish Choir
Tune ST. JOHN (PARISH CHOIR) (Parish Choir); words by Thomas Kelly (1769–1855). 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 D · 4/4
Staff notation
The melody on the treble staff in D major, with the first verse under the notes.
The staff is drawn here when you scroll to it.
The words
Th’ atoning work is done,
The Victim’s blood is shed,
And Jesus now is gone
His people’s cause to plead:
He stands in heaven their great High Priest
And bears their names upon His breast.
He sprinkled with His blood
The mercy-seat above;
For justice had withstood
The purposes of love;
But justice now withstands no more,
And mercy yields her boundless store.
No temple made with hands
His place of service is;
In heaven itself He stands,
A heavenly priesthood His.
In Him the shadows of the Law
Are all fulfilled and now withdraw.
And though awhile He be
Hid from the eyes of men,
His people look to see
Their great High Priest again;
In brightest glory He will come
And take His waiting people home.
How to sing it from the solfa
- Find doh first. Play or hum D 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 (D), on the first syllable of “Th’atoning”, 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. 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
Thomas Kelly wrote these words. They were printed in the Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book (St. Louis, 1927), as hymn 241.
The book printed the words without tunes, marked Hallelujah Metre (6.6.6.6.8.8), to be sung to any tune of that metre. This page sets them to ST. JOHN (PARISH CHOIR); any other Hallelujah Metre tune fits them as well.
- Words: Thomas Kelly (1769–1855)
- Melody (1851): Parish Choir
Tune ST. JOHN (PARISH CHOIR) (Parish Choir); words by Thomas Kelly (1769–1855).
Sung to the same tune: Arise, My Soul, Arise, Blow Ye the Trumpet, Blow, Borne on the Wings of Light, By Whom Was David Taught, Come to the Christ in Tears, Death Moves with Victor's Tread, In Loud, Exalted Strains, Lord, We Thy Will Obey, O Light That Knew No Dawn, Supported by the Word, The Church a Garden Is, The Wealth of High Estate, Thou, Infinite in Love, Thy Works, Not Mine, O Christ, To Thee, Great Source of Light, What Contradictions Meet, When at Thy Feet, Oppressed.
Questions about Th’ Atoning Work Is Done
What is the doh of Th’ Atoning Work Is Done?
In this version, in D major, doh is D. 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 Th’ Atoning Work Is Done start on?
It starts on d (D in D major), a pickup on the first syllable of “Th’atoning” before the first full bar. Find doh first, then sing up or down to d.
Is Th’ Atoning Work Is Done in the public domain?
Yes. Thomas Kelly died in 1855; the words were in print by 1927 and the music in 1851. 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.