The Wealth of High Estate in Tonic Solfa
The Wealth of High Estate in Tonic Solfa to ST. JOHN (PARISH CHOIR), doh is D: the solfa with the words, staff notation, 5 verses and a piano.
The solfa with the words
| dThe- | mwealth-mof-shigh-ses-- | d'tate,-----d'The- |
| tsil--lver-sand-fethe- | sgold,-----sThe- |
| lglo--try-d'of-lthe- | sgreat,-----sThe- |
| fwis--mdom-rof-rthe- | dold,-----dDeath- |
| dsei--rzes-mall,-dthey- | mpass-fa--sway,-sFor- |
| lall-ton-d'earth-d'is- | r'van----ti---- |
| d'ty.------- |
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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
- Traditional Greek, John Brownlie
- Music
- Parish Choir
Tune ST. JOHN (PARISH CHOIR) (Parish Choir); words by Traditional Greek; translated by John Brownlie (1857–1925). 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
The wealth of high estate,
The silver and the gold,
The glory of the great,
The wisdom of the old, —
Death seizes all, they pass away,
For all on earth is vanity.
Why seek the vain that dies?
The life begirt by death?
The fame, the power that flies
With the expiring breath?
The good that carries ill besides,
And for a fleeting hour abides?
Are there no gains that last,
To bless the soul for aye,
When passing things are past,
And things of earth decay?
Are there no joys that linger long
In sweetness, like a heavenly song?
Arise, my soul, arise!
The husks of time disdain,
And wing thee to the skies,
Where there is lasting gain;
Where moth nor rust can mock thy toil,
Nor subtle thief break through to spoil.
O Christ, for Thee we long,
'Tis Thee our spirits need;
They only life prolong
Who on Thy bounties feed;
And they have wealth, and high estate,
And endless bliss who on Thee wait.
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 word “The”, 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
John Brownlie translated these words from the Greek service books for Hymns from the East (Paisley, in print by 1911).
The book printed the words without tunes. They are in Hallelujah Metre (6.6.6.6.8.8), and this page sets them to ST. JOHN (PARISH CHOIR); any other Hallelujah Metre tune fits them as well.
- Words: Traditional Greek
- Translated (by 1911): John Brownlie (1857–1925)
- Melody (1851): Parish Choir
Tune ST. JOHN (PARISH CHOIR) (Parish Choir); words by Traditional Greek; translated by John Brownlie (1857–1925).
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, Th’ Atoning Work Is Done, The Church a Garden Is, 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 The Wealth of High Estate
What is the doh of The Wealth of High Estate?
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 The Wealth of High Estate start on?
It starts on d (D in D major), a pickup on the word “The” before the first full bar. Find doh first, then sing up or down to d.
Is The Wealth of High Estate in the public domain?
Yes. John Brownlie died in 1925; the words were in print by 1911 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.