An anthem composed by Philip le Bas, especially suitable for church choirs during Lent (or Advent) and Holy Week.

The Jacobean poet Phineas Fletcher’s passionate prayer of repentance is here set to music for SATB choir and organ. In a series of pulsating descending scales the author’s words express heartfelt remorse for his sins, reflecting the story of Jesus and the weeping woman in Luke 7:36ff. This is real, deep sorrow and regret, looking to the "Prince of Peace" for forgiveness: at one poignant moment the music reaches a point of stillness as the “slow tears” continue to fall.

The weeping then turns to anger, crying for “vengeance”, because “sin doth never cease”. The music rises to an intense climax, but suddenly vanishes; the anger is, after all, self-directed. Finally the text returns to a prayer of supplication to “drown all my faults and fears”, and the harmonies end with a hope-filled hint of future healing.

Drop, drop, slow tears, and bathe those beauteous feet, which brought from heaven the news and Prince of Peace.

Cease not, wet eyes, his mercies to entreat; to cry for vengeance, sin doth never cease.

In your deep floods, drown all my faults and fears; nor let his eye see sin, but through my tears.

Phineas Fletcher (1623)

With many thanks for ideas and help received from the Composition Workshop of Morley College during the Spring term of 2021, and particularly from its tutor Dr Paul Sarcich.