Lyr Req: In nature's praise / Die Ehre Gottes...

Subject: In nature's praise
From: GUEST,AMP
Date: 19 Mar 10 - 03:35 AM

In our elementary school we were taught to sing to a song I recall to have its melody from Beethoven. I've sought for this song for over fifty years with no success.

It begins with: "In splendor full all the heavens show their glory, their makers' praises to proclaim"

Anybody know what it might be?

Subject: RE: In nature's praise
From: Micca
Date: 19 Mar 10 - 04:25 AM

You dont, by any chance mean "the Heavens are telling" from Haydns Creation Here ? which is a lovely piece of Choral music

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: In nature's praise
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 19 Mar 10 - 12:41 PM

I think I know what piece you mean, Amp. It is Beethoven, namely:

Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur, No. 4 from "Six Songs", Op. 48

When I read your request, the first words of it in German came to my mind:

"die Himmel ruhmen des Ewigen Ehre"

which means 'the heavens reveal/reflect/or something the honor of the eternal'

I've got to split, but I feel that with this info you can get a nice set of English words to this. And surely you can hear the melody somewhere as well.

Subject: RE: LYR REQ: In nature's praise
From: Jack Campin
Date: 19 Mar 10 - 01:06 PM

The words of the song Leeneia identified are by Christian Fürchtegott Gellert. I have a CD of it in front of me, but it doesn't have any texts. The CD is DGG 447 921-2, (c) Polydor 1966, performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Jörg Demus.

Subject: Lyr Add: DIE EHRE GOTTES AUS DER NATUR (Gellert)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Mar 10 - 06:03 PM

Here's the German text, from Geistliche Oden und Lieder [Spiritual Odes and Songs] by Christian Fürchtegott Gellert (Leipzig: M. G. Weidmann, 1767), page 10:


DIE EHRE GOTTES AUS DER NATUR.

Die Himmel rühmen des Ewigen Ehre,
Ihr Schall pflanzt seinen Namen fort.
Ihn rühmt der Erdkreis, ihn preisen die Meere;
Vernimm, o Mensch, ihr göttlich Wort!

Wer trägt der Himmel unzählbare Sterne?
Wer führt die Sonn aus ihrem Zelt?
Sie kömmt und leuchtet und lacht uns von ferne,
Und läuft den Weg, gleich als ein Held.

Vernimms, und siehe die Wunder der Werke,
Die die Natur dir aufgestellt!
Verkündigt Weisheit und Ordnung und Stärke
Dir nicht den Herrn, den Herrn der Welt?

Kannst du der Wesen unzählbare Heere,
Den kleinsten Staub fühllos beschaun?
Durch wen ist alles? O gieb ihm die Ehre!
Mir, ruft der Herr, sollst du vertraun.

Mein ist die Kraft, mein ist Himmel und Erde;
An meinen Werken kennst du mich.
Ich bins, und werde seyn, der ich seyn werde,
Dein Gott und Vater ewiglich.

Ich bin dein Schöpfer, bin Weisheit und Güte,
Ein Gott der Ordnung und dein Heil;
Ich bins! Mich liebe von ganzem Gemüthe,
Und nimm an meiner Gnade Theil.

Subject: Lyr Add: GOD'S GLORY IN NATURE/NATURE'S ADORATION
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 01:24 PM

There is a piano arrangement of DIE EHRE GOTTES AUS DER NATUR by Beethoven in The Family Music Book (New York: G. Schirmer, 1914), page 227. It has no lyrics, though.


There is an arrangement for piano and one voice in Modern Music and Musicians for Vocalists, Vol. 3, by Louis Charles Elson, Nicholas De Vore (New York: The University Society, Inc., 1918), page 734. The lyrics are marked "Gellert. Psalm VIII. Paraphrased by Grover Brower."

GOD'S GLORY IN NATURE

The Heav'ns are telling of Glory Eternal,
The Lord's name soundeth far from the sky;
The earth and the sea tell of Power supernal,
Then heed, O man, the voice from on high.
Who made the stars in the heav'ns so glorious?
Who sent the sun on his fiery round?
He conquers Night like a hero victorious;
Then praise the Lord with joyful sound!
Then praise the Lord with joyful sound!


Here's another translation from Programme, 39th season, 1911-1912 by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, page 446:

NATURE'S ADORATION
Translation by John Oxenford

The heav'ns with praise to the Lord are abounding,
His Name to bear afar they rejoice;
The earth, the sea, to His honor are sounding;
Give ear, O man, to Nature's voice.

The stars above us, who is it upholdeth,
Who leadeth from his tent the sun—
He cometh laughing, his glory unfoldeth,
A giant, who his course would run.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: In nature's praise
From: GUEST,AMP
Date: 27 Apr 10 - 09:32 PM

Sorry, none of the above match what I remember but thank you all.

Let me add some more clues:

The music teacher associated with the choral arrangement for an auditorium of singing children was Evelin(?) Cooper, PS, 76 in New York.

Lyrics I remember:

In splendor full
The heavens show their glory
Their Maker's praises to proclaim. . .

(Other lyrics which I've forgotten)


The stars he guides in their heavenly places. . . -(it goes on further)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: In nature's praise / Die Ehre Gottes...
From: GUEST,Moshprince
Date: 01 Sep 10 - 04:15 PM

Strangely I too have been on a near- fifty year quest to find this lyric! I just now googled one of the few lines I remember - "He cometh laughing" and came upon this thread

The "He cometh laughing" shows up in the Oxenhham lyric and that must have been the one we sang in junior school - but there was more...a verse including "the airman riding in the sky..."

Whatever -thrilled to have found it (or at least part of it) at last!

Best wishes to all and thanks for your contributions

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: In nature's praise / Die Ehre Gottes...
From: GUEST,Catalina
Date: 14 Feb 11 - 05:10 AM

Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur
I guess this is what you are looking for :D

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: In nature's praise / Die Ehre Gottes...
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 14 Feb 11 - 06:06 AM

Download the sheet music here (Number 4, German text only). As with many foreign hymns, the English hymnals with translations are abounding.

I was just looking for a tasteful YouTube rendering and only found kitsch, by professionals and amateurs alike. Search "die ehre gottes aus der natur beethoven" and judge yourselves.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: In nature's praise / Die Ehre Gottes...
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 14 Feb 11 - 06:20 AM

"He cometh laughing", that is the sun, not the one who leadeth him. In German, "the sun is laughing" is a common idiomatic metaphor, and the sun is female. So the verse may be translated

She comes and shines and laughs at us from far away,
and runs her path like a hero.

... not a heroine, however.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: In nature's praise / Die Ehre Gottes...
From: GUEST,trilbyhat
Date: 01 Jul 12 - 04:27 AM

I too have been haunted by a fragment of this which we learned at Secondary modern school in about 1952. The tune we used was heard again briefly before the Queens Jubilee service in St. Paul's recently. The words I remember were:
          The earth, the sea, to His honour are sounding,
          He leadeth from his tent the sun,
          He cometh laughing, His glory unfolding,
          A giant who his course would run,
          A giant who his course would run.

   It was rather difficult to sing for young lads whose voices were on the point of breaking as it ranged up and down the scale in what I would guess to be a toccata - like manner.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: In nature's praise / Die Ehre Gottes...
From: GUEST,frank martshall
Date: 16 Jul 15 - 09:13 AM

Isn't it amazing how certain lyrics stick in our minds forever. it has also haunted me since I sang it aged 13 in 1963.Ihave recently discovered the magic of the internet,and i'm alittle richer than I was an hour ago.Thank you all.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: In nature's praise / Die Ehre Gottes...
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Dec 15 - 11:54 AM

Oh, goodness, I've been looking for this too, since I sang it in school. Our words (from the middle bit!) Were
Who is it the stars in their places upholdeth?
Who leadeth from his tent the sun?
He cometh, laughing,
His glory unfoldeth,
A giant who his course would run,
A giant who his course would run"

I can clearly remember the tune.. very strong and measured.
It would be in about the late 60's.
Thanks for this.