The Master's Touch

In the still air the music lies unheard

Author: Horatius Bonar
Published in 12 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1. In the still air the music lies unheard;
In the rough marble beauty hides unseen.
To make the music and the beauty needs
The Master’s touch, the Sculptor’s chisel keen.

2. Great Master, touch us with Thy skillful hands;
Let not the music that is in us die;
Great Sculptor, hew and polish us, nor let
Hidden and lost, Thy form within us lie.

3. Spare not the stroke; do with us what Thou wilt;
Let there be naught unfinished, broken, marred;
Complete Thy purpose that we may become
Thy perfect image—Thou our God and Lord.

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #4179

Author: Horatius Bonar

Horatius Bonar was born at Edinburgh, in 1808. His education was obtained at the High School, and the University of his native city. He was ordained to the ministry, in 1837, and since then has been pastor at Kelso. In 1843, he joined the Free Church of Scotland. His reputation as a religious writer was first gained on the publication of the "Kelso Tracts," of which he was the author. He has also written many other prose works, some of which have had a very large circulation. Nor is he less favorably known as a religious poet and hymn-writer. The three series of "Hymns of Faith and Hope," have passed through several editions. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A. 1872… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: In the still air the music lies unheard
Title: The Master's Touch
Author: Horatius Bonar
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

BEAUMARIS


FARLEY CASTLE

FARLEY CASTLE, composed by Henry Lawes (b. Dinton, Wiltshire, England, 1596; d. London, England, 1662), was first published in treble and bass parts as a setting for Psalm 72 in George Sandys's Paraphrase upon the Divine Poems (1638). In the British tradition the tune is used as a setting for Horati…

Go to tune page >


[In the still air the music lies unheard]


Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #4179
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)

Instances

Instances (1 - 1 of 1)
TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #4179

Include 11 pre-1979 instances
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us