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The name of the song reflects a common practice of
Billings's day, in which tunes were labeled with (often arbitrarily chosen) place names. Billings's song evidently has little more to do with any particular town named
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370:, which contains a version with the later text and was published in Boston in 1878; reprint by DaCapo Press, 1980, with New Introduction by Roger L. Hall.
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Although this cannot be established with certainty, it appears that these lyrics are by
Billings himself.
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A slightly altered version of this text and the music by
Billings was recorded in 1975 by the
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four-voice choir. However, the melody is in the tenor part, not the treble part.
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Chester
Variations by Elliot Del Borgo| J.W. Pepper Sheet Music (jwpepper.com)
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The song was later provided with religious (as opposed to patriotic) words by
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An instrumental version of the song was used as background music for CBS's
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Parts labeled "Treble, Counter, Tenor, and Bass" correspond to the modern
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has a scene in episode 1 where a group of men sing this song together.
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The
Stoughton Musical Society's Centennial Collection of Sacred Music
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39:(1778). It is the latter version that is best known today.
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305:quoted the tune prominently in his score for the
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213:Their ranks were broke, their lines were forc'd,
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253:singers. The Doddridge words are as follows:
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282:for their LP album, "An Appeal to Heaven".
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260:These spacious fields of brilliant light,
215:Their ships were Shatter'd in our sight,
527:Songs of the American Revolutionary War
269:'Round the whole earth and never stand,
267:Sun, moon, and stars convey Thy praise,
258:Let the high heav'ns your songs invite,
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295:(1956) and later expanded it into his
273:It touched and glanced on ev'ry hand.
264:And stars that glow from pole to pole.
229:What grateful Off'ring shall we bring?
222:Our troops advance with martial noise,
153:The notes and first verse of "Chester"
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336:There is a concert band piece called
226:And Gen'rals yield to beardless Boys.
224:Their Vet'rans flee before our Youth,
220:The Foe comes on with haughty Stride;
176:And Slav'ry clank her galling chains,
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312:Williamsburg: the Story of a Patriot
262:Where sun and moon and planets roll,
249:, and in this form is a favorite of
235:And praise his name on ev'ry Chord.
23:" is a patriotic anthem composed by
211:When God inspir'd us for the fight,
115:USMC Band playing "Chester" in 2014
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401:Let Tyrants Shake Their Iron Rods
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271:So when Thy truth began its race,
231:What shall we render to the Lord?
217:Or swiftly driven from our Coast.
184:New England's God forever reigns.
174:Let tyrants shake their iron rod,
537:Compositions by William Billings
208:In one Infernal league combin'd.
140:Problems playing this file? See
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92:Problems playing this file? See
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285:20th century American composer
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354:The Singing Master's Assistant
37:The Singing Master's Assistant
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280:Old Stoughton Musical Society
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233:Loud Halleluiahs let us Sing,
206:Together plot our Overthrow,
73:Piano reduction of "Chester"
33:The New England Psalm Singer
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29:American Revolutionary War
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16:Song by William Billings
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55:Tune in version of 1778
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47:than his famous hymn "
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321:Bicentennial Minutes
292:New England Triptych
27:and sung during the
403:at the Cyber Hymnal
327:The HBO miniseries
338:Chester Variations
309:orientation film,
178:We fear them not,
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522:1770 compositions
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200:With Prescot and
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342:Elliot Del Borgo
303:Bernard Herrmann
297:Chester Overture
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251:Sacred Harp
532:Hymn tunes
511:Categories
450:Hymn tunes
375:References
330:John Adams
324:segments.
241:Later uses
202:Cornwallis
142:media help
94:media help
472:Creation
192:Burgoyne
489:Related
465:Chester
407:Chester
204:join'd,
196:Clinton
45:Chester
21:Chester
458:Africa
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165:Lyrics
49:Africa
358:ISBN
348:Book
198:too,
194:and
190:and
188:Howe
159:SATB
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