About

The hymn tune known as VICTORY is adapted from the Gloria Patri of Palestrina's late 16th C Magnificat Tertii Toni. It dawned on English language hymnody in an arrangement by William Henry Monk in Hymns Ancient and Modern (1861), and was set to a translation by Francis Pott of a derivation of the 17th C. Latin hymn, Fi­ni­ta jam sunt prael­ia. The antiphonal alleluias are Monk's invention. Each verse is a couplet of a doctrinal statement and a response, e.g. "The powers of death have done their worst, but Christ their legions hath dispersed" is followed by the response, "let shout of holy joy outburst, Alleluia."

Editions

2020 v 5.7.6 (current)

• Minor change to harmonization in v. 5

Previous editions

2020 v 5.7.5

• Change to verse 3 (removed brass)
• Minor changes to horn in v. 4
• Major change to harmonization in v. 5

2019 v 5.5.1

• Change to prologue (shorter brass introduction)
• Minor changes to brass in final Alleluias
• Added score in both concert pitch and transposed

2018 v 5.3.1

• Changes to brass ensemble Prologue and Verse 4
• Corrected voice leading errors in organ part
• Corrected pagination issues
• Added part for French horn in C (no key signature) with accidentals

Verses

Antiphon
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

1 The strife is o'er, the battle done;
the victory of life is won;
the song of triumph has begun.
Alleluia!

2 The powers of death have done their worst,
but Christ their legions has dispersed.
Let shouts of holy joy outburst.
Alleluia!

3 The three sad days are quickly sped;
he rises glorious from the dead.
All glory to our risen Head.
Alleluia!

4 He closed the yawning gates of hell;
the bars from heaven's high portals fell.
Let hymns of praise his triumph tell.
Alleluia!

5 Lord, by the stripes which wounded thee,
from death's dread sting thy servants free,
that we may live and sing to thee.
Alleluia!

Antiphon
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!