This Is the Record of John

"This Is the Record of John"
Song

This is the record of John is a verse anthem written by Orlando Gibbons (1583–1625).

The anthem is a characteristic Anglican-style composition of the period and is based on a text from the Gospel of John in the Authorized Version. 'John' (whose record is being told) refers to John the Baptist. It written at the request of St John's College, Oxford, and presumably received its first performance in the college chapel.

The anthem is usually performed with organ or viol, and consort of voices. The piece is divided into three sections, each beginning with a verse for solo countertenor followed by a full section, echoing words of the verse.

The original text, from which the verse is derived, follows.

Sources

John 1:19 - 23. Gibbons uses the text of the Geneva Bible.

Verse

• 1 This is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed and denied not, and said plainly, I am not the Christ.

• 2 And they asked him, What art thou then? (Art thou Elias? repeated x1) And he said, I am not. (Art thou the prophet? repeated x1) And he answered, No.

• 3 Then said they unto him, What art thou? that we may give an answer unto them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? And he said, I am the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, (Make straight the way of the Lord repeated x2)

External links

• This is the Record of John by Orlando Gibbons (YouTube) St Mary Magdalene's choir and viol consort