Joseph Key

Life

Born: Unknown

Died: 1784

Biography

Joseph Key, of Nuneaton, was an excise officer and composer of West Gallery music (parochial psalmody): four volumes of his work were published (two of them posthumously), including anthems, psalm and hymn tunes, collect settings, canticles and carols. He was buried at Nuneaton on 20 September 1784.

List of choral works

• For works at CPDL sorted alphabetically by title, see Joseph Key compositions

Anthems (including collect settings) Almighty God, unto whom Arise, shine, for thy light is come Behold, how good and joyful Blessed are all they that fear the Lord Blessed Lord, who hast caused Blow ye the trumpet in Zion Christ our Passover Come unto me, all ye that labour God be merciful unto us I am the resurrection and the life I heard a great voice I was glad when they said unto me I will sing unto the Lord Let God arise Let not your heart be troubled Lift up your heads, O ye gates Lord, let me know my end Man that is born of a woman Not unto us, O Lord Now is Christ risen O clap your hands O God, the author of peace O God, the King of glory O God, who hast prepared O how amiable are thy dwellings O Lord, thou hast searched me O praise the Lord of heaven The King shall rejoice The Lord hath prepared his seat in heaven The Lord is my shepherd The Lord is risen indeed There were shepherds abiding in the field We will go into the house of the Lord

Canticles Te Deum Jubilate Magnificat Nunc Dimittis Carols As shepherds watched their fleecy care Awake, ye drowsy mortals all Come, celebrate th’auspicious morn Come, ye rural shepherds fair Hail happy morn, thrice happy we Hail, hail, once more, auspicious morn Hark, hark! A gracious voice from heav'n He comes, let every heart rejoice Rejoice, ye shepherds; hail the blessed morn The glorious morn of man’s redemption see Hymns Is there not an appointed time Now is Christ risen from the dead Our annual meeting being come Thy works, O Lord, are wonderful

Metrical psalm tunes Ascribe unto the Lord, therefore Be light and glad, in God rejoice Behold what pity parents do Come near to me, my children, and How perfect is the law of God How pleasant is thy dwelling place I did in heart rejoice I lift mine eyes to Sion hill I set the Lord still in my sight In trouble and in thrall Lord, number out my life and days Lord, unto thee I make my moan Mark and behold the upright man My heart is set to laud the Lord My shepherd is the living Lord My soul praise the Lord, speak good of his name O Lord, how glorious and how great O Lord, send out thy light and truth O Lord, thou hast me tried and known O what a happy thing it is Our God ascended up on high Praise ye the Lord for he is good The angel of the Lord doth pitch The Lord descended from above The Lord is kind and merciful Therefore, ye kingdoms of the earth What thing is there that I can wish Who is the man, O Lord, that shall Ye gates and everlasting doors Yield unto God the mighty Lord

 
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Publications

• Eight Anthems, on various occasions, 1774
  
• Eleven Anthems, [1779]
  
• Five Anthems, Four Collects, Twenty Psalm Tunes, [1785]
  
• Five Anthems and Four Hymns, [c1790]
  

External links

• Article by Francis Roads on Key's canticle settings