Prepare The Way, O Zion, from the Swenska Psalmboken in 1697 is a Advent Hymn based on an old German folk tune. The tune is in 6/4 meter in G major. The text comes from Frans Mikael Franzen, a Finnish teacher and clergyman who spent most of his adult life in Sweden. Franzen wrote the text for Prepare the way in 1819.
I prepared the piece in 6/8 time and move back and forth into a jazz waltz feel with a mixolydian reharminization. This piece consists 7.6.7.6.7.7 with a refrain as 6.7.
Below is the first verse of the text.
Prepare the way, O Zion,
Your Christ is drawing near.
Let every hill and valley,
A level way appear.
Greet One who comes in glory,
Fortold in sacred story,
Refrain
O blest is Christ that came,
In God's most holy name.
The hymn is still available in present day Lutheran and Presbyterian hymnals.
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