Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones

"Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones" () is a popular Christian hymn with text by Athelstan Riley, first published in the "English Hymnal" (1906). It is sung to the German tune "" (1623). Its uplifting melody and repeated "Alleluias" make this a favourite Anglo-Catholic hymn during the Easter season, the Feast of All Saints, and other times of great rejoicing.
The hymn was also notably adapted for the final movement of "The Company of Heaven" (1937), a cantata by Benjamin Britten.
Text.
The 1906 text is based on two ancient Christian prayers, ' and '. The first stanza addresses each of the traditional nine choirs of angels. The second stanza focuses on the Blessed Virgin Mary. The third stanza urges the faithful departed to join in praising God, including the church patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs and saints, addressed in groups similar to those in the Litany of the Saints. The fourth stanza finally addresses the present congregation to join together in praise. So, this hymn addresses the traditional Three States of the Church (the Church Triumphant, the Church Expectant, the Church Militant), reflecting the belief in the communion of saints.
The original text follows:
Melody.
Below is the 1623 German hymn tune "", as set in the 1906 "English Hymnal":
&lt;score sound="1"&gt;
\new Staff { \clef treble \time 3/2 \partial 2 \key es \major \set Staff.midiInstrument = "church organ" \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \override Score.BarNumber #'transparent = ##t
 \relative c' 
 « { es2^\markup { \italic "Unison." } | es4 f g es g as | &lt;bes f&gt;1 es,2 | es4 f g es g as | &lt;bes f&gt;1 \bar"||" \break
 es4^\markup { \italic "Harmony." } d | c2 bes es4 d | c2 bes\fermata \breathe \bar"||" es2^\markup { \italic "Unison." } | es4 bes bes as g as | \break &lt;bes f&gt;1 es2 | es4 bes bes as g as | bes1 \bar"||"
 as4^\markup { \italic "Harmony." } g | f2 es as4 g | \break f2 es es'4 d | c2 bes es4^\markup { \italic "Unison." } d | c2 bes as4 g | f1. | es1 \bar"|." } \\
 { bes2 | es1 es2 | es2 d es | bes4 d es2 es2 | es2 d
 bes'4 bes | bes( as) g2 es4 d | g( f) d2 bes'4 as | g2~ g4 f es2 | es d es4 f | &lt;bes es,&gt; &lt;as d,&gt; &lt;g es&gt; es2. | es4 d g f
 es4 es | es( d) es2 es4 es | es( d) c2 g'4 f | g( f) d2 &lt;bes' g&gt;~ | &lt;bes g&gt;4 &lt;as f&gt;4~ &lt;as f&gt; &lt;g c,&gt; c, es | es2 d1 | bes } \\
 { s2 | s1. | s1. | s1. | s1 
 s2 | s1. | s1. | s1. | s1 \stemDown \once \override NoteColumn.force-hshift = 0 bes'2 } » %necessary for that one note
\new Lyrics \lyricmode {
"2 | "1. "1. "1. "1
"2 | "1. "1. "1. "1. "1. "1
Al4 -- le -- lu2 -- ya, Al4 -- le -- lu2 -- ya,
Al4 -- le -- lu2 -- ya, Al4 -- le -- lu2 -- ya,
Al4 -- le -- lu1. -- ya!1
\new Staff { \clef bass \key es \major \set Staff.midiInstrument = "church organ"
 \relative c'
 « { g2 | g4 as bes g c2 | bes1 bes4 c | bes as bes2 c | bes1 
 es4 es | es2 es g,4 bes | bes( a) bes2 es2 | es2~ es4 bes bes as | f2 bes bes | bes~ bes4 es d c | bes1 
 c4 c | c( bes) bes2 c4 bes | c( as) g2 g4 bes | bes( a) bes2 g2~ | g4 as f g as bes | c2 bes as | g1 } \\
 { es2 | es~ es2 es8 d c4 f | bes, bes'4 as g as | g f es d c f | bes,2 bes'4 as 
 g g | as2 es c4 d | es( f) bes,2\fermata g'4 f | es d c d es c | bes2 bes'4 as g as | g f es c' bes as | g f es d 
 c bes | as2 g f4 g | as( bes) c2 c4 d | es( f) bes,2 c4 d | es f d e f g | as2 bes bes, | &lt;es es,&gt;1 } \\
 { s2 | s1. | s1. | s1. | s1
 s2 | s1. | s1. | s1. | s1. | s1. | s1 
 s2 | s1. | s1. | s1 \stemUp \once \override NoteColumn.force-hshift = 0 bes'2 } » %necessary for that one note
» »
&lt;/score&gt;