From earliest times, Christians have praised the God they believe created heaven and earth for the very splendor of that creation. Taking their cue perhaps from the Old Testament Psalms that call upon mountains and hills, trees, sun, and stars to praise Yahweh who made them, Christian hymnody has thanked God for the many beautiful elements of His world. St. Francis of Assisi penned perhaps some of the most splendid praise for our "Brother Sun, Sister Moon," and one of his poems has been translated into English as "All creatures of our God and King." Mrs. Cecil F. Alexander, one of the most celebrated female hymn writers in the English language, made a lovely contribution to this same tradition of praise in her poetic hymn named for its refrain: All things bright and beautiful. Her words speak in almost childlike rapture of "all creatures great and small," "all things wise and wonderful"; her verses specifically refer to God's creation of flowers, birds, mountains and rivers, ripe garden fruits, sunsets and mornings, and the joys of every season on earth. All of these things are the creation of God, and those of us who have lips should use them to thank and praise him. This text, often included in English hymnals sung either to the tune Royal Oak by Martin Shaw, or to a more modern melody by Sonny Salsbury, is also subject to a sprightly new musical essay by Rutter.

Rutter composed his original version of this Christian paean for piano and treble choir (women or children), and later produced editions with organ accompaniment and with full orchestra. As with much of his music intended for the Christian liturgies, he adopts a highly tonal, yet still harmonically driven idiom. Much of the piece proceeds with a simple yet compelling melody, shifting melodic colors to follow the prismatic changes in the natural beauties being praised. The melody and accompaniment flow between a kind of youthful naiveté and a more mature (yet still childlike) appreciation for the beauties of creation. Harmonic shifts tend to emphasize moments in the text with the same naïve wonderment, including sudden minor tonality for the winter's cold wind, and several different sonic flowerings for the text "All things wise and wonderful." Each element, from treble timbre to driving rhythms to harmonic color works to evoke the childlike rapture in creation.

© Timothy Dickey, Rovi