Voice of the People

Mvt II of Second Symphony, Op. 14

Instrumentation: SATB div., a cappella

Composed: February 16-March 1, 1951

Performance Time: approx. 6 min.

Score available from: The Schubert Club (email: schubert@schubert.org).

Text:

America! America, land of the free.
What made us free, America?

Blessed are we, who walk the earth of the free.

Is it this earth, so fertile, so eager, and so warm?
Blessed be this earth.
What made us free, America?
It was our strength...
It was our toil...
It was our pledge...
It was our zeal...
It was our boon...
It was our right...
To be free.
It is our right to be free.

Blessed are we, who walk the earth of the free.

With truth our shield, we are:
self-possessed, unyielding, and intent.
Strong-willed, relentless, and unfliching.
For all times unshackled. Yea!

Is it that we sought our freedom in the arms of earth's warm shelter?
Dared we then unearth earth's recluse, wrest from her the key to freedom?

Blessed are we who walk the Earth of the free.
Blessed are we, who presume with intent e'er to break with the earth of the free.
By this earth, by your earth we are free.

You freed the slave from subjugation. That made us free!
Discriminate not creed against creed. That made us free!
Oppose the righteous. Succor the meek. That made us free!

You made us free America.
From every kind of yoke, and many kinds of bond.
We shall be free.
Yes! for all times.
Free we are!
Free will be, and remain!

America... Land of the free... we love you dearly....

Rest still, my people, rest still.
America will guard you.
America will not fail you:
For on her side stand you, who died
And live to keep her freedom.

And this is her presage:
Where there's truth, there's freedom.

Rest still, my people, rest.
America keeps watch.
For you we live, for you we gladly die.

America, your earth makes us free.
America, your seed makes us free.
America, your truth makes us free.

America, watch over us.
America!
... who made us free.

                        - text by the composer