| Rejoice in the Lamb | |
|---|---|
| Cantata by Benjamin Britten | |
 | |
| Opus | 30 |
| Occasion | 50th anniversary of St Matthew's Church, Northampton |
| Text | Christopher Smart's poem Jubilate Agno |
| Language | English |
| Composed | 1943 |
| Duration | 16 min |
| Scoring | four soloists, SATB choir and organ |
Rejoice in the Lamb (Op. 30) is a cantata for four soloists, SATB choir and organ composed by Benjamin Britten in 1943 and uses text from the poem Jubilate Agno by Christopher Smart (1722–1771). The poem, written while Smart was in an asylum, depicts idiosyncratic praise and worship of God by different things including animals, letters of the alphabet and musical instruments. Britten was introduced to the poem by W. H. Auden whilst visiting the United States, selecting 48 lines of the poem to set to music with the assistance of Edward Sackville-West. The cantata was commissioned by the Reverend Walter Hussey for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the consecration of St Matthew's Church, Northampton. Critics praised the work for its uniqueness and creative handling of the text. Rejoice in the Lamb has been arranged for chorus, solos and orchestral accompaniment, and for SSAA choir and organ.