This is a choral arrangement of Gabriel's Oboe, music by Ennio Morricone, with SATB and lyrics by Chip Wood. This arrangement is also available with an instrumental solo.
In the historical drama The Mission, Father Gabriel's character is loosely based on the life of Paraguayan saint and Jesuit Roque González de Santa Cruz. The story is set in 1756 and relates the true account of the massacre at a Catholic mission for Guaraní natives in northern Argentina;
the lyrics here convey the themes of hope, perseverance, and sacrifice that marked Gabriel's effort to defend the mission against an invading Portuguese military force.
In his first encounter with the tribe, Gabriel plays a simple melody on his oboe, using the language of music to open a dialogue with the Guaraní.
"Love suffers long, and is kind..."