[6] It begins with eight measures of instrumental introduction, with broken chords in constant flowing eighth-notes[6] in an obbligato[5] flute and harp, accompanied by strings.
[5] A reviewer noted Rutter's gift for composing melodies that are singable by lay singers and children, and that he "writes for enjoyment ...
[10] He noted Rutter's characteristics as "lingering around a nostalgic third or fifth of the scale, exercising a catchy phrase in sequences, introducing a little groovy syncopation".
[10] For the beauty of the earth was first recorded in 1983, with the composer conducting the Cambridge Singers[11] and the City of London Sinfonia in a collection Be Thou My Vision: Sacred Music by John Rutter.
[12] In 1991, Donald Pearson conducted in Denver by the choirs of St. John's Episcopal Cathedral, accompanied by organist Eric Plutz and Tom Blomster (glockenspiel).
[13] The Australian Gondwana Voices included the song in their 2003 album New Light New Hope of music by mostly living composers, with pianist Sally Whitwell and conducted by Mark O'Leary.