What did you sing at church today?

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  • Spin?
    :wink:
    Yes. And demerits for me on not making that clear in my “Oops” post. Can I blame it on just having gotten home from an after-church Session meeting?

    And yes, that is a lovely version—though text-wise it is the traditional English translation, which seems to have been done by someone unfamiliar with how English sentences are actually put together. :lol:


  • BroJamesBroJames Purgatory Host
    ‘Spin’ I think. The emphasis is on the present activity of God in sustaining creation.
  • Thank you all. It's not a hymn I know, so I'll look it up.
  • The imagery of God spinning planets reminds me of a song from my youth written by someone in a local church that I've never heard since. The first verse was all about the universe and as a bit of a science geek I loved it as a teen!
    'God is so wonderful for he stretched unmeasured space
    And placed a million stars safe within its vast embrace
    He fashioned galaxies, captive satellites and moons
    Fixed their orbits, spaced their bounds
    And timed their cycles, set their rounds
    How wonderful his mighty power'

    I still like the song, so wanted to include it in my 'musical memories' blog a couple years ago but couldn't find a recording anywhere online....so made this recording myself from memory! https://youtu.be/THJuD9YxLl4?si=i9qTWlfOHNi3hJGV
  • We sing a wonderful song which begins:

    "You started science and quantum physics,
    wrote the law of gravity;
    you are the smartest, you are the greatest
    scientist in history".

    It's the only Christian song I know which includes DNA, broccoli, geckos, "pandas and nostrils and trees" - and much else. The Six-day Creationists would hate it!
  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    Alan29 wrote: »
    Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones preached on the book of Romans at Westminster Chapel every Friday evening (excluding Christmas and Easter) between October and May from October 1955 to March 1968. There were 386 sermons in all - and he only got part way through the penultimate chapter!

    I went to a Christmas day service at one place that just continued their way through Job. Not even a single carol.

    Presumably the Calendar, along with the lectionary, is a Romish Abomination.

    The whole service was a bit dour and grim. Unsurprisingly it was not well attended.
  • To be fair, one can't blame the Doctor for that. I can't give you the quote, but in his book "Preaching and preachers" he criticised expository preachers who simply carried on their expository series over Christmas without making any reference to the festive season. Indeed he believed in making the most of special times of the year in his preaching.
  • RecoveringCynicRecoveringCynic Shipmate
    edited April 2024
    Easter IV (Shepherd Sunday)

    How Firm a Foundation (FOUNDATION)
    My Shepherd Will Supply My Need (RESIGNATION)
    Just A Little Talk With Jesus

    Sanctus was from the Deutsche Messe by Schubert (but in English!) and the Sequence was the "Celtic Alleluia."
  • The Schubert Sanctus (in English) is in our default hymnbook, but I don't think we've ever used it. We often use the Celtic *Alleluia*, though, if you mean the one by Christopher Walker.

    Excellent pieces, both.
  • The Schubert Sanctus (in English) is in our default hymnbook, but I don't think we've ever used it. We often use the Celtic *Alleluia*, though, if you mean the one by Christopher Walker.

    Excellent pieces, both.

    Yup, that's the one! The Schubert is quite nice. It's new during my tenure as musician, but apparently it was used quite frequently in Ye Olden Days, when they sang it at quite a good clip.
  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    The Schubert Sanctus (in English) is in our default hymnbook, but I don't think we've ever used it. We often use the Celtic *Alleluia*, though, if you mean the one by Christopher Walker.

    Excellent pieces, both.

    Celtic Alleluia is actually the chorus of a hymn by Fintan O'Carroll. I have seen it in a French hymnbook ascribed to a French composer. Everyone seems to want a bit of Mr O'Carrolls excellent tune.
  • ArethosemyfeetArethosemyfeet Shipmate, Heaven Host
    Alan29 wrote: »
    The Schubert Sanctus (in English) is in our default hymnbook, but I don't think we've ever used it. We often use the Celtic *Alleluia*, though, if you mean the one by Christopher Walker.

    Excellent pieces, both.

    Celtic Alleluia is actually the chorus of a hymn by Fintan O'Carroll. I have seen it in a French hymnbook ascribed to a French composer. Everyone seems to want a bit of Mr O'Carrolls excellent tune.

    One of the things I like about it is the number of different, many seasonal, verses, so you can have it as a hymn (as in CH4), as a Gospel acclamation ("Speak, Lord, your servant is listening..." was standard in the RC chapel when I was at university) or with the appropriate verses in place of the Exultet (for those of us without the stomach for the whole thing).
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    edited April 2024
    Alan29 wrote: »
    The Schubert Sanctus (in English) is in our default hymnbook, but I don't think we've ever used it. We often use the Celtic *Alleluia*, though, if you mean the one by Christopher Walker.

    Excellent pieces, both.

    Celtic Alleluia is actually the chorus of a hymn by Fintan O'Carroll. I have seen it in a French hymnbook ascribed to a French composer. Everyone seems to want a bit of Mr O'Carrolls excellent tune.

    Thanks @Alan29!

    I bought Our Place the music book for the Mass setting in which the Celtic Alleluia appears, so I don't have it to hand. I didn't realise that some of it was written by Fintan O'Carroll.

    I assume this is what we're talking about:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFvdHcrPhkw

    They use it sometimes at Uppsala Cathedral, and at St Ansgar, Uppsala, both of which are Lutheran (Church of Sweden).
  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    Alan29 wrote: »
    The Schubert Sanctus (in English) is in our default hymnbook, but I don't think we've ever used it. We often use the Celtic *Alleluia*, though, if you mean the one by Christopher Walker.

    Excellent pieces, both.

    Celtic Alleluia is actually the chorus of a hymn by Fintan O'Carroll. I have seen it in a French hymnbook ascribed to a French composer. Everyone seems to want a bit of Mr O'Carrolls excellent tune.

    One of the things I like about it is the number of different, many seasonal, verses, so you can have it as a hymn (as in CH4), as a Gospel acclamation ("Speak, Lord, your servant is listening..." was standard in the RC chapel when I was at university) or with the appropriate verses in place of the Exultet (for those of us without the stomach for the whole thing).

    We are using it at the moment (post Easter.) We usually sing less festive settings and keep the Celtic for special times.
  • TruronTruron Shipmate
    St George the Martyr

    "Solemn Mass"

    A rather fussy high church who wanted two hymns sung in a procession to a rather gory statue of St George. Very good singing and the tune "Rodmell" which is not universally well known waa a delight to play. The hymn at the Administration was not famikiar to me but was a modern one that had attractive harmonies even to my conservative ears 😏 This place tries to be more Roman than the Pope and the grand finale I was told was lifted from the Roman Breviary! Two other hymns were of English Hymnal stock and the first one I had never heard before, if you look up the words (A&M Revised) you may see why it seems not to be generally used these days 🤣

    Jesus Lord of our salvation (Regent Square)
    Lord God of hosts within whose hand (Melita)
    Salazar Gloria
    Celtic Alleluia
    Come let us join the Church above (Rodmell)
    Gathering Mass Sanctus
    Come back to me with all your heart
    Leader now on earth no longer (Daily Daily)

    Back down to earth next Sunday with village Mattins!

  • AIUI Rodmell is a traditional English melody, arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams, so (in a sense) it's bound to be good!

    Which was the hymn you thought was not now generally known?
  • TruronTruron Shipmate
    @Bishops Finger

    "Come let us join the Church above", the one they wanted to "Rodmell". I found the text (it was on a sheet in the church) in the old English Hymnal for Martyrs so quite a non starter 😏 The language of the first hymn would suggest it unsuitable unless in a very macho male environment 🤣
  • I see what you mean about the first hymn:

    https://hymnary.org/text/jesus_lord_of_our_salvation

    :flushed:
  • BroJamesBroJames Purgatory Host
    It has a number of lines which would have induced almost unsuppressable mirth in my contemporaries and me as choirboys, and others which are deeply cringe-making. Reminiscent of this Kipling story.
  • I'm a bit surprised to find that such Tosh is still being sung today, even if in only a few places. I wonder if FatherInCharge has one or other of these abominations in store for Our Place on Sunday?
  • TruronTruron Shipmate
    edited April 2024
    @Bishops Finger believe me in rural areas you might be surprised what they want! In this place (not rural really) this little offering was on a sheet -

    Uprouse ye, Christian people, who boast St. George today:
Arise, gird on your harness: go forth, tread down and slay!
Ye may not cease from battle, ye shall not sheathe the sword,
But cry “St. George for England, and England for the Lord!”
    Refrain:
We will not cease from battle: we will not sheathe the sword:
But cry “St. George for England, and England for the Lord!”

    Apparently it is sung to the tune of "Tell me the old old story". I will refrain from commenting 😏

    Link to original text

    Edited for copyright issues, see post below - Nenya, Ecclesiantics Host
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    edited April 2024
    If you omit the refrain, it can be sung to the hideously ghastly Aurelia...or Ellacombe, if you want something more cheerful...or not at all, if you wish to remain sane.
  • NenyaNenya All Saints Host, Ecclesiantics & MW Host
    Thank you for your post @Truron . It's the rule here that we can only post a portion of text, in this case the first verse, and then a link to the full original as we can't check everything for copyright.

    Nenya - Ecclesiantics Host
  • Went to a funeral this morning. We sang:

    “For All the Saints”/SINE NOMINE
    “Now Thank We All Our God”/NUN DANKET ALLE GOTT*
    “Lift High the Cross”/CRUCIFER

    The organ was effectively joined by a trumpet on all three hymns.


    *As the funeral was at an Episcopal church, I particularly enjoyed singing all eight verses. My tribe’s hymnal has only five verses, omitting “And when the strife is fierce…,” “The golden evening…,” and “But yet there breaks….” Getting to sing all eight verses made up for the fact that this particular church has, as my wife says, the most uncomfortable pews in town.

  • Nick Tamen wrote: »

    *As the funeral was at an Episcopal church, I particularly enjoyed singing all eight verses. My tribe’s hymnal has only five verses, omitting “And when the strife is fierce…,” “The golden evening…,” and “But yet there breaks….” Getting to sing all eight verses made up for the fact that this particular church has, as my wife says, the most uncomfortable pews in town.

    Looking forward (if one can say that about a funeral), to doing all eight for a funeral at my Episcopal joint in a couple weeks, with the shift from the standard RVW harmonization to the four-part version for two of the middle ones.

    And yes, our pews are not the most comfortable either. It's probably due to the fact that people in the mid-1800s weren't as tall as they are now, so it feels a bit like you're going to fall off the front...
  • ArethosemyfeetArethosemyfeet Shipmate, Heaven Host
    edited April 2024
    Pews at my local Kirk are pretty comfortable, but carefully spaced so as to make kneeling impossible.
  • Our pews aren't fixed so we can space them as we like!

    “Thou whose almighty word” - Moscow.
    “The King is among us” (Kendrick).
    “Shine from the inside out” (Children's song).
    “Breathe on me, Breath of God” - Trentham, as we had Carlisle a couple of weeks ago.
    “The Church of Christ in every age” - Herongate.
    “O Spirit of the living God” - Duke Street.
  • PuzzlerPuzzler Shipmate
    Parish Communion. Only six in the choir, but superb visiting organist.

    God is love, His the care ( Personent Hodie)
    A new commandment
    Immortal, invisible ( St Denio)
    Love divine ( Blaenwern), but far too low.

    Anthem - Ave verum - Mozart.
  • Communion this week - so only three hymns

    When Morning Gilds the Skies (Laudes Domini)
    Great Is The Lord and most worthy of praise (McEwan)
    All The Way My Saviour Leads Me (All the Way)
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Our offerings this morning (some of which I didn't sing, as I was serving):

    Alleluia, alleluia, Hearts to heaven and voices raise - Lux Eoi (I love a bit of Sullivan!)
    Name of all majesty - Majesty
    Jesus took a piece of bread - Royal Oak*
    O perfect love - Perfect Love**
    O praise ye the Lord - Laudate Dominum

    * I'm glad I was otherwise occupied when this one came up; the words struck me as being beyond twee and out the other side. :naughty:

    **It was pointed out to the organist at choir practice yesterday that this hymn was really only suitable for weddings, and after a lot of explaining, she agreed not to pick it again ... <rolleyes>
  • Easter 5/St George at Our Place:

    Ye choirs of new Jerusalem (St Fulbert)
    God is love: his the care (Personent Hodie)
    This is my body (Owens/Lundy/Jacobs)

    and a St George's Hymn to finish with - the second in a row of three acts of homage (or whatever) to the possibly mythical Roman soldier. The first was at Mass on The Day Itself (last Tuesday), and the third is a Masonic Service this afternoon.
  • Nick TamenNick Tamen Shipmate
    edited April 2024
    Nick Tamen wrote: »

    *As the funeral was at an Episcopal church, I particularly enjoyed singing all eight verses. My tribe’s hymnal has only five verses, omitting “And when the strife is fierce…,” “The golden evening…,” and “But yet there breaks….” Getting to sing all eight verses made up for the fact that this particular church has, as my wife says, the most uncomfortable pews in town.
    Looking forward (if one can say that about a funeral), to doing all eight for a funeral at my Episcopal joint in a couple weeks, with the shift from the standard RVW harmonization to the four-part version for two of the middle ones.
    Of course, the four-part version is also RVW. But yes, that is enjoyable. (In my tribe’s hymnal with only five verses, the shift to four-part harmony happens on the third verse, “O blest communion ….”)

    And yes, our pews are not the most comfortable either. It's probably due to the fact that people in the mid-1800s weren't as tall as they are now, so it feels a bit like you're going to fall off the front...
    Yep, same era as the pew in which I was sitting. The shortness is part of what makes them uncomfortable; the other thing is that the back is at a 90° angle to the seat, which both adds to the feeling that you’re going to fall off and doesn’t treat one’s lower back too kindly.

    We have yet another memorial service to go to this afternoon, and then my wife heads out of town for a few days, so we may play hooky this morning and go get breakfast instead of going to church. As a result, I may or may not have hymns from today to report on.

  • NenyaNenya All Saints Host, Ecclesiantics & MW Host
    Give Thanks to the Lord, Our God and King (his love endures for ever)
    We Bow Down and Confess You are Lord in this Place
    We are the Church, the Church of Christ
  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    All the usual Mass bits
    Seek Ye First
    A New Commandment
    Unless a grain of wheat
    How great thou art.*

    *Our hymnbook has a verse about twittering birds etc which I have not seen anywhere else. It caused me to perform a trill on the high notes - shameful behaviour!
    Numbers were up on recent weeks so the congregation made a nice racket to entertain the angels.
  • It doesn't actually say "twittering" - but your trill sounds lovely!
  • Alan29 wrote: »
    How great thou art.*

    *Our hymnbook has a verse about twittering birds etc which I have not seen anywhere else. It caused me to perform a trill on the high notes - shameful behaviour!
    To the contrary, not shameful at all. In my experience, congregations love that sort of thing. Nicely done!

  • Ah yes, @Nick Tamen , perhaps I should have said "the RVW harmonization that everyone thinks of first," since it's the standard in hymnals that don't do the middle switch, at least, in my experience.

    Anyway, hymns for Easter V:
    Come, Thou Fount (NETTLETON)
    O, How I Love Jesus (O, HOW I LOVE JESUS)
    Love Divine (HYFRYDOL)

    Sequence was the Celtic Alleluia, and Sanctus was the Schubert again. I did Hyfrydol with a couple reharmonizations, since the congregation always enjoys it and sings it with enough gusto such that they don't need my handholding on the melody.

    We also had a retired minister in the congregation presiding and preaching, which went reasonably smoothly except that he accidentally took the lector's binder from the lectern so he ended up with two binders and had to give it back to the lector for the prayers. Oh well, life goes on, and I'm glad to be at a church where choreography mix-ups aren't big to-dos but rather just laughed off with grace.
  • PuzzlerPuzzler Shipmate
    The local church primary school has requested a visit to church choir practice, which we are happy to accommodate by switching to daytime. One of our sopranos used to teach there so she is preparing a “lesson”, introducing the choir, its robes and medals etc then we shall explain and sing the sung parts of the service, then practise anthems. Our choir leader plans to get the children to learn a song. I wonder if we will get any recruits?
  • Puzzler wrote: »
    The local church primary school has requested a visit to church choir practice, which we are happy to accommodate by switching to daytime. One of our sopranos used to teach there so she is preparing a “lesson”, introducing the choir, its robes and medals etc then we shall explain and sing the sung parts of the service, then practise anthems. Our choir leader plans to get the children to learn a song. I wonder if we will get any recruits?

    Well, you never know!
    :wink:
  • MrsBeakyMrsBeaky Shipmate
    Puzzler wrote: »
    The local church primary school has requested a visit to church choir practice, which we are happy to accommodate by switching to daytime. One of our sopranos used to teach there so she is preparing a “lesson”, introducing the choir, its robes and medals etc then we shall explain and sing the sung parts of the service, then practise anthems. Our choir leader plans to get the children to learn a song. I wonder if we will get any recruits?

    Retired teacher here who thinks this is a really lovely idea and kudos to your choir for being willing to provide those children with such a wonderful opportunity.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    What an excellent idea - I do hope you get some recruits!
  • TruronTruron Shipmate
    4th Sunday after Easter

    Mattins (BCP).

    When morning gilds the skies (Laudes Domini)
    Venite
    Te Deum
    Jubilate
    On the resurrection morning (Mansfield)
    The saint who first found grace to pen (Duke Street)
    For my sake and the gospel's go (Bishopgarth)

    Hymns were not too bad really but I do find this one of the most tedious and stultifying services that comes my way 🥱
  • April 28th, 5th Sunday after Easter

    Hymns
    Christ is alive, with joy we sing, / Vulpius
    Now thank we all our God, / Nun danket alle Gott
    God is Love, let heaven adore Him, / Abbot’s Leigh
    Sent forth by God’s blessing, / The Ash Grove

    Choir
    Ubi Caritas, / Ola Gjelo
    I am the true vine, / Petrich
    May we, O Holy Spirit, bear your fruit, / Edwards and Wigmore

    Postlude (string quartet)
    Halling, / Fredrik Sjoelin
  • Truron wrote: »
    4th Sunday after Easter

    Mattins (BCP).

    When morning gilds the skies (Laudes Domini)
    Venite
    Te Deum
    Jubilate
    On the resurrection morning (Mansfield)
    The saint who first found grace to pen (Duke Street)
    For my sake and the gospel's go (Bishopgarth)

    Hymns were not too bad really but I do find this one of the most tedious and stultifying services that comes my way 🥱

    The Te Deum is, as you no doubt know, sometimes referred to as the Tedium...

  • Indeed have (sung) Mattins many years ago in a certain Royal Peculiar and found the experience underwhelming. At least the choir was dismissed before the sermon to get ready for choral Eucharist; to my horror the Kyrie of my favourite setting was omitted!
  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    Do I take it that Choral Mattins is a different beast from the sublime Choral Evensong.
  • Alan29 wrote: »
    Do I take it that Choral Mattins is a different beast from the sublime Choral Evensong.

    Only slightly different, really - it includes the Venite every time :tired_face: , and the Canticles are Te Deum (or Benedicite) and Benedictus, with an appropriate *beginning of this day* Third Collect.

    If you have the full penitential introduction (Dearly beloved etc.) as well as the Venite, and a long Psalm, it does take a while...

    I can't speak as to differences in the music, though.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Considering how much I love Evensong, I'm another for whom one Mattins goes a long way.

    David felt the same way, and when I asked him why, he said it just doesn't have the perfect balance of Evensong, and I can see his point. The Venite adds an extra "bit" that sort of holds things up, and some of the prescribed canticles, while often set to the most excellent music*, are just that bit longer than the Evensong ones, exaggerating the unbalance.

    Does that make any sense?

    * Stanford in B flat, Howells Coll. Reg., and the Naylor Benedicite spring to mind.
  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    Does the time of day make a difference. Evensong is very afternoony when we are starting to wind down, whereas morning tends to be more up and at 'em?
  • Piglet wrote: »
    Considering how much I love Evensong, I'm another for whom one Mattins goes a long way.

    David felt the same way, and when I asked him why, he said it just doesn't have the perfect balance of Evensong, and I can see his point. The Venite adds an extra "bit" that sort of holds things up, and some of the prescribed canticles, while often set to the most excellent music*, are just that bit longer than the Evensong ones, exaggerating the unbalance.

    Does that make any sense?

    * Stanford in B flat, Howells Coll. Reg., and the Naylor Benedicite spring to mind.

    Yes, it does.
    Alan29 wrote: »
    Does the time of day make a difference. Evensong is very afternoony when we are starting to wind down, whereas morning tends to be more up and at 'em?

    Yes, it does.

    :wink:
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