May I ask a musical notation question of the informed here? What does the flattened(?) "u"-shape represent after a line in a hymn (e.g. pages 32/33, hymn on page 32, verses 2 and 3, here?)?
Thank you.
Don't breathe because the sense of the words continues without a break or punctuation.
Creator of the stars of night
Come, Thou long expected Jesus (STUTTGART)
O come, O come, Emmanuel
We added the Gathering Rite and Collect from Missa de Lumine (based on CONDITOR ALME SIDERUM, Mode IV, Sarum, 9th C. adapted and arranged by Kathleen Demny). I found it quite nice.
Other than those our Mass parts were from Missa Simplex, per usual.
Responsorial Psalm from "Respond & Acclaim."
Alleluia! Hurry, the Lord is near! (vs.1) as our Gospel Acclamation.
I am SO ENVIOUS of all you people having Proper Advent Hymns! Just wait until next year, when I'm going to have a say in what we get at St Pete's ...
Sounds like a promotion of some kind?
Not exactly. J, who currently picks the hymns, is moving to a town on the other side of Edinburgh, and won't be picking the hymns (although she will still come back to rehearse the "choir"). She suggested to Rev Rosie that I assist with hymn-choosing, and she agreed.
I need that devil/angel smilie we had on the old Ship!
With great power comes great responsibility.
Indeed, but I'm sure all of us here in Eccles are willing and eager to offer assistance in due course, should it be required...
Thanks, gentlemen, much appreciated!
It's quite possible that any changes I may try to effect will be hamstrung by the lack of skill of our organists ...
I was reminded once again this week of the prank the men in the Choir of Men & Boys I used to direct would pull every Advent, which was to very loudly rhyme the end of the fifth verse "O come, O come, Emmanuel" in this way:
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to miser-EYE (misery).
In truth, there were a few, if not handful, of instances of this jovial phenomenon throughout the church year. The priests usually took it in stride, and the boys always thought it hilarious. I hear it only in my head, now, but it still draws a smile.
I'm just back from an absolutely lovely day of singing with Scottish Voices - Advent service in Dunblane Cathedral:
Matin Responsory - Palestrina A tender shoot - Otto Goldschmidt Hope is a candle - Frikki Walker Tomorrow shall be my dancing day - arr Willcocks Gabriel the angel came - English, 14th century, arr John Barnard O thou the central orb - Wood
Hymns: Lo! He comes, with clouds descending - Helmsley Comfort, comfort now my people - Genevan 42* Hark! a herald voice is calling - Merton The voice of God goes out to all the world- Morestead* O come, O come, Emmanuel - 15th century, arr Willcocks
* Neither of these tunes was familiar to me, and I'll be quite happy never to sing either of them again; imho they were both rather lumpen.
No matter; the lessons (of which I read the fourth) were from the King James Version, which warmed the cockles of the porcine heart, especially the sixth ("And in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel ..."), which in my head I will always hear in David's voice, as at the Nine Lessons and Carols it was the one traditionally read by the organist.
Comfort, comfort now my people is one of my favourites. But it has to be sung as a dance, not as a dirge. I used to tell people to sing it imagining John Knox and John Calvin doing a pas de deux in Geneva, both with beards jutting and robes flying.
I was reminded once again this week of the prank the men in the Choir of Men & Boys I used to direct would pull every Advent, which was to very loudly rhyme the end of the fifth verse "O come, O come, Emmanuel" in this way:
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to miser-EYE (misery).
In truth, there were a few, if not handful, of instances of this jovial phenomenon throughout the church year. The priests usually took it in stride, and the boys always thought it hilarious. I hear it only in my head, now, but it still draws a smile.
Historically more accurate to rhyme both high and -ry with "see"
I didn't chant as such, but ran-my-words-together as that is all I am capable of, but the new parish I am attending has a hardy few who come before Liturgy to read/chant pre-Communion prayers and hymns. It was a blessing to participate in.
I'm just back from an absolutely lovely day of singing with Scottish Voices - Advent service in Dunblane Cathedral:
Matin Responsory - Palestrina A tender shoot - Otto Goldschmidt Hope is a candle - Frikki Walker Tomorrow shall be my dancing day - arr Willcocks Gabriel the angel came - English, 14th century, arr John Barnard O thou the central orb - Wood
Hymns: Lo! He comes, with clouds descending - Helmsley Comfort, comfort now my people - Genevan 42* Hark! a herald voice is calling - Merton The voice of God goes out to all the world- Morestead* O come, O come, Emmanuel - 15th century, arr Willcocks
* Neither of these tunes was familiar to me, and I'll be quite happy never to sing either of them again; imho they were both rather lumpen.
No matter; the lessons (of which I read the fourth) were from the King James Version, which warmed the cockles of the porcine heart, especially the sixth ("And in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel ..."), which in my head I will always hear in David's voice, as at the Nine Lessons and Carols it was the one traditionally read by the organist.
We are starting with something called Ready the Way by Curtis Stephan. Its pretty awful and not appropriate for congregational singing.
Litany of the Word - Farrell.
There is a longing in our hearts - Anne Quigley
Wait for the Lord - Taize.
I do get fed up with all this sentimental/meaningful stuff.
However there is a funeral tomorrow that starts with Dear Lord and Father of Mankind and ends with Lord of all hopefulness, with Soul of my Saviour at communion. Thats more like it!
We didn't get off badly at St Pete's today either:
On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry* - Winchester New Come, dearest Lord - Horsley Hail, O star that pointest - Ravenshaw Hail to the Lord's anointed - Crüger Thy kingdom come! on bended knee - Irish
* in which I (just) managed to resist singing the Alternative Version:
On Jordan's bank the Baptists cry
If I were a Baptist, so would I
They drink no beer, they have no fun
I'm glad that I'm an Anglican!
Hills of the north, rejoice (Little Cornard) Hark! A herald voice is calling (Merton) Be still, my soul (Finlandia) The Lord will come and not be slow (St Stephen)*
*Not all that familiar, I suspect, but it's a rather enjoyable 18thC hymn - and, if sung as a prayer (given the state of the world today), is highly appropriate.
A reasonable attendance, despite the cold wind (no rain this morning), but, as usual nowadays, children and young families were conspicuous by their absence.
Let us adore him... Jesus Christ is the Lord - a Hillsong one and new to me. Holy, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty (lift up his name) There is strength within the sorrow The splendour of the King
At our mid-morning service we sang:
Silent Night, Holy Night - STILLE NACHT (Lights in the church were dimmed as two children lit the Advent candles)
See Him Lying on a Bed of Straw - CALYPSO CAROL
O Lord, My rock and My Redeemer - Nathan Stiff
Tell Out My Soul - WOODLANDS
Comfort, comfort now my people is one of my favourites. But it has to be sung as a dance, not as a dirge. I used to tell people to sing it imagining John Knox and John Calvin doing a pas de deux in Geneva, both with beards jutting and robes flying.
It’s one of my favorites too, and you’re exactly right that it should be treated as a dance. This is, I think, a good example of what it should sound like,
Today (Advent II), in addition to the “homemade” hymn I mentioned last week, to which a second verse was sung today, we had:
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”/VENI EMMANUEL
The aforementioned “Comfort, Comfort Now My People”/GENEVAN 42
“People, Look East”/BESANÇON
The last two both were sung with the appropriate dance-like treatment, including a drum. If only we’d also had “Prepare the Way, O Zion” (BEREDEN VÄG FÖR HERRAN).
And @Cathscats, I did not joy picturing Knox and Calvin dancing!
Thanks @Nick Tamen - IIRC, you've linked to that rendition of Genevan 42 before, but it certainly warrants watching again. I've heard it sung slightly less quickly, but still by no means dirge-like, in Dutch churches.
Actually, if you were to substitute a few sackbuts, crumhorns and tabors, it might not be too bad ...
We had Evensong tonight, and the hymns were:
Behold the Saviour of the nations - St Clement Lo, he comes with clouds descending - Helmsley Before the ending of the day - St Clement (again)* Ye servants of the Lord - Carlisle
* I have no idea why J played St Clement again for the third hymn - it was meant to be Hursley, and when I asked her about it afterwards, at first she said, "no it wasn't", then said, "so what, what does it matter?" and got a bit snippy. It was pure happenstance that the metre fitted both!
I don't know whether she'd opened the book at the wrong page or what (the two hymns were only two numbers apart in the book), but you'd have thought she might have noticed that she was playing the same tune as we'd had fifteen minutes before ...
Actually, I've just realised that I typed "Horsley" as the tune for Come dearest Lord this morning - it was actually "Hursley".
The old Sarum melody (the one in the book) to Before the ending of the day would have been far better, I think. It's just as well you didn't have The day thou gavest in the service, or you could have had a triple St Clement...
Hark a thrilling voice is sounding (MERTON -- vss.1-3)
Comfort, comfort, O my people (GENEVAN 42)*
Jerusalem, my happy home (LAND OF REST)
Hark a thrilling voice is sounding (MERTON -- vss.4-5)**
*I did my best to maintain a dancelike tempo -- one of the cantors was decidedly against that, though, and managed to pull things back a fair bit.
**The pattern at This Place is to split the opening hymn to cover the recessional if there are more than three verses. Otherwise, *emails will appear* decrying the singing of complete hymns "for no reason." At the close of Mass, people *will not* remain in place to sing out a full hymn if the priest has already passed them by. Many will actually parade right behind him as if they were in procession. It does grate on the sensibilities. The only times it's otherwise are during Holy Week & Easter, and Christmas Eve. One year (in print) I entreated the congregation to take-on singing complete hymns as a Lenten Discipline. Mostly, they declined.
Actually, if you were to substitute a few sackbuts, crumhorns and tabors, it might not be too bad ...
That’s what the Sackbut and Krummhorn (Cromorne) organ stops are for.
(Someone other than the organist will have to deal with the tabor.)
Not a tabor, but this organist uses a tambourine to keep the singing together at the Palm Sunday procession.
Shouldn't the organist simply play the tabors at the hips with his/her elbows while accompanying with hands and feet? I mean, is this really that hard?
Actually, if you were to substitute a few sackbuts, crumhorns and tabors, it might not be too bad ...
That’s what the Sackbut and Krummhorn (Cromorne) organ stops are for.
(Someone other than the organist will have to deal with the tabor.)
Not a tabor, but this organist uses a tambourine to keep the singing together at the Palm Sunday procession.
Shouldn't the organist simply play the tabors at the hips with his/her elbows while accompanying with hands and feet? I mean, is this really that hard?
I knew an organist who would play the trumpet with one hand while playing the organ with the other hand and both feet.
Actually, if you were to substitute a few sackbuts, crumhorns and tabors, it might not be too bad ...
That’s what the Sackbut and Krummhorn (Cromorne) organ stops are for.
(Someone other than the organist will have to deal with the tabor.)
Not a tabor, but this organist uses a tambourine to keep the singing together at the Palm Sunday procession.
Shouldn't the organist simply play the tabors at the hips with his/her elbows while accompanying with hands and feet? I mean, is this really that hard?
I knew an organist who would play the trumpet with one hand while playing the organ with the other hand and both feet.
Ah, but did that organist play either organ or trumpet well?
Actually, if you were to substitute a few sackbuts, crumhorns and tabors, it might not be too bad ...
That’s what the Sackbut and Krummhorn (Cromorne) organ stops are for.
(Someone other than the organist will have to deal with the tabor.)
Not a tabor, but this organist uses a tambourine to keep the singing together at the Palm Sunday procession.
Shouldn't the organist simply play the tabors at the hips with his/her elbows while accompanying with hands and feet? I mean, is this really that hard?
I knew an organist who would play the trumpet with one hand while playing the organ with the other hand and both feet.
Ah, but did that organist play either organ or trumpet well?
As far as I could tell, so... not obviously badly?
Advent 3 at Our Place tomorrow, and the rose-pink chasuble will get one of its two annual outings. A not very impressive selection of hymns (IMHO), though:
Hark, the glad sound! (Bristol) All for Jesus! (All for Jesus) On Jordan's bank (Winchester New) The advent of our King (Franconia or St Thomas)
Our Carol Service is in the afternoon - I have no idea what music is planned, but I expect that, as per last year, While shepherds watched will be sung to the proper Kentish tune, to wit, Cranbrook:
New to me also. Given I am one for whom the first time I hear something is the Right and Proper Way 😉, it may take some adjustment, but -- for me -- what a jolly tune, fitting for the text. Thank you.
The local Anglicans have their carol service in just over 2 hours but I am feeling a bit off in the stomach so will not go. The Baptists also have theirs.
Veered two Sundays into the future with the Greeks today for the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers; Joseph in an icon (in Egyptian headdress) for some reason still makes me go, "Oh, yes".
One that struck me, from Matins:
Come, with faith let us all celebrate the annual memory of the Fathers before the Law, even Abraham and those with him. Let us honour, as is meet, the tribe of Judah. With Daniel, let us acclaim as a figure of the Trinity the Children in Babylon, who quenched the flame in the furnace. Cleaving steadfastly to the predictions of the Prophets, let us cry out with a great voice together with Isaiah: Behold, a Virgin shall be with child, and she shall bear a Son, Emmanuel; which being interpreted is: God is with us.
All three congregations at Our Place are holding carol services today.
At our early morning service the following were organ led:
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Once in Royal David's City
A Child is Born in Bethlehem
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
The First Nowell
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Don't know what was sung at our mid morning family Christingle service, but no doubt a few songs aimed at children will have been included by the worship band.
This evening's carol service with a small orchestra and choir put together for the occasion (plus mince pies & mulled wine) is the one that attracts people in the community who are not regular church goers. The programme is:
O Little Town of Bethlehem (arr. Vaughan Williams)
Unto Us is Born a Son (arr. Willcocks)
A Child is Born in Bethlehem
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (arr. Willcocks)
The First Nowell
O Come, All Ye Faithful (arr. Willcocks)
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (arr. Willcocks)
I love Unto Us is Born a Son, which, given I'm not in a Western Rite church, I do not hear often on visits -- and the others. And mince pies and mulled wine. I am sure all will enjoy tonight!
I was interested in what Bishops Finger posted about "While shepherds watched" as the tune called Cranbrook I thought was from Yorkshire. How very wrong one can be!
Like "O Jesus I have promised" it seems to have several tunes of which the banal "Winchester Old" is best known and indeed usually the one I get asked to play. Exceptions are in Cornwall (and probably elsewhere?) where "Lyngham" seems de rigeour in Methodist and other chapel circles and gets belted out, the other is Anglican circles in the Duchy (many rather than all, it is not a law of the Medes and the Persians!) where "Northop" is the favoured tune. For any interested it can be found in the old English Hymnal at Appemdix 8. I have to play it later so will be back in due course.
I'm glad to have had the opportunity to educate some of you as to the correct provenance of the so-called *Yorkshire* tune to While shepherds watched...the composer, Thomas Clark, was from this fair county.
Old Foster is yet another popular tune, but needs a few instruments to accompany it, and to play the symphonies between each verse:
I'm glad to have had the opportunity to educate some of you as to the correct provenance of the so-called *Yorkshire* tune to While shepherds watched...the composer, Thomas Clark, was from this fair county.
Old Foster is yet another popular tune, but needs a few instruments to accompany it, and to play the symphonies between each verse:
Well, you sort of have to, don't you? (and I can just about manage the descant!)
Our offerings for Gaudete Sunday were mostly quite decent, despite having the Organist Who Doesn't Practise™ (how can you bollocks up the introduction to O come, O come, Emmanuel???)
Hills of the north, rejoice - Little Cornard The Saviour will come - Laudate Dominum O come, O come, Emmanuel - Veni Emmanuel Be still, for the presence of the Lord - Be Still Thy kingdom come, O God - St Cecilia
We had a specially-formed children's and young peoples' choir who sang six carols to the congregation, mostly from "Out of the Ark Music" plus one well-known Welsh one. They were really good.
Congregationally we sang "In the bleak midwinter" (which I heartily dislike), "Hark the herald" and "Joy to the world". It's difficult in our set-up to pace Advent properly.
It wasn't a concert though: we had a Call to Worship, several Bible reading, intercessions, a short sermon, notices (of course) and a closing prayer.
All done and dusted in 45 minutes with no semblance of rushing.
Name Of All Majesty (Majestas)
How Great Thou Art! (Ditto)
Love Came Down At Christmas (Gartan)
I Cannot Tell Why He, Whom Angels Worship (London Derriere)
Like "O Jesus I have promised" it seems to have several tunes of which the banal "Winchester Old" is best known and indeed usually the one I get asked to play. Exceptions are in Cornwall (and probably elsewhere?) where "Lyngham" seems de rigeour in Methodist and other chapel circles and gets belted out, the other is Anglican circles in the Duchy (many rather than all, it is not a law of the Medes and the Persians!) where "Northop" is the favoured tune.
It’s always ANGEL’S STORY in my American Presbyterian experience.
Today was the outdoor, no-rehearsal Christmas pageant with farm animals in attendance (including a few llamas), service at our place. Hymns and songs we were that in mind; accompaniment was guitars and keyboard. Today, in addition to the “homemade” hymn I’ve mentioned over the last two weeks, to which a third verse was added today, we had:
“O Come, All Ye Faithful”
“Angels We Have Heard on High”
“Away in a Manger”/MUELLER
“The Friendly Beasts”
“Love Has Come”/BRING A TORCH
“Crowded Table” (by The Highwomen)—not an obvious choice, but in the overall context of things it worked quite nicely.
On Jordan’s bank ( Winchester New )
How lovely on the mountains ( Our God reigns)
May the mind of Christ my saviour ( St Leonard’s)
Hark the glad sound( Bristol )
To God be the glory
Evening Festival of Lessons and Carols
O little town
While shepherds watched
The first Noël/ Pachelbel’s Canon arr Michael Clawson
O come all ye faithful
Myn liking -R R Terry
On Christmas Night all Christians sing
O holy night - Adams, arr Barnard
Christmas Lullaby - Rutter
Hark the herald
Two almost entirely different congregations. Disappointed that so few of our morning regulars turned out in the evening. Only 2 people + 5 choir attended twice. About 6 regulars attended in the evening instead of morning.
Am approx 25, pm about 60-70?
Comments
Don't breathe because the sense of the words continues without a break or punctuation.
Creator of the stars of night
Come, Thou long expected Jesus (STUTTGART)
O come, O come, Emmanuel
We added the Gathering Rite and Collect from Missa de Lumine (based on CONDITOR ALME SIDERUM, Mode IV, Sarum, 9th C. adapted and arranged by Kathleen Demny). I found it quite nice.
Other than those our Mass parts were from Missa Simplex, per usual.
Responsorial Psalm from "Respond & Acclaim."
Alleluia! Hurry, the Lord is near! (vs.1) as our Gospel Acclamation.
Thanks, gentlemen, much appreciated!
It's quite possible that any changes I may try to effect will be hamstrung by the lack of skill of our organists ...
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to miser-EYE (misery).
In truth, there were a few, if not handful, of instances of this jovial phenomenon throughout the church year. The priests usually took it in stride, and the boys always thought it hilarious. I hear it only in my head, now, but it still draws a smile.
The constitutional guardian I
Of pretty young wards in Chancer-eye ...
Matin Responsory - Palestrina
A tender shoot - Otto Goldschmidt
Hope is a candle - Frikki Walker
Tomorrow shall be my dancing day - arr Willcocks
Gabriel the angel came - English, 14th century, arr John Barnard
O thou the central orb - Wood
Hymns:
Lo! He comes, with clouds descending - Helmsley
Comfort, comfort now my people - Genevan 42*
Hark! a herald voice is calling - Merton
The voice of God goes out to all the world- Morestead*
O come, O come, Emmanuel - 15th century, arr Willcocks
* Neither of these tunes was familiar to me, and I'll be quite happy never to sing either of them again; imho they were both rather lumpen.
No matter; the lessons (of which I read the fourth) were from the King James Version, which warmed the cockles of the porcine heart, especially the sixth ("And in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel ..."), which in my head I will always hear in David's voice, as at the Nine Lessons and Carols it was the one traditionally read by the organist.
I love Advent.
Historically more accurate to rhyme both high and -ry with "see"
Wonderful choices!
Litany of the Word - Farrell.
There is a longing in our hearts - Anne Quigley
Wait for the Lord - Taize.
I do get fed up with all this sentimental/meaningful stuff.
However there is a funeral tomorrow that starts with Dear Lord and Father of Mankind and ends with Lord of all hopefulness, with Soul of my Saviour at communion. Thats more like it!
@Cathscats - DANCING?!?!?
We didn't get off badly at St Pete's today either:
On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry* - Winchester New
Come, dearest Lord - Horsley
Hail, O star that pointest - Ravenshaw
Hail to the Lord's anointed - Crüger
Thy kingdom come! on bended knee - Irish
* in which I (just) managed to resist singing the Alternative Version:
On Jordan's bank the Baptists cry
If I were a Baptist, so would I
They drink no beer, they have no fun
I'm glad that I'm an Anglican!
Hills of the north, rejoice (Little Cornard)
Hark! A herald voice is calling (Merton)
Be still, my soul (Finlandia)
The Lord will come and not be slow (St Stephen)*
*Not all that familiar, I suspect, but it's a rather enjoyable 18thC hymn - and, if sung as a prayer (given the state of the world today), is highly appropriate.
A reasonable attendance, despite the cold wind (no rain this morning), but, as usual nowadays, children and young families were conspicuous by their absence.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty (lift up his name)
There is strength within the sorrow
The splendour of the King
Silent Night, Holy Night - STILLE NACHT (Lights in the church were dimmed as two children lit the Advent candles)
See Him Lying on a Bed of Straw - CALYPSO CAROL
O Lord, My rock and My Redeemer - Nathan Stiff
Tell Out My Soul - WOODLANDS
Today (Advent II), in addition to the “homemade” hymn I mentioned last week, to which a second verse was sung today, we had:
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”/VENI EMMANUEL
The aforementioned “Comfort, Comfort Now My People”/GENEVAN 42
“People, Look East”/BESANÇON
The last two both were sung with the appropriate dance-like treatment, including a drum. If only we’d also had “Prepare the Way, O Zion” (BEREDEN VÄG FÖR HERRAN).
And @Cathscats, I did not joy picturing Knox and Calvin dancing!
We had Evensong tonight, and the hymns were:
Behold the Saviour of the nations - St Clement
Lo, he comes with clouds descending - Helmsley
Before the ending of the day - St Clement (again)*
Ye servants of the Lord - Carlisle
* I have no idea why J played St Clement again for the third hymn - it was meant to be Hursley, and when I asked her about it afterwards, at first she said, "no it wasn't", then said, "so what, what does it matter?" and got a bit snippy. It was pure happenstance that the metre fitted both!
I don't know whether she'd opened the book at the wrong page or what (the two hymns were only two numbers apart in the book), but you'd have thought she might have noticed that she was playing the same tune as we'd had fifteen minutes before ...
Actually, I've just realised that I typed "Horsley" as the tune for Come dearest Lord this morning - it was actually "Hursley".
The old Sarum melody (the one in the book) to Before the ending of the day would have been far better, I think. It's just as well you didn't have The day thou gavest in the service, or you could have had a triple St Clement...
(Someone other than the organist will have to deal with the tabor.)
Hark a thrilling voice is sounding (MERTON -- vss.1-3)
Comfort, comfort, O my people (GENEVAN 42)*
Jerusalem, my happy home (LAND OF REST)
Hark a thrilling voice is sounding (MERTON -- vss.4-5)**
*I did my best to maintain a dancelike tempo -- one of the cantors was decidedly against that, though, and managed to pull things back a fair bit.
**The pattern at This Place is to split the opening hymn to cover the recessional if there are more than three verses. Otherwise, *emails will appear* decrying the singing of complete hymns "for no reason." At the close of Mass, people *will not* remain in place to sing out a full hymn if the priest has already passed them by. Many will actually parade right behind him as if they were in procession. It does grate on the sensibilities. The only times it's otherwise are during Holy Week & Easter, and Christmas Eve. One year (in print) I entreated the congregation to take-on singing complete hymns as a Lenten Discipline. Mostly, they declined.
Not a tabor, but this organist uses a tambourine to keep the singing together at the Palm Sunday procession.
Shouldn't the organist simply play the tabors at the hips with his/her elbows while accompanying with hands and feet? I mean, is this really that hard?
I knew an organist who would play the trumpet with one hand while playing the organ with the other hand and both feet.
I don't multitask!
As far as I could tell, so... not obviously badly?
Hark, the glad sound! (Bristol)
All for Jesus! (All for Jesus)
On Jordan's bank (Winchester New)
The advent of our King (Franconia or St Thomas)
Our Carol Service is in the afternoon - I have no idea what music is planned, but I expect that, as per last year, While shepherds watched will be sung to the proper Kentish tune, to wit, Cranbrook:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI4jZGgOIxE
(The tune has been abridged for some verses - usual practice is to sing the whole lot!)
New to me also. Given I am one for whom the first time I hear something is the Right and Proper Way 😉, it may take some adjustment, but -- for me -- what a jolly tune, fitting for the text. Thank you.
The local Anglicans have their carol service in just over 2 hours but I am feeling a bit off in the stomach so will not go. The Baptists also have theirs.
Veered two Sundays into the future with the Greeks today for the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers; Joseph in an icon (in Egyptian headdress) for some reason still makes me go, "Oh, yes".
One that struck me, from Matins:
At our early morning service the following were organ led:
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Once in Royal David's City
A Child is Born in Bethlehem
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
The First Nowell
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Don't know what was sung at our mid morning family Christingle service, but no doubt a few songs aimed at children will have been included by the worship band.
This evening's carol service with a small orchestra and choir put together for the occasion (plus mince pies & mulled wine) is the one that attracts people in the community who are not regular church goers. The programme is:
O Little Town of Bethlehem (arr. Vaughan Williams)
Unto Us is Born a Son (arr. Willcocks)
A Child is Born in Bethlehem
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (arr. Willcocks)
The First Nowell
O Come, All Ye Faithful (arr. Willcocks)
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (arr. Willcocks)
Like "O Jesus I have promised" it seems to have several tunes of which the banal "Winchester Old" is best known and indeed usually the one I get asked to play. Exceptions are in Cornwall (and probably elsewhere?) where "Lyngham" seems de rigeour in Methodist and other chapel circles and gets belted out, the other is Anglican circles in the Duchy (many rather than all, it is not a law of the Medes and the Persians!) where "Northop" is the favoured tune. For any interested it can be found in the old English Hymnal at Appemdix 8. I have to play it later so will be back in due course.
Old Foster is yet another popular tune, but needs a few instruments to accompany it, and to play the symphonies between each verse:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6djjh5eGGeQ
Ah, that is a great tune!
Our offerings for Gaudete Sunday were mostly quite decent, despite having the Organist Who Doesn't Practise™ (how can you bollocks up the introduction to O come, O come, Emmanuel???)
Hills of the north, rejoice - Little Cornard
The Saviour will come - Laudate Dominum
O come, O come, Emmanuel - Veni Emmanuel
Be still, for the presence of the Lord - Be Still
Thy kingdom come, O God - St Cecilia
Congregationally we sang "In the bleak midwinter" (which I heartily dislike), "Hark the herald" and "Joy to the world". It's difficult in our set-up to pace Advent properly.
It wasn't a concert though: we had a Call to Worship, several Bible reading, intercessions, a short sermon, notices (of course) and a closing prayer.
All done and dusted in 45 minutes with no semblance of rushing.
Name Of All Majesty (Majestas)
How Great Thou Art! (Ditto)
Love Came Down At Christmas (Gartan)
I Cannot Tell Why He, Whom Angels Worship (London Derriere)
I may not have the tune names entirely correct.
Harrumph: "Behold, the Virgin shall be with child ... "
Why do translators so often quote the mis-translation in KJV rather than look at the actual Greek text?
Today was the outdoor, no-rehearsal Christmas pageant with farm animals in attendance (including a few llamas), service at our place. Hymns and songs we were that in mind; accompaniment was guitars and keyboard. Today, in addition to the “homemade” hymn I’ve mentioned over the last two weeks, to which a third verse was added today, we had:
“O Come, All Ye Faithful”
“Angels We Have Heard on High”
“Away in a Manger”/MUELLER
“The Friendly Beasts”
“Love Has Come”/BRING A TORCH
“Crowded Table” (by The Highwomen)—not an obvious choice, but in the overall context of things it worked quite nicely.
On Jordan’s bank ( Winchester New )
How lovely on the mountains ( Our God reigns)
May the mind of Christ my saviour ( St Leonard’s)
Hark the glad sound( Bristol )
To God be the glory
Evening Festival of Lessons and Carols
O little town
While shepherds watched
The first Noël/ Pachelbel’s Canon arr Michael Clawson
O come all ye faithful
Myn liking -R R Terry
On Christmas Night all Christians sing
O holy night - Adams, arr Barnard
Christmas Lullaby - Rutter
Hark the herald
Two almost entirely different congregations. Disappointed that so few of our morning regulars turned out in the evening. Only 2 people + 5 choir attended twice. About 6 regulars attended in the evening instead of morning.
Am approx 25, pm about 60-70?