Our Place's Carol Service yesterday had (for us) a good attendance of 65 adults and 12 under-16s, who warbled the following:
It came upon the midnight clear (Noel) The holly and the ivy (traditional English folk tune) Hark! a herald voice is calling (Merton) The angel Gabriel from heaven came (Birjina Gaztettobat Zegoen) In the bleak midwinter (the tune by Darke) While shepherds watched (Winchester Old - they bottled out of singing Cranbrook this year!) We three kings (Kings of Orient)
3 verses of O come all ye faithful (Adeste Fideles)
During the service, cantors sang The Coventry Carol (Lully, lullay), and something about Torches (?).
On Jordan's bank (Winchester New)
Lo! from the desert homes (Darwall's 148th)
Faithful shepherd feed me (Pastor pastorum)
Thou art coming O my Saviour (Beverley)
Nine Lessons and Carols
Usual pot boilers including -
See amid the winter's snow 😊
While shepherd watched (Northop) mentioned previously
The angel Gabriel
plus three Cornish ones
Sans Day* carol (*St Day west of Truro) all about holly 😉 if you don't know it
Hail sacred day auspicious morn (Thomas Merritt)
Lo he comes an infant stranger (Thomas Merritt)
Few may know the last two so will see if I can locate some links.
Interesting to get to know new hymns. Thank you all for sharing.
Visited a rural Greek parish today for their Feast Day. A rather long hymn from Matins, but I found it interesting in its topic of local Saints:
Be silent now, be silent, all those who until now said that there is no home-town champion and ardent intercessor to God for the God-protected island of Zakynthos, like there is for many other notable Orthodox cities and lands. For now there is Dionysios, revered among hierarchs, who is just right, as her own famous son and praiseworthy offspring, and who served as Bishop of Aegina. No longer need blessed Zakynthos be jealous of her friendly neighbors, Kefallinia and Corfu, who are very proud to have the divine and sacred relics of Gerasimos and Spyridon, who are from other places. She now cordially invites them to the splendid feast of her very own home grown Saint. She likewise appropriately extends the invitation to Aegina in the Cyclades, and to the all-holy Monastery of Strophades, which was fortunate enough to possess the treasure of his divine and sacred body, so that all together they may worthily extol and splendidly celebrate, their common glory, St. Dionysios.
The December commemoration of St Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, and Wonderworker, for whom our parish is named. The main hymn:
The truth of things revealed you to your flock as a rule of faith, a model of meekness, and a teacher of temperance. Through humility, you attained the heights; and through poverty, riches. O Father and Hierarch Nicholas, intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.
Forbes L'Estrange St Helens Service
Wise prepare ye the way of the Lord
On Jordans banks
Christ he our light (Farrell)
O child of promise (St Thomas)
Hark what a sound (high wood)
St Helens Service is very popular with the congregation, though the Kyrie I thought uninspiring. I loved the Wise, never sung it before - some super solo opportunities in it.
Returned to the beautiful, outside and inside, Anglican church where I attended Advent Carols for their Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols tonight. To give you an insight into the parish, at noon Friday is the Rosary.
The choir is seated at the back, facing south toward a shrine of St James and the organ. Lit candles from the opening hymn. Small leaflet with hymn numbers (hymn book used) and Scripture verse references.
Once in Royal David's City (Irby)
O Little Town of Bethlehem (Forest Green)
Ding Dong Merrily on High (choir) The North Wind is Tossing the Leaves (North Wind; new to me; clearly Australian by the images used)
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night (Winchester Old)
Silent Night (Silent Night)
Coventry Carol (choir)
Joy to the World (Antioch)
O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles; 5 verses with lovely descant on the final one)
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Mendelssohn)
Whatever tune In Dulci Jubilo is sung to was played after the service.
Advent 4 at Our Place tomorrow, and something of a mixed collection:
O come, O come, Emmanuel (Veni Emmanuel) Lo, he comes with clouds descending (Helmsley) Mary, blessed teenage mother (Black Madonna is the tune set - I don't know either this hymn or this tune, though it also seems to go to the tune usually sung to Once in royal David's city !)) Long ago, prophets knew (Personent hodie)
On of the hymns on the schedule at our place tomorrow is Rory Cooney’s “The Canticle of the Turning” (“My Soul Cries Out with a Joyful Shout”), which is to the tune “Star of the County Down.” At choir rehearsal Thursday night, I was reminded with something of a jolt that the choir director asked me some time ago to play tin whistle—a request I said “sure” to, and them promptly forgot. 😱
The panic has subsided some, but there is still more practicing to do.
Best wishes for the tin whistle! I'm sure you'll do wonderfully. That song is new to me; from the version I found I can see a tin whistle being quite appropriate.
Forgot to say; that tune, among a few others, is one that brings me joy by its very existence. The notes of "introduction" (do they have a term like the "bonk" I learned of earlier this year?) for some reason appeal.
Our service for Advent IV was a bit of a mash-up - we started with the Sunday School's Nativity play, which involved different animals (a bird, a squirrel, a dog and a cat) following the star to Bethlehem. It was written and narrated by the lady who runs the Sunday School, and it was lovely. As she said afterwards, it suited the numbers and ages of kids that we have at the moment, and they all did beautifully.
Then the candles were lit (Rev'd Rosie said to the chap doing the lighting "light four candles", which caused some mirth), and the service progressed on to Communion.
Our musical offerings were:
A great and mighty wonder - Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen
Then we should have had This is the truth sent from above (well part of it), but Rev'd Rosie decided the other bits would take too long* so we didn't, at which I was Mightily Miffed. The Angel Gabriel from heaven came - Birjina Gaztettobat Zegoen Jesus Christ, the apple tree - sung by the choir Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to us - Living Lord Tell out, my soul - Woodlands
* If it had been up to me, we'd have cut the sermon instead, but what would I know?
O dear. If it doesn't cause you too much pain, could you explain why?
Our Place duly sang Mary, blessed teenage mother to a familiar tune, but my Spy can't remember what it was, except that it wasn't the tune to Once in royal David's city (Irby)...
Uppsala Cathedral had Alleluia, sing to Jesus (Hyfrydol) and Creator of the starry height (Conditor Alme Siderum), along with a Marian hymn which I'm sure I've sung at Our Place (in English), but can't recall which book it's in.
Here it is, in Swedish - does anyone recognise it?
Hail, Mother of the Lord, O Mary!
Highly praised on Earth, O Mary!
Come forth, O Cherubim, and sing,
O Seraphim, sing with her the praises of the Lord!
Blessed, blessed, blessed, Mary!
You good Mother of Jesus, O Mary!
In the hour of need The faithful, O Mary!
Come forth ...
You gave birth to the Light in our life, O Mary!
Your obedience is our model, O Mary!
Come forth ...
Well, it seems to be quite popular in some Lutheran churches, though the English translation of the Swedish version seems innocuous enough (unless Google has been playing silly wossnames...).
Hymns are only innocuous if you have some sort of belief in what the words tell us.
Many non-Christians will find all evangelical hymns unbearable.
I'm not a musician but I have never heard of the hymn 'Hail,holy queen,enthroned above....'
though the sentiments contained within it are commonplace in many Catholic Marian hymns.
Perhaps it is American.
I'm not a musician but I have never heard of the hymn 'Hail,holy queen,enthroned above....'
though the sentiments contained within it are commonplace in many Catholic Marian hymns.
Perhaps it is American.
I take it, then, you’ve never seen Sister Act, in which there was a memorable rendition of it.
- - - - -
Well, the tin whistle on “The Canticle of the Turning” went well enough. Not quite to the standards I set for myself, but people seemed to enjoy it a lot.
(And @Climacus, for a version with a tin whistle, try this. )
Various translations and paraphrases are to be found in different countries, but perhaps it's sung more often in Anglican churches in the UK than in RCC places?
The tune appears to have been written by another German (Melchior Herold) in around 1808:
Sorry,Nick Tamen. I have to confess that I have not seen Sister Act
The hymn 'Hail holy Queen ,enthroned above' uses some of the lines of the well known hymn and prayer Salve,Regina,mater misericordiae and it is quite likely that this English language hymn is at least inspired by that prayer.
According to the source quoted by B.F . Hermann von Reichenau was the author of the Latin prayer Salve,Regina and also for the Advent Marian prayer 'Alma Redemptoris mater'
Advent 4.
A great and mighty wonder ( Es ist ein Ros entsprungen)
Lord Jesus Christ ( Living Lord)
Long ago prophets knew (Personent hodie)
The angel Gabriel ( Gabriel’s message)
O little town of Bethlehem ( Forest Green)
It was our Carol Service this morning - more singing and scripture: less sermonizing.
Angel, From the Realms of Glory (Iris)
O Little Town of Bethlehem (Forest Green)
Silent Night (Silent Night)
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (Polish Carol)
In The Bleak Midwinter (Cranham)
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Mendelssohn)
O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fidelis)
It was our Carol Service this morning - more singing and scripture: less sermonizing.
Angel, From the Realms of Glory (Iris)
O Little Town of Bethlehem (Forest Green)
Silent Night (Silent Night)
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (Polish Carol)
In The Bleak Midwinter (Cranham)
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Mendelssohn)
O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fidelis)
Ah! Cranham, by Gustav Holst - the proper tune for ITBM...
O come O come Emmanuel
Plainsong setting from New English Hymnal
Advent Prose
For Mary mother of the Lord (St Botolph)
Virgin born we bow before thee (Quem pastores)
Thou didst leave thy throne (Matgaret)
Mattins. (15 mins drive down lanes 😮)
Lo he comes (Helmsley)
Venite, Te Deum, Benedictus
Come thou long expected Jesus (Stuttgart)
Thou art coming O my Saviour
Yet another Carol Service ....
All the usual suspects but "Lyngham" bellowed out lustily to "While shepherds wtached" and the Sans Day Carol (as last week) plus a couple of local things which I referred to in a previous post.
Oh well ... only another four services before Christmas lunch 🥱
Christmas came early this morning, courtesy of our minister (though, to give him his due, the sermon was thoroughly on point focussing the BVM, not that he used that term):
It was on a starry night (is it just me or is coming in at the start of the verse an absolute PITA?)
O little town of Bethlehem
O come, all ye faithful
Away in a manger
Once in royal
I'm not a musician but I have never heard of the hymn 'Hail,holy queen,enthroned above....'
though the sentiments contained within it are commonplace in many Catholic Marian hymns.
Perhaps it is American.
I take it, then, you’ve never seen Sister Act, in which there was a memorable rendition of it.
- - - - -
Well, the tin whistle on “The Canticle of the Turning” went well enough. Not quite to the standards I set for myself, but people seemed to enjoy it a lot.
(And @Climacus, for a version with a tin whistle, try this. )
I must confess, I found myself, while in college and attending a Mass that our choir was singing at while we were touring, stifling a laugh because the only reason I knew the lyrics to Salve Regina was because of Sister Act.
Glad "Canticle of the Turning" went well! One off my favorite congregational Magnificat settings. We would have sung it this Sunday, but we just used it last week at Evensong, and I already had two other settings lined up.
Anyway, today we sang:
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (VENI EMMANUEL) – A mash-up of the ancient text with a couple verses of a modern one. As text mashups go, this one I think was fairly successful.
Savior of the Nations, Come (NUN KOMM DER HEIDEN HEILAND)
My Soul Gives Glory to My God (MORNING SONG)
Tell Out, My Soul (WOODLANDS)*
*Another confession...I was so enthusiastic about the BONK at the beginning of the fourth verse I completely forgot to play it from the alternate harmonization I had lined up, so had to switch halfway through the third measure...whoops
Sorry,Nick Tamen. I have to confess that I have not seen Sister Act
I heartily recommend it—it and the sequel, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. Yes, you’ll need to prepare yourself for obviously faulty depictions of Catholic practices, but if you can do that it’s well worth it.
“Angels from the realms of glory”.
“Like a candle flame” (Kendrick and new to us).
"When the angel came to Mary” (Sans Day Carol).
“Ding, dong, merrily on high”.
“Infant holy”.
“While shepherds watched” (Winchester Old).
“O little town of Bethlehem”.
“Silent night”.
“Hark the herald angels”.
Light of the world, you stepped down into darkness Hark the herald angels sing A thousand generations (And the angels cry Holy) Worthy of every song we could ever sing
Yesterday evening we went to our local parish church's service of lessons and carols and we sang:
Once in royal David's city It came upon a midnight clear O come, all ye faithful The angel Gabriel from heaven came See amid the winter snow Hark the herald angel sing
The choir also did some very nice pieces:
Sans Day Carol Oh little one sweet (JS Bach) Riu Riu Chiu (att. Carceres) A babe is born (Mathias)
Comments
Prepare The Way, O Zion (BEREDEN VAG FOR HERRAN)
On Jordan's Bank (WINCHESTER NEW)
There's A Voice in the Wilderness Crying (ASCENSION)
It came upon the midnight clear (Noel)
The holly and the ivy (traditional English folk tune)
Hark! a herald voice is calling (Merton)
The angel Gabriel from heaven came (Birjina Gaztettobat Zegoen)
In the bleak midwinter (the tune by Darke)
While shepherds watched (Winchester Old - they bottled out of singing Cranbrook this year!)
We three kings (Kings of Orient)
3 verses of O come all ye faithful (Adeste Fideles)
During the service, cantors sang The Coventry Carol (Lully, lullay), and something about Torches (?).
I suspect it was that one (which, now I come to think of it, I've heard before, but not at skool).
A new one on me! Linky?
On Jordan's Bank (WINCHESTER NEW)
Rejoice, the Lord is King (DARWALL)
Savior of the nations, come (NUN KOMM, DER HEIDEN HEILAND)
The choir sang a short, simple anthem during Communion titled "An Advent Prayer" by Alan Pote. (not my church's choir -- just sharing the anthem)
Thank you! Rather lovely, but not perhaps quite within the capabilities of our cantors...
(And you’ll see the tune in my post on hymns we sang yesterday.)
Our cantors do their best, but...
(Let the reader understand).
On Jordan's bank (Winchester New)
Lo! from the desert homes (Darwall's 148th)
Faithful shepherd feed me (Pastor pastorum)
Thou art coming O my Saviour (Beverley)
Nine Lessons and Carols
Usual pot boilers including -
See amid the winter's snow 😊
While shepherd watched (Northop) mentioned previously
The angel Gabriel
plus three Cornish ones
Sans Day* carol (*St Day west of Truro) all about holly 😉 if you don't know it
Hail sacred day auspicious morn (Thomas Merritt)
Lo he comes an infant stranger (Thomas Merritt)
Few may know the last two so will see if I can locate some links.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_XoruTfpfU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPTDVeLcFoQ
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=964123317007245
Not sure if these will work (tech is not my strong point!) but anyone interested can google them if not.
Church was very full and singing very enthusiastic which is more than be said for the morning offering which was very underwhelming.
Visited a rural Greek parish today for their Feast Day. A rather long hymn from Matins, but I found it interesting in its topic of local Saints:
Forbes L'Estrange St Helens Service
Wise prepare ye the way of the Lord
On Jordans banks
Christ he our light (Farrell)
O child of promise (St Thomas)
Hark what a sound (high wood)
St Helens Service is very popular with the congregation, though the Kyrie I thought uninspiring. I loved the Wise, never sung it before - some super solo opportunities in it.
Good advent fun for the choir.
The choir is seated at the back, facing south toward a shrine of St James and the organ. Lit candles from the opening hymn. Small leaflet with hymn numbers (hymn book used) and Scripture verse references.
Once in Royal David's City (Irby)
O Little Town of Bethlehem (Forest Green)
Ding Dong Merrily on High (choir)
The North Wind is Tossing the Leaves (North Wind; new to me; clearly Australian by the images used)
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night (Winchester Old)
Silent Night (Silent Night)
Coventry Carol (choir)
Joy to the World (Antioch)
O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles; 5 verses with lovely descant on the final one)
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Mendelssohn)
Whatever tune In Dulci Jubilo is sung to was played after the service.
O come, O come, Emmanuel (Veni Emmanuel)
Lo, he comes with clouds descending (Helmsley)
Mary, blessed teenage mother (Black Madonna is the tune set - I don't know either this hymn or this tune, though it also seems to go to the tune usually sung to Once in royal David's city !))
Long ago, prophets knew (Personent hodie)
The panic has subsided some, but there is still more practicing to do.
Forgot to say; that tune, among a few others, is one that brings me joy by its very existence. The notes of "introduction" (do they have a term like the "bonk" I learned of earlier this year?) for some reason appeal.
The Angel Gabriel
My soul in stillness waits - Haugen
Bread of life - Farrell
O come, O come Emmanuel.
As the Haugen is a version of the "O" antiphons we effectively got to sing them twice in very different styles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5d6Ngf-nDM&ab_channel=NotreDameNewmanCentre
Silent Night, Holy Night - STILLE NACHT
See Amid the Winter's Snow - HUMILITY
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear* - NOEL
*Following some recent heated discussion on another thread I noticed a lot of references to "man" and "men" in this one
Then the candles were lit (Rev'd Rosie said to the chap doing the lighting "light four candles", which caused some mirth), and the service progressed on to Communion.
Our musical offerings were:
A great and mighty wonder - Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen
Then we should have had This is the truth sent from above (well part of it), but Rev'd Rosie decided the other bits would take too long* so we didn't, at which I was Mightily Miffed.
The Angel Gabriel from heaven came - Birjina Gaztettobat Zegoen
Jesus Christ, the apple tree - sung by the choir
Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to us - Living Lord
Tell out, my soul - Woodlands
* If it had been up to me, we'd have cut the sermon instead, but what would I know?
Our Place duly sang Mary, blessed teenage mother to a familiar tune, but my Spy can't remember what it was, except that it wasn't the tune to Once in royal David's city (Irby)...
Uppsala Cathedral had Alleluia, sing to Jesus (Hyfrydol) and Creator of the starry height (Conditor Alme Siderum), along with a Marian hymn which I'm sure I've sung at Our Place (in English), but can't recall which book it's in.
Here it is, in Swedish - does anyone recognise it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic4cbG5ZbRA
In English:
Hail, Mother of the Lord, O Mary!
Highly praised on Earth, O Mary!
Come forth, O Cherubim, and sing,
O Seraphim, sing with her the praises of the Lord!
Blessed, blessed, blessed, Mary!
You good Mother of Jesus, O Mary!
In the hour of need The faithful, O Mary!
Come forth ...
You gave birth to the Light in our life, O Mary!
Your obedience is our model, O Mary!
Come forth ...
I think this is the English hymn Hail, holy Queen, enthroned above...
Wouldn't be sung in our RC church either.
Well, it seems to be quite popular in some Lutheran churches, though the English translation of the Swedish version seems innocuous enough (unless Google has been playing silly wossnames...).
Hopefully, they'll do better at some of your services next week.
Hope so too.
If they can't open their mouths to O Come all ye Annual, then there is no hope.
Many non-Christians will find all evangelical hymns unbearable.
I'm not a musician but I have never heard of the hymn 'Hail,holy queen,enthroned above....'
though the sentiments contained within it are commonplace in many Catholic Marian hymns.
Perhaps it is American.
- - - - -
Well, the tin whistle on “The Canticle of the Turning” went well enough. Not quite to the standards I set for myself, but people seemed to enjoy it a lot.
(And @Climacus, for a version with a tin whistle, try this.
https://hymnary.org/text/hail_holy_queen_enthroned_above_o_mar
Various translations and paraphrases are to be found in different countries, but perhaps it's sung more often in Anglican churches in the UK than in RCC places?
The tune appears to have been written by another German (Melchior Herold) in around 1808:
https://hymnary.org/tune/salve_regina_coelitum_herold
The hymn 'Hail holy Queen ,enthroned above' uses some of the lines of the well known hymn and prayer Salve,Regina,mater misericordiae and it is quite likely that this English language hymn is at least inspired by that prayer.
According to the source quoted by B.F . Hermann von Reichenau was the author of the Latin prayer Salve,Regina and also for the Advent Marian prayer 'Alma Redemptoris mater'
A great and mighty wonder ( Es ist ein Ros entsprungen)
Lord Jesus Christ ( Living Lord)
Long ago prophets knew (Personent hodie)
The angel Gabriel ( Gabriel’s message)
O little town of Bethlehem ( Forest Green)
Angel, From the Realms of Glory (Iris)
O Little Town of Bethlehem (Forest Green)
Silent Night (Silent Night)
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (Polish Carol)
In The Bleak Midwinter (Cranham)
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Mendelssohn)
O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fidelis)
Ah! Cranham, by Gustav Holst - the proper tune for ITBM...
(runs for cover)
O, and less sermonizing is always a Good Thing.
Parish Communion
O come O come Emmanuel
Plainsong setting from New English Hymnal
Advent Prose
For Mary mother of the Lord (St Botolph)
Virgin born we bow before thee (Quem pastores)
Thou didst leave thy throne (Matgaret)
Mattins. (15 mins drive down lanes 😮)
Lo he comes (Helmsley)
Venite, Te Deum, Benedictus
Come thou long expected Jesus (Stuttgart)
Thou art coming O my Saviour
Yet another Carol Service ....
All the usual suspects but "Lyngham" bellowed out lustily to "While shepherds wtached" and the Sans Day Carol (as last week) plus a couple of local things which I referred to in a previous post.
Oh well ... only another four services before Christmas lunch 🥱
It was on a starry night (is it just me or is coming in at the start of the verse an absolute PITA?)
O little town of Bethlehem
O come, all ye faithful
Away in a manger
Once in royal
I must confess, I found myself, while in college and attending a Mass that our choir was singing at while we were touring, stifling a laugh because the only reason I knew the lyrics to Salve Regina was because of Sister Act.
Glad "Canticle of the Turning" went well! One off my favorite congregational Magnificat settings. We would have sung it this Sunday, but we just used it last week at Evensong, and I already had two other settings lined up.
Anyway, today we sang:
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (VENI EMMANUEL) – A mash-up of the ancient text with a couple verses of a modern one. As text mashups go, this one I think was fairly successful.
Savior of the Nations, Come (NUN KOMM DER HEIDEN HEILAND)
My Soul Gives Glory to My God (MORNING SONG)
Tell Out, My Soul (WOODLANDS)*
*Another confession...I was so enthusiastic about the BONK at the beginning of the fourth verse I completely forgot to play it from the alternate harmonization I had lined up, so had to switch halfway through the third measure...whoops
From Sister Act 2, “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee.” I will admit it almost always brings tears to me eyes, as does the cast reunion version. Pure, exuberant joy!
“Angels from the realms of glory”.
“Like a candle flame” (Kendrick and new to us).
"When the angel came to Mary” (Sans Day Carol).
“Ding, dong, merrily on high”.
“Infant holy”.
“While shepherds watched” (Winchester Old).
“O little town of Bethlehem”.
“Silent night”.
“Hark the herald angels”.
Light of the world, you stepped down into darkness
Hark the herald angels sing
A thousand generations (And the angels cry Holy)
Worthy of every song we could ever sing
Yesterday evening we went to our local parish church's service of lessons and carols and we sang:
Once in royal David's city
It came upon a midnight clear
O come, all ye faithful
The angel Gabriel from heaven came
See amid the winter snow
Hark the herald angel sing
The choir also did some very nice pieces:
Sans Day Carol
Oh little one sweet (JS Bach)
Riu Riu Chiu (att. Carceres)
A babe is born (Mathias)
It was most lovely.