Totally agree. Lumpen tune with no sense of scansion and emphases in the wrong place.
In some cases, just because you think you can write a hymn doesn't necessarily mean you should.
Now if that maxim were adopted by, for example preachers ......
The minister of the Methodist church for which Mr Cats plays the organ thinks that he has the gift of hymnody. At least once a month, but sometimes twice in one service he submits words and names a tune for them. Not only is he no poet, but he doesn’t understand scansion. Perhaps mercifully, none of his effusions seem to get a second outing, but he seems unaware that it is by repeating new hymns that they function as they ought, which is to live in the mind long after the service is over. Still, given the level of stuff he comes up with, some theologically very dubious, I’m not planning to remind him of this.
Really cannot remember the songs we sang last Sunday, but we received our new pastor last Sunday and we pulled out all the stops. The congregation had three moving hymns; the choir had two beautiful choral pieces. Everyone was familiar with the liturgy. Overall, a great way to welcome the new guy. Only confusion happened right before the distribution. He did not know how to do that, but everyone coached him, and he got through it. We all laughed at the awkwardness.
We hail thy presence glorious St Theodulph, (Teschner arr Bach)
O'r nef y daeth, Fab di-nam* (Kendrick, cyf. Sion Aled)
Blest by the sun, the olive tree Gonfalon Royal
In Christ alone (Townend & Getty)
Praise to the holiest in the height Gerontius
There was a come and sing Stainer Crucifiction at our place last Sunday.
30 sops, over 20 altos, 15 tenors......and 6 basses. I'm a bass, and we only had one extra on our usual 'house' singers. I suppose that meant that we were probably the most heads up/responsive section...and we could, well, not hold back - we grinned as the MD said 'can we have more bass'!
Not my favourite sing, the emotion is perhaps too much to the fore...but I always end up getting swept along with it.
A choir I sing in is doing Stainer’s Crucifixion a week after Easter. I was unfamiliar with it - except for the chorus « God so loved the world » but it has some really beautiful moments in it and I’m enjoying it very much.
Palm Sunday tomorrow, so the Mass begins with the Liturgy of Palms and Palm Gospel in the Hall, followed by a Procession along a short section of the adjacent street, round the corner, and into the Church:
All glory, laud and honour (St Theodulph) for the Procession Ride on, ride on in majesty (Winchester New) for the altar party to get to the chancel There is a green hill far away (Horsley) for the Offertory Hymn* O dearest Lord, thy sacred head (Albano or Belmont) at Communion Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (Were You There) after the blessing, but I think they'll probably omit the verse about the Resurrection, and repeat the first verse.
We always used to have Samuel Crossman's sublime My song is love unknown (Love Unknown) as the offertory hymn on Palm Sunday, but I gather that FatherInCharge doesn't like it...
We always used to have Samuel Crossman's sublime My song is love unknown (Love Unknown) as the offertory hymn on Palm Sunday, but I gather that FatherInCharge doesn't like it...
We have some of it when I'm picking. This year I'm not and we aren't having it.
The person who does the Readers rota asks for volunteers in Holy Week rather than picking the best. So today the one reading the Narrators part in the Passion is one of our weakest. It will be an annoying ordeal.
We have some of it when I'm picking. This year I'm not and we aren't having it.
The person who does the Readers rota asks for volunteers in Holy Week rather than picking the best. So today the one reading the Narrators part in the Passion is one of our weakest. It will be an annoying ordeal.
No one likes to discourage volunteers, but sometimes it would be better if those in charge politely suggested that there might be other ways that they could make a useful contribution.
There being no service at our local church today we followed the livestream from our previous place. They sang (and a few times we sang along):
I'll praise in the valley Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest The splendour of the King (How great is our God) All my words fall short (So I throw up my hands) Isn't he beautiful, beautiful isn't he? It was my cross you bore (Worthy is your name Jesus) Here I am, humbled by your majesty
All glory laud and honour
From heaven you came
Were you there when they crucified my Lord
O sacred head surrounded
Ride on, ride on in majesty.
anthem: From the rising of the sun. If I had known I would have arranged to sing with them as they were lacking in sopranos who can reach the top notes.
Sing Hosanna - Chris Walker
Psalm 22(21) - sung
Blest are you Lord God of all creation - Aniceto Nazareth
Be still for the presence of the Lord
The Servant King
The first item is rather a jolly processional. I got my tambourine out to keep the singing together.
The Nazareth hymn is a rather lovely setting of the priest's offertory prayers which are in turn based on the Passover blessings - highly appropriate as the Passover forms a part of the St Matthew Passion which was read today.
I love the way this Liturgy mixes the celebration of the entry into Jerusalem with what happened a few days later.
This will be the first time in many years that I wont be playing at all of the Holy Week services. My wife is having some very serious surgery on Wednesday, so I will be otherwise occupied. We are fortunate in having a couple of good pianists who will cover Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. I will be back for the Easter Vigil however. But nothing then for a few weeks while she recuperates.
We always used to have Samuel Crossman's sublime My song is love unknown (Love Unknown) as the offertory hymn on Palm Sunday, but I gather that FatherInCharge doesn't like it...
We're having it. My wife doesn't like it, though.
What doesn't she like about it, I wonder? To me, it captures the stark contrast between Palm Sunday and Good Friday in a way which no other hymn does - IMHO, anyway.
I'm not a fan of There is a green hill - rather childish and simplistic, and yes, I know it was written as a children's hymn. They're having it on Good Friday, too, instead of Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle (or at least part 2 thereof Faithful cross, above all other ).
We always used to have Samuel Crossman's sublime My song is love unknown (Love Unknown) as the offertory hymn on Palm Sunday, but I gather that FatherInCharge doesn't like it...
We're having it. My wife doesn't like it, though.
What doesn't she like about it, I wonder?
I think the tune is mostly to blame, which she thinks is dreary. I don't.
All Glory, Laud, and Honour (St Theodulph)
Jesus, Lover of my soul (Martyn)
How Deep The Father’s Love For Us (Townend)
Man Of Sorrows! What A Name (Man Of Sorrows)
Because readings and sermons were anticipating Good Friday, rather than Palm Sunday, but we couldn't ignore the Triumphal Entry altogether.
All glory, laud and honour - St Theodulph* You are the King of Glory - Hosanna to the Son of David Ride on, ride on in majesty - Winchester New Only by grace - some crappy chorus My song is love unknown - Love Unknown**
* The plan was to process round the outside of the church and back in, but it was absolutely pishing with rain, so we did a few laps of the inside instead.
** I agree with BT and BF about the words, but I'm more with Mrs BT about the tune - I can take it or leave it.
IIRC my old music teacher wrote a rather joyous descant to "St John".
It's a good tune, but I can't quite imagine it to My song is love unknown - perhaps a tad too jolly?
It being Monday in Holy Week, we had an ecumenical Evensong at St Pete's, at which we sang:
Psalm 42 - chant by Wesley
Mag & Nunc -usual chants by Robinson and Farrant
Hymns:
Morning glory, starlit sky - Song 13 There is a green hill far away - Horsley My song is love unknown - Love Unknown (again) Hail gladdening light - Sebaste
Maundy Thursday Communion and Tenebrae service. All hymns were sung unaccompanied.
Crown Him with Many Crowns
There is a Green Hill Far Away
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended
I’m pretty sure that this has been mentioned here before, but there is a Facebook page called In Quires And Places Where They Meme. One of their regular features is “cursed carols” where hymns are set to different tunes. Earlier this week they set “My Song is Love Unknown” to Gopsal, usually used for “Rejoice the Lord is King”
“We sing the praise of him who died” - Warrington.
“There is a green hill far away” - Horsely.
“Here hangs a man discarded” - Passion Chorale.
“When I survey the wondrous cross” - Rockingha.
"Here is love vast as the ocean” - Dim Ond Iesu.
I’m pretty sure that this has been mentioned here before, but there is a Facebook page called In Quires And Places Where They Meme. One of their regular features is “cursed carols” where hymns are set to different tunes. Earlier this week they set “My Song is Love Unknown” to Gopsal, usually used for “Rejoice the Lord is King”
I’ve never heard “Rejoice, the Lord is King” to anything other than DARWALL/DARWALL’S 148TH.
For Maundy Thursday (around tables in the fellowship hall rather than in the sanctuary (American meaning)), we had:
“All Who Hunger, Gather Gladly”/HOLY MANNA
“There Is a Longing in our Hearts”/LONGING
“Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love”/CHEREPONI
We also had just the first verse of “Abide with Me” as a response, which worked surprisingly well.
Maundy Thursday
Byrd Mass for 4 voices
Ola Gjeilo Ubi Caritas
An Upper Room (O Waly Waly)
And now O Father mindful (Unde et Memores)
Draw night and take (Song 46)
I wasn't in the choir for this, what a list! Byrd 4 is a reason to be proud to be English. And Ubi Caritas is always wonderful.
Good Friday 3 hour thingy
First two hours - reading and reflections on last words
Last hour:
Ah holy Jesus (Herzliebster Jesu)
Sanders Reproaches
When I survey (Rockingham)
As a point of interest, in the order of service, the following note was added to the Reproaches:
'............. at times in Christian history the Reproaches have been used explicitly or implicitly to condemn Jewish people or to stir up hostility against Jewish people, or to stir up hostility against Jewish people in the present day. It is important to remember that Jesus' words are to be understood as applying to the present Church, rather than to his own contemporaries. Here, 'Israel' and 'my people' stand for the Church, and we are to hear the Reproaches as directed to our own hardness of heart and failure of discipleship.'
Got to say that in that spirit, I love Sanders Reproaches.
Comments
Now if that maxim were adopted by, for example preachers ......
The minister of the Methodist church for which Mr Cats plays the organ thinks that he has the gift of hymnody. At least once a month, but sometimes twice in one service he submits words and names a tune for them. Not only is he no poet, but he doesn’t understand scansion. Perhaps mercifully, none of his effusions seem to get a second outing, but he seems unaware that it is by repeating new hymns that they function as they ought, which is to live in the mind long after the service is over. Still, given the level of stuff he comes up with, some theologically very dubious, I’m not planning to remind him of this.
I like it too, although I think it works best if the verses are sung as a solo, with the congregation joining in in the refrain.
We hail thy presence glorious St Theodulph, (Teschner arr Bach)
O'r nef y daeth, Fab di-nam* (Kendrick, cyf. Sion Aled)
Blest by the sun, the olive tree Gonfalon Royal
In Christ alone (Townend & Getty)
Praise to the holiest in the height Gerontius
* From heaven you came, helpless babe
A good service, a good sing.
Unfortunately the refrain is where the octave jump to the very high note occurs. The verses are the easy bit.
30 sops, over 20 altos, 15 tenors......and 6 basses. I'm a bass, and we only had one extra on our usual 'house' singers. I suppose that meant that we were probably the most heads up/responsive section...and we could, well, not hold back - we grinned as the MD said 'can we have more bass'!
Not my favourite sing, the emotion is perhaps too much to the fore...but I always end up getting swept along with it.
Heron
I'm sorry to say that I hated it - sickly stuff - and was glad when we could sing a more cheerful anthem on Easter Sunday...
Anyway, a visit to YouTube is perhaps called for, to see if I might change my previous impression.
Strange time to be doing it. It’s normally done during Lent or Passiontide, even by secular choirs.
Palm Sunday tomorrow, so the Mass begins with the Liturgy of Palms and Palm Gospel in the Hall, followed by a Procession along a short section of the adjacent street, round the corner, and into the Church:
All glory, laud and honour (St Theodulph) for the Procession
Ride on, ride on in majesty (Winchester New) for the altar party to get to the chancel
There is a green hill far away (Horsley) for the Offertory Hymn*
O dearest Lord, thy sacred head (Albano or Belmont) at Communion
Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (Were You There) after the blessing, but I think they'll probably omit the verse about the Resurrection, and repeat the first verse.
We always used to have Samuel Crossman's sublime My song is love unknown (Love Unknown) as the offertory hymn on Palm Sunday, but I gather that FatherInCharge doesn't like it...
The person who does the Readers rota asks for volunteers in Holy Week rather than picking the best. So today the one reading the Narrators part in the Passion is one of our weakest. It will be an annoying ordeal.
No one likes to discourage volunteers, but sometimes it would be better if those in charge politely suggested that there might be other ways that they could make a useful contribution.
Ride on! Ride on in majesty! - WINCHESTER NEW
*When I Survey the Wondrous Cross - ROCKINGHAM
To God Be the Glory - TO GOD BE THE GLORY
* Our organist played the first line of verse three and left us to sing the rest of it a capella
I'll praise in the valley
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest
The splendour of the King (How great is our God)
All my words fall short (So I throw up my hands)
Isn't he beautiful, beautiful isn't he?
It was my cross you bore (Worthy is your name Jesus)
Here I am, humbled by your majesty
All glory laud and honour
From heaven you came
Were you there when they crucified my Lord
O sacred head surrounded
Ride on, ride on in majesty.
anthem: From the rising of the sun. If I had known I would have arranged to sing with them as they were lacking in sopranos who can reach the top notes.
Psalm 22(21) - sung
Blest are you Lord God of all creation - Aniceto Nazareth
Be still for the presence of the Lord
The Servant King
The first item is rather a jolly processional. I got my tambourine out to keep the singing together.
The Nazareth hymn is a rather lovely setting of the priest's offertory prayers which are in turn based on the Passover blessings - highly appropriate as the Passover forms a part of the St Matthew Passion which was read today.
I love the way this Liturgy mixes the celebration of the entry into Jerusalem with what happened a few days later.
This will be the first time in many years that I wont be playing at all of the Holy Week services. My wife is having some very serious surgery on Wednesday, so I will be otherwise occupied. We are fortunate in having a couple of good pianists who will cover Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. I will be back for the Easter Vigil however. But nothing then for a few weeks while she recuperates.
More of a canter?
What doesn't she like about it, I wonder? To me, it captures the stark contrast between Palm Sunday and Good Friday in a way which no other hymn does - IMHO, anyway.
I'm not a fan of There is a green hill - rather childish and simplistic, and yes, I know it was written as a children's hymn. They're having it on Good Friday, too, instead of Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle (or at least part 2 thereof Faithful cross, above all other ).
Dross instead of gold...
Best wishes to Mrs @Alan29 this week!
[]
Am I the only one who had an image of Bruce Forsyth on reading that?
Nice to see you, to see you …
😜
Jesus, Lover of my soul (Martyn)
How Deep The Father’s Love For Us (Townend)
Man Of Sorrows! What A Name (Man Of Sorrows)
Because readings and sermons were anticipating Good Friday, rather than Palm Sunday, but we couldn't ignore the Triumphal Entry altogether.
Thank you.
Indeed; amen to that.
Thank you.
Mixed bag at St Pete's today:
All glory, laud and honour - St Theodulph*
You are the King of Glory - Hosanna to the Son of David
Ride on, ride on in majesty - Winchester New
Only by grace - some crappy chorus
My song is love unknown - Love Unknown**
* The plan was to process round the outside of the church and back in, but it was absolutely pishing with rain, so we did a few laps of the inside instead.
** I agree with BT and BF about the words, but I'm more with Mrs BT about the tune - I can take it or leave it.
Thank you.
It's a good tune, but I can't quite imagine it to My song is love unknown - perhaps a tad too jolly?
It being Monday in Holy Week, we had an ecumenical Evensong at St Pete's, at which we sang:
Psalm 42 - chant by Wesley
Mag & Nunc -usual chants by Robinson and Farrant
Hymns:
Morning glory, starlit sky - Song 13
There is a green hill far away - Horsley
My song is love unknown - Love Unknown (again)
Hail gladdening light - Sebaste
Crown Him with Many Crowns
There is a Green Hill Far Away
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended
https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/2011/Score/MySongIsLove-StJohn.pdf
“There is a green hill far away” - Horsely.
“Here hangs a man discarded” - Passion Chorale.
“When I survey the wondrous cross” - Rockingha.
"Here is love vast as the ocean” - Dim Ond Iesu.
There is a green hill
When I survey
From heaven you came
Meekness and majesty
The old rugged cross
There is a green hill far away (Horsley)
When I survey the wondrous cross (Rockingham)
(A cantor sings The Reproaches during the Veneration of the Cross IIRC).
When I survey
Soul of my Saviour
Jesus remember me - Taize
Sung Reproaches
Sung Responsorial psalm.
For Maundy Thursday (around tables in the fellowship hall rather than in the sanctuary (American meaning)), we had:
“All Who Hunger, Gather Gladly”/HOLY MANNA
“There Is a Longing in our Hearts”/LONGING
“Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love”/CHEREPONI
We also had just the first verse of “Abide with Me” as a response, which worked surprisingly well.
Never heard it to owt else to be honest. DARWALL is Ye Holy Angels Bright to me.
Byrd Mass for 4 voices
Ola Gjeilo Ubi Caritas
An Upper Room (O Waly Waly)
And now O Father mindful (Unde et Memores)
Draw night and take (Song 46)
I wasn't in the choir for this, what a list! Byrd 4 is a reason to be proud to be English. And Ubi Caritas is always wonderful.
Good Friday 3 hour thingy
First two hours - reading and reflections on last words
Last hour:
Ah holy Jesus (Herzliebster Jesu)
Sanders Reproaches
When I survey (Rockingham)
As a point of interest, in the order of service, the following note was added to the Reproaches:
'............. at times in Christian history the Reproaches have been used explicitly or implicitly to condemn Jewish people or to stir up hostility against Jewish people, or to stir up hostility against Jewish people in the present day. It is important to remember that Jesus' words are to be understood as applying to the present Church, rather than to his own contemporaries. Here, 'Israel' and 'my people' stand for the Church, and we are to hear the Reproaches as directed to our own hardness of heart and failure of discipleship.'
Got to say that in that spirit, I love Sanders Reproaches.
Heron