Your Favourite Hymn

Subject: BS: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,Boab_d(as a guest)
Date: 05 Mar 03 - 09:33 AM

Hello all I'm bored at work and I was thinking about religion and all of that stuff that you normally do when your bored and I was singing a wee song to myself called "Oh Jesus I have promised" and I really like the tune of the song. In fact I'm getting it at my wedding next year though i havent heard it or song it in years. It goes

oh Jesus I have promised to serve you till the end
thou art for ever near me my master and my friend
and jesus I have promised to serve thee till the end
oh give me grace to follow my master and my friend


Its got a really catchy tune and I love it.
what are your favourite hymns
Cheers
Dylan

Subject: RE: BS: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Mar 03 - 09:33 AM

Subject: RE: BS: Your Favourite Hymn
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 05 Mar 03 - 09:57 AM

I'd have thought this conted as a music thread, BS or not.

Subject: RE: BS: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Jeanie
Date: 05 Mar 03 - 10:13 AM

Well, that's a lovely thing to be thinking about while bored at work Boab/Dylan !

Here's my favourite - I love the words and the tune. I find it good to sing whatever circumstances life is bringing. Somehow it seems to put everything into a positive perspective. I have a wonderful memory of singing this with hundreds of people, raising the roof in a packed cathedral at a service for the start of the new Millennium -but I love singing it all on my own at home, too.

Great is your faithfulness, O God my Father,
You have fulfilled all your promise to me;
You never fail and your love is unchanging,
All you have been you for ever will be.

Great is your faithfulness !
Great is your faithfulness !
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed your hand has provided -
Great is your faithfulness, Father, to me.

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in eloquent witness
To your great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin, and a peace everlasting,
Your living presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow -
These are the blessings your love will provide.

Great is your faithfulness !
Great is your faithfulness !
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed your hand has provided -
Great is your faithfulness, Father, to me.


(Based on verse from Lamentations 3:22-3)

- jeanie

Subject: RE: BS: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Beccy
Date: 05 Mar 03 - 10:54 AM

Well, my hymn loyalty is equally divided between two favs. The first is "Be Thou My Vision"

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart.
Naught be all else to me save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought by day or by night.
Waking of sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Riches I heed not, nor vain empty praise.
Thou mine inheritance now and always.
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
Great God of Heaven, my treasure Thou art.

Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.


High King of Heaven when vict'ry is won.
May I reach Heaven's joys, bright Heaven's sun.
Heart of my heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

My second favorite is "For the Beauty of the Earth"

For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies;

Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour,
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flow'r,
Sun and moon, and stars of light;

Lord of all to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of ear and eye,
for the heart and mind's delight,
for the mystic harmony
linking sense to sound and sight.

Lord of all to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child.
Friends on earth and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild;

Lord of all to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

... And of course there are the good, old, left-hand-pounding-out-the-bass hymns that I love, "Standing on the Promises" "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms", "O, Victory in Jesus", and so on... I'm a big time hymn-lover. I grew up listening to my Mom pound out the bass while my Grandpa was preaching. You'dve thought it was a Southern Baptist church instead of the United Methodist one that it actually was!

Beccy

Subject: RE: BS: Your Favourite Hymn
From: TIA
Date: 05 Mar 03 - 12:09 PM

For tune - Once to Every Man and Nation
For lyrics - Hmmm... I'll get back to you....

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Padre
Date: 05 Mar 03 - 07:49 PM

Two come immediately to mind:

    1) How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord

    2) St. Patrick's Breastplate

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Little Robyn
Date: 05 Mar 03 - 08:20 PM

"Be thou my vision" is my favourite too - it's "The Banks of the Bann" and it goes well on Northumbrian pipes.
And my Mum's favourite was "For the beauty of the earth" and we sang that at her funeral!
You have great taste Beccy.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 05 Mar 03 - 08:45 PM

There are so many! Probably the two that I enjoy singing to myself (and God) the most would be His voice, as the sound of the dulcimer sweet and Come away to the skies. The former is apparently a different cento from the same work of Joseph Swain's from which the better-known (but I think less pleasing) O Thou in whose presence my soul takes delight is drawn. Incidentally, although the Cyber Hymnal and every other source I've seen attributes "O Thou..." to Swain's Redemption : A Poem in Five Books, I have seen that poem of Swain's and can attest that it is in blank verse, and has no stanzaic structure that I could ascertain. What gives?

I do like all the others suggested, though when singing How firm a foundation I much prefer to sing all seven stanzas; even though I think the Mormons are the only ones who print the whole thing in their hymnal, and me a Baptist.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 05 Mar 03 - 08:50 PM

Without getting into a Mudcat discussion about what is a hymn, the two that have stayed with me the longest are Softly and Tenderly and Pass Me Not, Oh Gentle Savior..

Jerry

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: mg
Date: 05 Mar 03 - 09:23 PM

I'm Catholic..so I'd say Holy God we Praise Thy Name..

but I sure do like Diadem as the Welsh sing it.

Anyone in Canada watch Hymn Sing? Is it still on? Boy, they were good.

mg

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Neighmond
Date: 05 Mar 03 - 09:24 PM

"The evergreen Mountains of life"- the words are as pretty as they come.
"Simple Gifts" is good too
Chaz

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 05 Mar 03 - 10:20 PM

Neighmond, do you have "The evergreen Mountains of life"? If so, could you post them? If not, could you suggest a book in which they might be found (and the tune?)? I've never heard that one, but I'm intrigued. Google has barely heard of it (a couple of passing mentions, but no text or info).

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: sharyn
Date: 05 Mar 03 - 11:38 PM

And from the Anglican or Episcopal hymnal, 1940, I vote for "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say":

I heard the voice of Jesus say, "Come unto me and rest."
"Lay down, thou weary one, lay down, thy head upon my breast."
I came to Jesus as I was: weary and worn and sad.
I found in Him a resting place and He has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say, "Behold I freely give
The living water, thirsty one: Stoop down and drink and live."
I came to Jesus and I drank from that life-giving stream.
My thirst was quenched, my soul survived and now I live in Him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say, "I am this dark world's light.
"Look unto me, thy morn shall rise and all thy day be bright."
I came to Jesus and I found in Him my star, my sun,
And in that light of life I'll walk 'til travelling days are done.


I'm also partial to "Ah, Holy Jesus," "Remember, O Thou Man" and "I Know a Rose-Tree Springing."

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 12:27 AM

At least as important as the text is the tune; I'm guessing (correct me if I'm wrong) that sharyn sings I heard the voice of Jesus say to Vox Dilecti, and that TIA has Ton-y-Botel (aka Ebenezer) in mind as the tune of Once to every man and nation.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Neighmond
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 03:05 AM

Haruo, It is a poem My grandmothher used to recite from time to time...who knows where she heard it...I set the music to it in High school for lack of something to do one day in study Hall. It is very loosely based on "Darling Nely Gray"

If you have a way of getting it I'll gladly put an .mp3 for You.

Chaz

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Neighmond
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 03:08 AM

I ought to add that The Words are what I like about the Evergreen Mountains of Life-the tune is lackluster for such a pretty verse.

Chaz

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Menolly
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 03:28 AM

I have never sung it in church but I love
"Lift up your hearts, Emmanual's friends
And taste the pleasure Jesus sends."

If I never hear "Away in a Manger" again, it will be too soon!

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 05:14 AM

Menolly: Good choice, I like that one too and I love singing the alto part.

For me?... I like 'Immortal, Invisible...and again the alto part.

Sal

0#>8-D

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Ringer
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 05:38 AM

I think that hymns are all that keep me going to church these days (though my wife hates them: she thinks that all hymn-tunes are banal and most -words ditto). I hate the modern drivel that's usually known as "choruses", though. And I'm not keen on so-called "Iona" hymns which are often set to corrupted folk tunes: the setters seem to have been unable to resist the temptation to change the rhythm to dotted-crotchet, which has trivialised them. RVW, editor of The English Hymnal, could have taught them a thing or two!

I heard the voice of Jesus, as above, is loveliest (IMHO) when sung to Vaughan Williams' Thomas Tallis theme (though I don't think that tune was included in The English Hymnal).

My wife, frequently insomniac, often turns the radio on in the middle of the night and I, deep in the mists of sleep, am sometimes aware of hearing things she has been listening to. Several years ago, there used to be broadcast on BBC-R4 very early on Sunday mornings a programme of hymns (my wife must have been asleep by then: she wouldn't have listened to a hymn-programme by choice). The presenter of that programme must have really liked Maddy Prior singing As pants the hart, for he played it several times over a period of perhaps a year. It's from a CD of MP (and a band whose name escapes me - not Steeleye Span though) singing Charles Wesley hymns (and other hymns from that era). The whole CD is well worth a listen to; APTH is particularly fine. Isn't that tune a folk melody?

A few more of my favourites are
It is a thing most wonderful
O, love that will not let me go
When I survey the wondrous cross (achingly sweet, theologically profound)
Tell me the old, old story.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: greg stephens
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 05:58 AM

Ringer: I'm a bit confused by your posting re "I heard the voice of Jesus say". Vaughan Williams himself set thee words, but he used an old version of Dives and Lazarus/Star of thre County Down, and called his arrangement Kingsfold after the village the tune was collected in.This is definitely in the English Hymnal. What is this other tune you refer to, and is it by Vaughan Williams or Thomas Tallis?
And to answer the question in the thread, my favourite hymn is "Dear lord and father of mankind", to the tune Repton by Hubert Parry. Mind you, if you asked me tomorrow I might say "Jesu lover of my soul", to the tune Aberystwyth, by Joseph Parry. Interesting that having the name Parry enables you to write brilliant hymn tunes.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Ringer
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 06:31 AM

Sorry, greg: back in [whenever] Thomas Tallis wrote lots of Chusrch Music which has that austere beauty characteristic of the time (it was roughly QE-1/Bloody Mary time - not too sure of dates). Last century Vaughan Williams took one of Tallis' themes and used it as the basis of a 20-minute orchestral piece which he called "Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis". So it's that theme I'm talking about, and it's more RVW's version than Tallis' (I think) to whichI have sung "I heard the voice of Jesus".

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Ringer
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 06:38 AM

I don't know what I'm thinking of: I know quite well that RVW did include the tume in The English Hymnal. It is that set to a hymn whose 1st line is something like "When rising from this bed of death" (that's from memory - why did this memory not fire when I wrote my missive earlier this morning? Dunno.)

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 06:49 AM

Greg: discussion of Kingsfold
The tune for "I heard the voice of Jesus say" is Vox dilecti as listed at This page Kingsfold is given as an alternative

Nigel

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: greg stephens
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 07:39 AM

You're right, Ringer, that Tallis tune is indeed in the English Hymnal, I've just had a look: under the strange title of "Third Mode Melody".(Presumably because it's in the mode commonly known as Phrygian,E to E on the white notes). Your memory is also quite right, "When rising from the bed of death" is the first line. I've never heard "I heard the voice of Jesus say" sung to this. beautiful tune, lovely harmonies.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: sharyn
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 12:36 PM

Sorry, Haruo, etc. I no longer have a 1940 hymnal (I lost it) so I can't cite the tune's composer. It is a minor tune, or maybe a modal one, with lots of repeated notes, sounds almost like a chant for the first three lines, and then uses descending scales in the fourth line. Cab any of you tell which one I'm talking about? It has a range of an octave and one I think.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 12:57 PM

sharyn, I've got a 1940 at home, I'll go look it up tonight. Neighmond, could you maybe just post the words to the poem, if you think the tune you use isn't worthy of it, and maybe someone here can suggest a better?

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 01:38 PM

What a good thread! I have always loved hymn singing. I grew up on the 1940 Hymnal but can't seem to find my copy.
Favorites:
Alleluia, Sing to Jesus to the tune Hyfrydol
Be thou my vision
The King of love my shepherd is to the tune St Columba
Blessed quietness (although I've never heard it sung at church!)
Amazing grace
The list goes on, but these are the top 5 for me.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,Mimsey
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 02:50 PM

Ah, I think my favorite would have to be All Beautiful the March of Days, as well as some of the others that have already been mentioned.

Great thread! Especially thanks to Haruo for links to the Cyberhymnal site!

Mimsey

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Night Owl
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 06:35 PM

in random order.....

Bright Morning Stars
Farther Along
Softly and Tenderly
Sweet Hour of Prayer

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Richie
Date: 06 Mar 03 - 11:17 PM

One of my favorites is "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross."

Richie

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Kim C
Date: 07 Mar 03 - 10:34 AM

How Firm a Foundation

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: KateG
Date: 07 Mar 03 - 10:47 AM

The Mariners' Hymn: Eternal Father strong to save...

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Joe_F
Date: 07 Mar 03 - 11:10 AM

I suspect I would put "Abide with Me" at the top.

My "Magical" list includes also (confining myself to hymns in the strictest sense, excluding Christmas carols, gospel songs, spirituals, etc.): "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God", "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", the "Captain Kidd" hymn, "Cwm Rhondda", "Eternal Father, Strong to Save", "How Can I Keep from Singing", "Jerusalem", "O Come, O Come, Emanuel", Old Hundred, "Onward, Christian Soldiers", "Simple Gifts", "Turn Back, O Man".

I should stipulate that I am bigoted atheist of the 19th-century (Robert Ingersoll, Bertrand Russell) type.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 07 Mar 03 - 12:51 PM

Immortal, Invisible
Jerusalem
Brother James Air (23rd psalm)

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: clueless don
Date: 07 Mar 03 - 01:34 PM

My favorite hymn?

Well, there is a Catholic hymn for which I don't know the title or the words, but I am rather fond of the tune. But I would have to say that my two favorite hymns (can't break the tie) are 1) Harvest Home (also called "Come ye thankful people come"), and 2) Jerusalem ("And did those feet, in ancient times ...")

Don

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,Andrew
Date: 07 Mar 03 - 05:30 PM

Cwm Rondda takes a lot of beating.

For Nautical Types Eternal Father

I have another in my head is it 'And shall it be' ?

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 07 Mar 03 - 05:34 PM

"Through all the Changing Scenes of Life"

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 07 Mar 03 - 05:35 PM

"Thine Be The Glory"

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: khandu
Date: 07 Mar 03 - 09:13 PM

Two rank as my favorites. "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" and "The Solid Rock".

However, I do not like them (Nor many others) done traditionally. "The Solid Rock" done on acoustic guitar sends Glory bumps up my spine.

I did a "soulful" version of "Leaning..." with a Black gospel quartet singing background. When their voices came in, my hair stood on end! Glorious!

Ken

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 08 Mar 03 - 11:17 PM

Ringer and greg stephens have it, sharyn, the tune you must mean is Tallis's "Third Mode Melody" (which is also the tune name used in America); it is given in the Hymnal 1940 as the second tune for the text, #424, with Dykes' "Vox Dilecti" given first (this is the tune I'm used to, and the one I assumed you meant till you clarified). There's a MIDI arrangement of this Tallis tune in the Cyber Hymnal with a different text, When Rising from the Bed of Death by Joseph Addison, which I believe Ringer mentioned. Listen to it and tell me if it needs revamping or is basically what you have in mind.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: sharyn
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 12:37 AM

Sorry, Haruo, I cannot play tunes on my computer, an ancient Mac with no sound and hardly any memory. The best I could do would be to track down a hymnal and write it down note for note, or pick a starting pitch and write the notes I sing. Which I will do, if anyone requests it

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 01:21 AM

Joe F, when you say "the Captain Kidd hymn" do you mean "Wondrous Love"? (What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul...) Or what? (the tunes are indeed closely related)

sharyn, sorry you can't hear music on your Mac. Can you see GIFs? PM me your email, and I'll email you GIFs of the melody line from (1) the Cyber Hymnal and (2) Hymnal 1940, so you can compare them with what you actually sing. Okay?

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 01:58 AM

Sorry, I mean can you see a JPEG on your screen? not a GIF

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: sharyn
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 02:03 AM

O.K., Haruo. I learned it from the 1940 hymnal so I'm sure it is the same as what is there. I sang soprano then -- that's the melody I know -- but the real melody may be in the tenor part (I have a vague memory that it might be). And, yes, my Mac does JPEGs if they are not too big.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,Dan
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 02:30 AM

What I don't understand, well, other than the entire spectrum of religious crap, is why you try to write new hymns in 16th century English. Has God got a problem understanding modern languages?

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Neighmond
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 03:19 AM

it's called "poetic license", Guest Dan.

You would do well in using some.

Chaz

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: COINWOLF
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 05:16 AM

Many favourites have already been mentioned.

Here in Upton Upon Severn a local group of people called "Meadowsweet" are singing ones that have become firm favourites but as yet not mentioned already;

It is well with my soul (arranged by John Evans)
A Clare Benediction by John Rutter
Song of Peace by Mary Donnelly
God's Choir by Ray Overholt
Standin' in de need of prayer (arranged by Hugh Roberton)
Steal away to Jesus also arranged by Hugh Roberton)
Swing low, sweet chariot also arranged by Hugh Roberton)

Good 4 part singing,

Meadowsweet available to perform locally(for charities only)

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Strupag
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 06:26 AM

For me it's got to be the carol, Child in a Manger which was written a long time ago in gaelic originally by Mary MacDonald in the Scottish island of Mull.
The obvious Hebridean air was given new words by Eleanor Farjeon and called Morning Has Broken. This ,of course, was made famous by Cat Stephens.
Although "Morning" is one of my all time favourites I still actually prefer the original words.

Here they are (English translation)
Words: Mary M. Macdonald
Music: "Bunessan," traditional Gaelic melody

Child in the Manger

Child in the manger, Infant of Mary,
Outcast and Stranger, Lord of all,
Child Who inherits all our transgressions,
All our demerits on Him fall.

Once the most holy Child of salvation
Gently and lowly lived below.
Now as our glorious mighty Redeemer,
See Him victorious o'er each foe.

Prophets foretold Him, Infant of wonder;
Angels behold Him on His throne.
Worthy our Savior of all our praises;
Happy forever are His own

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: The Walrus
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 06:44 AM

Ah, so many to choose from, so, in no particular order:-
I agree with Menolly "The Good Old Way" ("Lift up your hearts...")
"Jerusalem"
"Abide With Me"
"Eternal Father Strong to Save"
Psalm 23 (to "Crimmond")
"Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past"
"Now Thak We, All, Our God"
And the tune to "Ein Feterburg" (sp?) as I've never heard the English version ("A Mighty Fortress")

Too many? I'm sorry, I just can't choose.

Regards

Walrus

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: velvet
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 06:51 AM

I have to agree with Walrus. He has said it all. He ssems to like all the hymns that Ido.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 11:49 AM

Walrus: "Ein Festeberg"= 'a stronghold sure';
Words in "Hymns Ancient and Modern" #678

"God is a stronghold and a tower
A help that never faileth
A covering shield, a sword of power,
When Satan's host assaileth.
   In vain our crafty foe,
   Still strives to work us woe,
   Still lurks and lies in wait
   With more than earthly hate;
We will not faint, nor tremble."

Nigel

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: The Walrus
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 06:08 PM

Nigel,

Thanks for the words.

Regards

Walrus

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: vectis
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 07:17 PM

Menolly's hymn is called "The Good Old Way" and is a primitive Methodist hymn.
My Dad reckons he heard it sung in the chapels round our native village and always thought of it as an Isle of Wight hymn. Others reckon it came originally from the Isle of Man.
Either way it's a cracker and I love it as a chorus singer and a as a lead singer. It was really hard going to learn, the phrasing is critical if you want it to sound good.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 07:41 PM

I'm not trying to go out of my way to be obscure here, but my favorite hasn't been mentioned yet.

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Snuffy
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 07:49 PM

Songs of Praise #436 uses Thomas Carlyle's translation of Luther's words:

A safe stronghold our God is still
A trusty shield and weapon
He'll help us clear from all the ill
That has us now o'ertaken
The ancient prince of hell
Hath risen with purpose fell
Strong mail of craft and power
He weareth in this hour
On earth he hath no fellow

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 08:13 PM

A 'Filk' (see elsewhere) was forthcoming for the British Filk convention 'Contabile Fortean'(the fourteanth British Filkcon). Just to give some background, a TV show based on the ideas of Charles Fort was shown in Britain (on channel 4) with Fr. Lionel Fanthorpe as presenter (an Anglican priest who rides a 'Harley' and is listed as the most prolific Sci Fi writer).

"There is a Fortean TV show,
Devised by father Lionel.
The truths of which we'll never know,
Or if we know, can never tell.
It tells of mis-shaped buns;
With features like a nuns.
Not raining cats and dogs,
But raining showers of frogs.
Is there a French Connection?"

An early show in the series had both a French 'pain' looking like Mother Theresa, and 'showers' of various animals and fish.

However, the main reason for writing the 'filk' was the title of the tune. The song title would become 'Great Fort', and the tune 'A Stronghold Sure'

Admittedly an atrocious pun. But what else do you expect ?

The subsequent verses are awaiting a listing of the subjects covered in the shows.

Nigel

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: sharyn
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 11:40 PM

Yeah, Mary in Kentucky, that's a very good one and would have been on my favorites list if I had been thinking outside the Anglican hymnal. There is a wonderful rendition of it under the title "I will arise and go to Jesus" on a Good Ol' Persons album.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 10 Mar 03 - 01:48 AM

Most American hymnals use versions of "Ein' feste Burg" that begin A mighty fortress is our God. I'd never seen the HA&M version Nigel quoted from. What version or versions of HA&M does it appear in (after all, the title has been updated repeatedly for more than a century).

And speaking of updating, GuestDan, God has a vast linguistic repertoire; in seeking to express ourselves creatively in 16th century English, we seek only to imitate our Maker.

BTW, anybody have the music for the Marvin O. Bagman hymn (definitely not one that would cut the mustard for sticklers like Joe F, who would dismiss it on genre grounds) Jesus Is the Telephone Repairman on the Switchboard of My Life, two verses of which are cited in Good Omens (pp. 249 and 251)? ;-)

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Blackcatter
Date: 10 Mar 03 - 02:31 AM

I have a lot of favoirites - but being Unitarian Universalist, they're probably not well know to most of you.

"For All That Is Our Life"
"We'll Build A Land"
"Morning Has Broken"

And my favorite of the ones I have written is below:

This is our time
© 2000 Thomas E. Cook
Tune - "Finlandia" by Sibelius


This is our time for peace and understanding.
This is our time to celebrate our faith.
This is our time to share with all the people
Our theme of hope for life on Mother Earth.
Our theme of hope it shall be celebrated;
It is our path to world community.

Our covenant defines our very nature,
The principles that guide our very lives:
Inherent worth with justice and compassion,
Acceptance of each other is our right.
Our spirit grows within our congregations.
Our spirit flows – the key to all we are.

We shall be free to search for truth and meaning.
Democracy shall govern our hard work.
Community, our goal within all nations.
It is with these we hope our faith will lead.
It is with these, that web of all existence.
Shall prove to be the saving of the earth.

pax yall

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 10 Mar 03 - 03:28 AM

Haruo: "Hymns Ancient & Modern; Standard Edition" (1924) which is the 1889 edition, reset with the second supplement (of 1916)
The translator in this version is Elizabeth Wordsworth.
I have known this hymn book (in use in my church) from late 1950s to the 1980s when we moved to "Hymns Ancient & Modern; Revised" (1972) which uses the Carlyle translation.

Nigel

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Alio
Date: 10 Mar 03 - 04:11 AM

For me it's "The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended" - I get a shiver up and down my spine when I hear or sing it.

Ali

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Joe_F
Date: 10 Mar 03 - 09:54 AM

Haruo: No, by the Captain Kidd hymn I do not mean "What wondrous love is this", but yet another hymn to the same tune, which begins

Through all the world below
God is seen all around,
Search hills and valleys through,
There He's found.
The growing of the corn,
The lily and the thorn,
The pleasant and forlorn,
All declare, God is there,
In meadows drest in green,
God is seen.

"Captain Kidd" is a silly name for it, but it is so called in Alan Lomax's _Folk Songs of North America_ (p. 70) & (probably as a consequence) in _Rise Up Singing_. The notes trace it to the _Columbian Harmony_ (1825) & say that it was "first sung in Maryland, early 19th century".

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: IanC
Date: 10 Mar 03 - 09:58 AM

I think mine has to be "Lord & Father of Mankind".

This is despite the inherent irony that it was taken from a poem written by a Quaker who despised hymns (though more than 50 of his poems have been turned into hymns), and the particular irony that the original poem was likening church rituals (including the singing of hymns) to evil and wicked licentious activities.

Perhaps, as a Quaker myself, I like that kind of irony.

:-)

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: clueless don
Date: 10 Mar 03 - 11:34 AM

In my posting above, I mentioned " ... a Catholic hymn for which I don't know the title or the words, but I am rather fond of the tune." My wife informs me that the opening line of this hymn (which may also be the title?) is "He is born, the child divine".

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,Claymore
Date: 10 Mar 03 - 02:07 PM

The Navy Hymn (Eternal Father) and Once to Every Man and Nation.

There is a bit of history to Once to Every Man and Nation. In the early eighties, the Episcopal Church in America was trying to modernize the liturgical service. They removed the hymn from newer hymnal because it "Implied that God only gave man one chance to do something right, and did not mention eternal forgiveness". George Will (who I believe is Roman Catholic) wrote a stinging editorial, and partly because of this issue, the more conservative portion of the Episcopal Church broke away and became known as Anglo-Catholics. While I am not a devote anything, I do evoke in my will that I be buried "under the 28BCP" (Book Of Common Prayer) and the 1940 Hymnal.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Burke
Date: 10 Mar 03 - 05:59 PM

I have too many favorites to even start listing them.

The "Captain Kidd" hymn is in Southern Harmony. This version, at least, is the traditional folk tune Captain Kidd.

Claymore, Anglo-Catholics have been around a lot longer than the 1982 hymnal. Not all have split off. The wonderful Welsh tune, Ton-y-Botel has been used with several sets of words in the 1982 hymnal, even if not Once to Every Man... I'd wager few would care a bit for the words if it was not for the tune. I love this tune, regardless of the words, you might want to check them out.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Snuffy
Date: 10 Mar 03 - 07:42 PM

Clueless Don, sounds like a translation of the french Il est né, le divin enfant

WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 10 Mar 03 - 10:10 PM

Yes, Il est né is here in English in the Cyberhymnal (the version I know best though, probably from the 1989 United Methodist hymnal, has "divine Christ Child" in lieu of "holy Child"), here (my version) and here (Roger Bernard's) in Esperanto, here in French, and I think I have it somewhere in Japanese if anybody wants it. Though as a Christmas song (and not even a Christmas hymn per se) some would deny it a place in this thread.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 10 Mar 03 - 10:12 PM

I don't know why I keep forgetting the Captain Kidd hymn. (I embarrass myself before Burke and everybody ;-( ... )

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: clueless don
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 08:47 AM

Thank you, Snuffy and Haruo! Shortly after I did my second posting, I did a google search and found the reference to the French "Il Est Ne" (sorry for the lack of diacritical marks, if such are needed.)

By the way, Haruo, are you saying that it is not a hymn because it is about Christmas? Or are you merely asserting "It is not a hymn"? If it comes to that, I guess I don't actually know what the definition of a hymn is. My Webster's New World Dictionary gives noun definitions of "hymn" as "1. a song in praise or honor of God, a god, or gods. 2. any song of praise or glorification." I certainly had been under the impression that the song in question was a hymn, at least in its English translations.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Snuffy
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 09:02 AM

I think Haruo was just following the "definition" of a hymn posted by Joe_F above on 07 Mar 03 - 11:10 AM

My "Magical" list includes also (confining myself to hymns in the strictest sense, excluding Christmas carols, gospel songs, spirituals, etc.)

But I say, if it's in a hymnbook, it must be a hymn!

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 09:05 AM

I rather like The Old Rugged cross.... but it's a hard one to sing...

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: greg stephens
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 11:17 AM

Anyone nerdy enough to add up all the votes and give us a running order? I'm too lazy.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Pooby
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 11:32 AM

It's hard to pick just one, but I'm sure agree with those who favor the Navy Hymn "Eternal Father Strong to Save" (being a sailor makes it that much more appealing). It has a melody that chills me every time, great harmonies, and (in the Lutheran hymnal) a set of alternate lyrics that I also like. I only remember the first verse off the top of my head:

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness
No merit of my own I claim
But wholly lean on Jesus' name
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand
All other ground is sinking sand....

I'm thinking of having it sung at my funeral.

Poobs

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,boromir
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 12:04 PM

My norwegian heritage makes me pick "How Great Thou Art"

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,BGwynnRay
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 01:33 PM

I'm enjoying this thread! You are reminding me of many hymns we used to sing in high school. "How Great Thou Art" was one of my favorites from those days (the school was sponsored by the Covenant Church, and had a very strong Scandinavian influence!) Also, of course, "Jerusalem" (Or "The Holy City"), and "A Might Fortress". In more recent years, I've become especially fond of "On Eagle's Wings", which I first heard at a funeral.
    To move to an entirely different genre, for the last few days, I've been singing around the house an old gospel song which begins, "Talk about suffering here below, and talk about loving Jesus." Actually, that's why I'm on this site: looking for the rest of the words. It was recorded about forty years ago by (I think) John Jacob Niles, or another unadorned singer of traditional music. All suggestions gratefully welcomed!

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,BGwynnRay
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 01:46 PM

I just found the answer to my question through the search link; and it wasn't John Jacob Niles, it was Doc Watson whose recording I remember. And the title is "Talk About Suffering!"
    Now, see, if I had gone straight to the search function instead of getting sidetracked by these messages, I would have had my answer sooner! On the other hand, I wouldn't be reading all these great posts.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Aodh
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 03:54 PM

As a RC Uibhistaich I have a few favourites, "Colours of Day"
"I watch the sun rise" and Latin Hymns:
"Ave Verum Corpus Natum", "O Salutaris Hostia". But its the Marian hymns that will always remind me of home, "Hail Queen of Heaven"

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 11 Mar 03 - 08:50 PM

What is an Uibhistaich, RC or otherwise? Google yields zilch, even when i try removing various eyes and aitches.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Aodh
Date: 14 Mar 03 - 03:30 PM

Roman Catholis South Uist person.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Hrothgar
Date: 16 Mar 03 - 02:04 AM

Depending on the mood I'm in at the time:

23rd Psalm (Crimond)
Sweet Sacranent Divine (old RC communion hymn)
Cwm Rhondda
Make Me a Channel of Thy Peace (the prayer of St Francis of Assisi)
Be Thou My Vision

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: KT
Date: 16 Mar 03 - 06:51 AM

I love many of those mentioned above. In addition, (and I'm not sure if they fall under the category of hymn or not) here are two more that are among my top ten favorites.

Stewards of Earth (particularly these days)




STEWARDS OF EARTH



All praise to you, O Lord of all creation;

You made the world, and it is yours alone,

The planet earth you spun in its location

Amid the stars adorning heaven's dome.

We lease the earth but for a life's duration,

Yet for this life it is our cherished home.



With grace you clothed the earth in splendor;

With teeming life you filled the sea and land.

Instill in us a sense of awe and wonder,

When we behold the bounty of your hand.

Then when we hear the voice of bird or thunder,

We hear the voice our faith can understand.



To tend the earth is our entrusted duty,

For earth is ours to use and not abuse,

O gracious Lord, true Source of all resources,

Forgive our greed that wields destruction's sword.

Then let us serve as wise and faithful stewards,

While earth gives glory to creation's Lord.



[sung to FINLANDIA, Jean Sibelius]



and



OF THE FATHER'S LOVE BEGOTTEN



Aurelius C. Prudentius, 413, cento, tr. by John. M. Neale, 1854 and Henry W. Baker, 1861



Of the Father's love begotten

Ere the worlds began to be,

He is Alpha and Omega,

He the Source, the Ending He,

Of the things that are, that have been,

And that future years shall see

Evermore and evermore.



2. Oh, that birth forever blessed

When the Virgin, full of grace,

By the Holy Ghost conceiving,

Bore the Saviour of our race,

And the Babe, the world's Redeemer,

First revealed His sacred face

Evermore and evermore.
        


3. O ye heights of heaven, adore Him;

Angel hosts, His praises sing;

Powers, dominions, bow before Him

And extol our God and King.

Let no tongue on earth be silent,

Every voice in concert ring

Evermore and evermore.



4. This is He whom Heaven-taught singers

Sang of old with one accord;

Whom the Scriptures of the prophets

Promised in their faithful word.

Now He shines, the Long-expected;

Let creation praise its Lord

Evermore and evermore.



5. Christ, to Thee, with God the Father,

And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee

Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving

And unending praises be,

Honor, glory, and dominion,

And eternal victory

Evermore and evermore.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 17 Mar 03 - 12:21 AM

When youse guys say "Cwm Rhondda" is one of your favorite hymns, what words are you thinking of (to me, anyhow, "Cwm Rhondda" is a tune, not a text; so it might be my favorite hum, but not my favorite hymn)? Are you thinking of a Welsh text (like Wele'n sefyll rhwng y myrtwydd or Arglwydd, arwain trwy'r anialwch, or an English text like God of Grace and God of Glory or Guide me, O thou great Jehovah? Or what?

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Hrothgar
Date: 17 Mar 03 - 04:15 AM

Guide me, O thou great Jehovah.

When God really wants people to sing, He teaches them English. :-)

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 17 Mar 03 - 04:18 AM

Hrothgar: When God wants good singing he allows inspiration in foreign languages, to stop the English !

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: IanC
Date: 17 Mar 03 - 05:51 AM

KT

Well, you got me fully beaten ... the Mudcat never ceases to amaze me. The "Stewards of The Earth" hymn is a loose translation of "Caedmon's Hymn" (written around 670-680 AD) - the first hymn ever written in the English language. I know, because I've been trying to write a good translation into modern English for a month or two!

Here's the original

Nu scylun hergan         hefaenricaes uard,
metudæs maecti         end his modgidanc,
uerc uuldurfadur,         sue he uundra gihuaes,
eci dryctin,         or astelidæ.
He aerist scop         aelda barnum
heben til hrofe,         haleg scepen;
tha middungeard         moncynnæs uard,
eci dryctin,         æfter tiadæ
firum foldu,         frea allmectig.

Do you know where it came from (what hymnal, who translated it?) Here's some other attempts at translating it.

:-)

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: KT
Date: 17 Mar 03 - 10:13 PM

Hi IanC.
I wish I could give you more information. The truth is, I've heard the song sung only once, by a congregation, but I was so moved by it that the tune committed itself to my memory. I found the words at this site, after doing a Google search.
href="http://www.http://www.cbconf.org/shareware.nsf/pages/stewards.htm">Click here

I hope that blicky works.

So far, I have been unable to find any more info on it, but if I do, I'll be happy to pass it on to you.
KT

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: KT
Date: 17 Mar 03 - 10:15 PM

okay...try again

Click here

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Beccy
Date: 18 Mar 03 - 04:03 PM

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

...is a GREAT one. It makes me think of great, huge, dark, stone cathedrals and High Church type stuff (being a Baptist, all that other stuff is uber romantic :-)

Beccy

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Bassic
Date: 12 Jul 03 - 09:04 AM

Menolly`s post about "Lift up your hearts" prompted me to remember my old school song which has the same first line.

Words: Henry Montague Butler, 1881
Music: Walter Greatorex, 1916
Tune: Woodlands



"Lift up your hearts!" We lift them, Lord to thee;
Here at thy feet none other may we see.
"Lift up your hearts!" Even so with one accord,
We lift them up, we lift them to the Lord.

Above the level of the former years,
The mire of sin, the slough of guilty fears,
The mist of doubt, the blight of love's decay,
O Lord of light, lift all our hearts today.

Above the swamps of subterfuge and shame,
The deeds, the thoughts that honour may not name,
The halting tongue that dares not tell the whole,
O Lord of truth, lift every Christian soul.

Lift every gift that Thou Thyself has given;
Low lies the best till lifted up to heaven;
Low lie the bounding heart, the teeming brain
Till, sent from God, they mount to God again.

Then as the trumpet-call in after years,
"Lift up your hearts!" rings pealing in our ears,
Still shall those hearts respond with full accord,
"We lift them up, we lift them to the Lord!"

Type the first line into Google and there are several options with midi versons to listen too. It still LIFTS UP MT HEART when I hear it!!

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,Dale
Date: 12 Jul 03 - 11:09 AM

I missed seeing this thread the first time by, but am thoroughly enjoying it now.

First, the songs I am used to hearing are for the most part what I call gospel songs rather than hymns. I'll try to leave them for another thread, another day.

When I used to visit my older sister as a child, I always loved to go to the Lutheran Church she attended because I knew almost for certain that I'd get to hear "A Mighty Fortress" which we never sang.

I have never heard it except by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, but "Come, Come Ye Saints" surely has to qualify, though I am afraid the tune and the MTC are what give it my vote.

"In Heavenly Love Abiding"

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,boab d(as a guest again)
Date: 12 Jul 03 - 11:28 AM

This different computer thing is a wee pain sometimes but I'm too lazy to do anything about it.

Any way I was just scanning through and saw this again and I cant beleive that it's still going good and some wee crackers mentioned. Well my wee song isnt getting played at my wedding next year as the organist has the song but his version is really slow and well miserable which is a shame. Fortunately however my big sister is going to be singing that old Kris Kristofferson favourite
One Day At A Time
which is sung in churches and religous places these days so I take it that its a hymn now well I hope so cos it's really nice.
And we're singing One More Step Along the road along with Give Me Joy In My Heart not my choice but hey you have to do the old compromise thing if your getting married
Cheers again
Dylan

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,Gin
Date: 12 Jul 03 - 05:14 PM

"Drop, drop slow tears
And bathe those beauteous feet,
Which brought from heaven the news
and Prince of Peace!

In Your deep floods, d
rown all my faults and fears,
Nor let His eye see sin,
But through my tears.

Cease not, wet eyes,
His mercy to entreat,
To cry for vengeance,
Sin doth never cease."

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 12 Jul 03 - 05:17 PM

Guest, Gin....I love that hymn. I sang it for my Deans Chorister Award when I was in Selby Abbey Choir!!

Khatt

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Joe_F
Date: 12 Jul 03 - 05:42 PM

Haruo:

Confession time. The only *words* I know to Cwm Rhondda are:

||: You must eat when you are hungry,
You must drink when you are dry. :||
You must rest when you are weary.
||: Don't stop breathing, or you'll die. :||

Father's pants will soon fit Willie.
Will 'e wear 'em? Willie will....

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,Bill
Date: 12 Jul 03 - 06:49 PM

Just stumbled upon this thread.
Just been playing Be thou my vision on my dobro.
Check out Rob Ickes (on Rounder label) for some glorious gospel "slidy tunes".
I was interested to hear it was a Northumbrian pipe tune -- must search out a rendering.
Play on!

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: cetmst
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 07:48 AM

"How Great Thou Art", "My God and I", "The Holy City", "Consider the Lilies", my view colored by the fact that as a teenager my wife sang these as church solos, one of many reasons we married. One Sunday morning shortly before we were married we had been out until 3:00 AM and when she started "How Beautiful Upon the Mountain" the first note came out as a God-awful croak. Her mother sitting beside me glared at me, but she signaled her sister at the organ to begin again and sang it flawlessly. She never sang "Be Thou My Vision" but it is our favorite.
Also have a fondness for some unfortunately titled songs, "Jesus Lay in a Basement", "Gladly the Cross-Eyed Bear" and the incestuous "Gentle Mary Laid Her Son"

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 11:43 AM

cetmst: please clarify, did your fiance sing it the second time, or your soon-to-be Mother-in-law ?

Nigel

Subject: RE: Favourite Hymn
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 12:59 PM

From the 1860's, and still occasionally found in a pew Hymnal;

"My Jesus; I Love Thee"

"My Jesus, I love thee;
I know thou art mine.
For Thee all the fo-o-lly
of sin, I resign;
My pre-cious Re-de-ee-mer;
My Sa-a-viour art Tho-ou...
If e-ver I lo-o-ved thee;
My Je-e-sus; 'tis now!

(I'm sure its in the Digitrad; I don't seem to have a transcription of it on file).

A little tricky on the guitar, fingerpicking as I think it needs to be.
There are several bars which require a seperate chord for each note, and they move right along! Great left-hand excersize!

If anyone would like a scanning of my archival score with my guitar chord arrangement (not garr-un-teed to be all that proper, BTW - but they work 4 me), I'd be glad to send as e-mail ATT..

It would be nice with a harp and/or cello, I would think.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Deda
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 01:33 PM

All things bright and Beautiful
Abide with me
Doxology

There are also some wonderful Jewish songs that I became very fond of during my 1st marriage into a Jewish family. Passover songs Dayaynu and ChadGadyo (I 'm guessing cluelessly about the spelling), Shabbat Shalom, & others.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: cetmst
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 04:59 PM

Nigel - always had trouble getting clauses in their proper place. My wife to be sang perfectly and continues in several choral groups despite being married nearly fifty-one years to someone who only occasionally stumbles on the right note by accident. - Chuck

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 07:28 PM

Deda:

Funny you should mention that.

One of the songs that I composed during what I guess you could call my "Religious Phase" (circa 1980) came out sounding a whole more Jewish than Baptist - which is what I was (and to some extent, still am I suppose).

"Night in Jerusalem"

Chorus:

In my dreams, the golden spires
of your Temple meet the sun;
In your streets; the children dancing;
See them sing, and laugh, and run!
Your sweet flowers soothe my Spirit,
Tho it's not time to come home;
Let me spend one night, Dear Lord -
In Jerusalem!

1.        All day long, in streets of darkness -
Lord, I've tried to pass the test;
fallen far short of your Glory, Lord,
Though I've tried my level best.

There's lots more I need to do here, Lord;
Lots more I need to learn;
Though my weary heart for sanctuary,
Frequently does yearn!

***************************

You can find the rest of it here:

"Night in Jerusalem" - JCC

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Kenny B (inactive)
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 07:21 PM

By Cool Siloam's Shady Rill

Words: Reginald Heber, 1811; revised, 1827

Music: Belmont

Meter: CM

1. By cool Siloam's shady rill
how fair the lily grows!
How sweet the breath, beneath the hill,
of Sharon's dewy rose!

2. Lo! such the child whose early feet
the oaths of peace have trod,
whose secret heart, with influence sweet,
is upward drawn to God.

3. By cool Siloam's shady rill
the lily must decay;
the rose that blooms beneath the hill
must shortly fade away.

4. O thou, whose infant feet were found
within thy Father's shrine,
whose years with changeless virtue crowned,
were all alike divine.

5. Dependent on thy bounteous breath,
we seek thy grace alone,
in childhood, manhood, age, and death
to keep us still thine own.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 09:11 AM

I'm pretty sure that I've seen "Siloam" in my collection of Hymns and such going back to 1800.

See:   UJ Online Images - Misc.

for a few representative scannings.

The score to "Belmont" I'm quite sure to have in at least a couple of them.

There is some beautiful poetry in these old end-binders by BEECHER, WATTS, and other Patriarchs of the art during that period.

I wish I could sight-read music better than I do to get an idea of what many of these archaic tunes sounded like.

A few that I have worked out such as "Disciple" (which I think is scanned to that page I just linked to), "Zion", "Death Song of the Martyr" (That's different!), "Homeward Bound" (from an 1864 Seaman's Bethel Hymnal, although I think it predates that by several years) have lovely airs to them - sometimes a lot peppier than we might expect them to be from this time period.

One of my favorite albums for old Hymns is the Boston Camerata, Joel COHEN Dir., "Trav'ling Home". If you like really old American Hymns, you will love this CD - as I do.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Alio
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 12:51 PM

I like 'The day thou gavest, Lord has ended' - it always makes me cry!

Ali

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Kenny B (inactive)
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 07:24 PM

Uncle Jaque this site gives Dots and midis of hymns.
Dots & Midis of Hymns

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Burke
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 09:00 PM

Uncle Jacque,
There's a whole thread devoted to My Jesus, I Love Thee. Which reminds me that I was supposed to be tracking some additional words down.

Your 'Zion' is by Thomas Hastings. In the 19th cent. it was often used with "Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah," before that really well know Welsh tune made everyone forget the other tunes they used with it.

Belmont is a really familiar tune. You should not have any trouble finding it in your books.

You can find Midi's of the tunes you've got from Southern Harmony (Delight & Disciple) in the Online version. Disciple should also be in some other hymnals. It sounds familiar to me as a hymn, not a shape not tune. Delight is also in Sacred Harp. I found one online recording: Go to the Real Audio at the top of This page. Delight starts just shy of 2:35 (2.5 hours in). The Sacred Harp portion of this program starts 30-40 minutes in.

After singing the music the way it is in this recording, the Boston Camerata recording is not as satifying as it used to be for me. If you like "Trav'ling Home" you'll also like their "American Vocalist."

Another place to hear the old hymns is at Pilgrim Productions

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 12:20 AM

Thanks for all of the nifty links, Mates!

If there is anything in particular that u might b looking 4, which I might have in my collection, let me know & perhaps I can upload it to that FOTKI site for your perusal

I have a couple of indexes scanned in there just for anyone searching for an early - mid 19th Century Hymn.

I got most of these old endbounders at flea markets and Antique shops for around $1 - $5 apiece, but lately they seem to be going for around $20, and are rather "drying up".

Occasionally we find a reprint of one of them.

The most I have paid for a music book was a large black bound collection which was unmarked. I only recognized a couple of the songs, many of which are Patriotic, romantc, and secular - and they predate the Civil War. Since there seems to be no mention of the CW in the material, I figure that it dates to between 1845 and 1855.

Since it has songs from the period that I had never heard of (before or since) I shelled out $50 for it.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 03:37 AM

Mention of "My Jesus I love thee" above reminds me of a hymn which causes concern in hymn books where hymns are listed by first line:
"My God I Love Thee Not"

Which, because of line length, and phrasing, is the first full line of:

"My God I love Thee, not-
Because I hope for heaven thereby.
Nor yet because, who love Thee not
Are lost eternally"

The importance of phrasing is really brought out in this one,

Nigel

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Burke
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 04:46 PM

UJ, I just remembered another place. You can find midi's from some of the old oblong books at The Other Old Way.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Hrothgar
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 06:53 AM

Joe F:

To finish the verse:

Bread from Hovises
Tea from Liptonses
Beer we'll brew for ever more
Beer we'll brew for ever more

I think the beer line is right. haven't heard it for thirty years.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Deda
Date: 22 Jul 03 - 12:34 PM

One of my dad's college (and lifelong) drinking pals sang "Abide with me" as "Imbibe with me". Alas, I've forgotten the words -- which were very funny.

JCC -- Thanks. Having seen Jerusalem I can tell you that it is much the loveliest city I've ever seen, and I've seen quite a few. It really does shine -- many of the buildings are of white stones, and they reflect the sunlight.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Joe_F
Date: 22 Jul 03 - 06:56 PM

Hrothgar: That one is new to me -- and not in the St Andrews songbook. It is good to see such things properly recorded. %^)

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Beccy
Date: 23 Jul 03 - 04:36 PM

Our small town just last week held a community hymn sing. It was so neat to see a lot of older folks come out in the beautiful weather. It was staged near a lovely creek in town in a gazebo. What a neat sense of community. We sang a bunch of old ones... but some ninny thought "If I Had A Hammer" was a hymn, for pete's sake. They insisted on singing it, and loudly to boot. Somehow I don't think I was the only one who didn't see how that fit in with "Abide With Me", "Be Thou My Vision", "The Old Rugged Cross", "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence", etc...

Beccy

Subject: RE: Evergreen Mountains of Life
From: Haruo
Date: 15 Apr 04 - 12:59 AM

Re: The Evergreen Mountains of Life — I found a stanza; still hoping Neighmond or someone can supply a tune.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: jack halyard
Date: 15 Apr 04 - 03:44 AM

Danny Spooner, Margaret Walters and I led a crowd in "Guide Me oh Thou Great Jehovah" (Cwm Rhondda) at the Aust. National Folk Festival, a few days ago. The immense power in the tune, the multiple layers of harmonic potential and the poetic majesty of the words make it a giant of a song- as well as its history of association with the welsh mining communities. This would have to classify as my favourite. My mum, sister, brother and I dragged the congregation along with it at my father's funeral, Not a miserable hymn at all!
                                       Jack Halyard

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,folkie
Date: 15 Apr 04 - 06:27 AM

I heard one sung in the Anchor Middle Bar one lunch time with fantastic harmonies almost sounded like I was in church and when I enquired what it was called someone said it was called "Blessed Quietness" (?) It was about being on the sea (I think)I know its a long shot but does anyone know what Im going on about because I really would like to acquire music and words to this. This event happened 2002 Sidmouth

In hope!

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: masato sakurai
Date: 15 Apr 04 - 08:30 AM

BLESSÈD QUIETNESS is at the Cyber Hymnal.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: JennyO
Date: 15 Apr 04 - 11:20 AM

There is also this song sung to the tune of Blessed Quietness, and using the same chorus, by Bill Sables:

Whitby Fisherman

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,Blasphemer
Date: 15 Apr 04 - 12:23 PM

Mark Graham or Seattle wrote a wonderfully satirical gospel song called Zen Gospel Singing Its my personal favorite hymn.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,M5
Date: 15 Apr 04 - 07:39 PM

I Heard a Hymn called 'Across the Bridge', sung in the Cottage at Miskin last weekend. Beautiful tune and harmonies, the hair on my arms is still standing on end. For this week anyway it is my favourite hymn.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Stephen R.
Date: 16 Apr 04 - 01:06 AM

'Guide me, O thou great Jehovah' to Cwm Rhondda is marvellous; there is also an Appalachian tune, one of those fantastic older-than-shape-note things that I love. How can you decide on a favourite? There are so many great ones . . . .   The Galician (Ukrainian Galicia, not the Iberian one) Nativity hymn Dyvnaia novyna is a favorite for that season. Wachet auf for Advent. Or from the Iberian peninsula, Veinte cinco de diciembre. If thou but suffer God to guide thee. 'Hail the day so long expected.' The list goes on and on. . . .

Stephen R.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 19 Apr 04 - 10:59 PM

"Stewards of Earth" appears to be by Omer Westendorf; whether he credited Caedmon I don't know. The second stanza's first line as given above doesn't scan. Good Earth Day hymn, I think.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,Chuck
Date: 04 May 04 - 02:33 PM

Hey, could someone tell me where I could find the words to "The Evergreen Mountains of Life" ?

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST
Date: 04 May 04 - 09:56 PM

Hi Chuck,

Masato Sakurai supplied the text here.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: DaveA
Date: 05 May 04 - 05:12 AM

Missed this thread the first time round but the references to Cwm Rhondda sucked me in. It's a great tune but I fear ruined for me since I took my mother (well in her eighties) to hear Aled Jones when he was on tour in Melbourne in December. He was a gifted boy soprano but his voice did not break well. He did a version of Cwm Rhondda but basically let the choir backing him carry the music & his attempt at "Oh Holy Night" was pitiful - he didn't even try for the top note at the end.

However, to be positive, as a lapsed old school Methodist, Charles Wesley certainly put the emotion into his brothers crusading (might I say like George Beverley Shea used to with Billy Graham). And John W. Peterson (who I think wrote Softly & Tenderley which was one of the earliest entries) to me has written some of the better modern hymns & cantatas.

But, as a final comment on the faith I was raised in:
Do you know why Methodists disapprove of sex before marriage
They fear it might lead to dancing!!!

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: beardedbruce
Date: 05 May 04 - 05:19 AM

Well, I don't go to church, but I do like to hymm along at getaways and such...

"Bright Morning Stars Are Rising" and one from the Unitarians- "Come Sing A Song With Me"

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: JennyO
Date: 05 May 04 - 09:33 AM

Try this version of Cwm Rhondda - an Aussie political parody by John Dengate about our pollies and their disgraceful treatment of refugees in this country. I was actually asked to sing this at a church service at Snalbans folk festival about a week ago. It went down rather well:

THE REFUGEES' REVENGE             John Dengate

Tune: Bread of Heaven / Cwm Rhondda

Mr Howard, you'll have no passport
When you walk through death's dark vale.
Lost and frightened, you will travel
Buffeted by storm and gale.

CHORUS   Mr Howard and Mr Ruddock,
                   When your bodies are deceased,
                   You'll be locked in hell and not released.

Mr Ruddock, power will not save you
When you cross the River Styx,
Nor your specious rhetoric and cunning
Nor your ruthless politics.

CHORUS

Speaking from the throne of heaven,
God will weigh your evil deed.
"Howard and Ruddock, I deny you status,
Never now, will you be freed."

CHORUS

You will weep in hell's detention centre
For your cruel and heartless crime.
Cries for mercy endlessly ignored:
Eternity's a long, long time.

CHORUS

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Tracey Dragonsfriend
Date: 05 May 04 - 01:58 PM

Hmmm... it's a toss-up between Jerusalem and Amazing Grace. I'm a traditionalist, I know!

Subject: BS: Re: Methodists and Dancing
From: Haruo
Date: 05 May 04 - 09:23 PM

DaveA wrote:

But, as a final comment on the faith I was raised in:
Do you know why Methodists disapprove of sex before marriage They fear it might lead to dancing!!!

We Baptists usually cite the same fear in justification of our opposition to having sex standing up. I think our fear makes more sense. But then, I'm a Baptist...

I would have to say I think Charles Wesley's music was far more influential (at least in the long run) than John's preaching; whether the same will be true of Shea vs. Graham is doubtful. BTW is George still alive; he was last I checked, but he must be pushing 100. Billy is not only still alive, but still Crusading last I heard. (Though his son Franklin is CEO of the empire now.)

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 05 May 04 - 09:37 PM

OK, Haruo, you asked for it!

Methodists are just Baptists who can read!

(from the movie, A River Runs Through It.)

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 05 May 04 - 09:40 PM

;-)

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: LindsayInWales
Date: 05 May 04 - 09:51 PM

I love all the hymns in the English Hymnal, which I have known for 50+ years, and then I discovered that it was compiled by Ralph Vaughan Williams - no wonder so many of the tunes seemed "familiar..........

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Mark Ross
Date: 05 May 04 - 09:59 PM

HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING and the lady of the house loves it too!

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Pogo
Date: 05 May 04 - 10:08 PM

" Beautiful Savior (The Crusader's Hymn) "...hm..." Lord of the Dance " ( I prefer the old hymn...not Micheal Flatley's interpretation of it no offense to the Flatley fans ;O) "O Come O Come Emmanuel " Beethoven's Ode to Joy (Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee) which is in an old Baptist hymnal I have. " In The Garden "...gosh there's a lot of them that I like. And I adore Angel Band and Down to the River to Pray on the O Brother Where Art Thou? CD

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,DaveA
Date: 06 May 04 - 04:27 AM

I like that one Mary.

Now, if only both denominations would learn to thnk....

Haruo, your contention re Charles versus John Wesley is interesting.
As I remember my British History course at University, a very pagan lecturer gave John high marks for his outreach to the poor & displaced as the Industrial Revolution swept thru "Englands green & pleasant land" (as another of my favourites so beautifully put it).

Religious historians may well agree with your point (and certainly musicologists will). But mainstream historians I suspect have John on a higher plane.

Good thread this - and nice to see Catters prepared to sing (albeit with altered words) some of the old classics. To paraphrase old Mr Booth (the founder of the Salvation Army) "Why should God have all the good tunes"!!!!

Dave

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Burke
Date: 06 May 04 - 10:18 AM

Haruo, I think it was Charles Wesley's >6000 hymn texts, not his music that had the big impact :-) I'm not sure he wrote any music at all. His son, Samuel Wesley, did.

Both John & Charles thought the hymns were important to help people take the sermon home.

B.

Subject: Lyr Add: Behold the Savior of Mankind
From: Haruo
Date: 06 May 04 - 09:44 PM

You're right, Burke, though somewhere I believe I have seen one single solitary tune attributed to Chuck. But regardless of the tunes to which they're sung, it's his texts sung, not merely read or even declaimed, that have had the impact.

And while I have great respect for the Wesleys' proto-social-gospel activities, John's influence in that regard was for the most part limited to the England (and colonies) of the time. Charles's hymns, on the other hand, remain a major force today, and have not only gone around the world but across denominational lines as well. So I stand by my assessment, DaveA.

Incidentally, it appears likely that Charles Wesley inherited his hymnopoetic gift from his father, Samuel Wesley. Witness this (from the 1989 The United Methodist Hymnal):

---

Behold the Savior of Mankind
Samuel Wesley (1662-1735)

Behold the Savior of mankind
nailed to the shameful tree;
how vast the love that him inclined
to bleed and die for thee!

Hark how he groans! while nature shakes,
and earth's strong pillars bend!
The temple's veil in sunder breaks,
the solid marbles rend.

'Tis done! the precious ransom's paid!
"Receive my soul!" he cries;
see where he bows his sacred head!
He bows his head and dies!

But soon he'll break death's envious chain
and in full glory shine.
O Lamb of God, was ever pain,
was ever love like thine?

---

No tune is suggested in the hymnal; I wonder what mudcat hymnnuts would propose. The hymnal says in a footnote: 'Written by Samuel Wesley (1662-1735), this is one of the few relics of his papers found after the fire which destroyed the Epworth rectory during the night of February 9, 1709, when his son, young John Wesley, was rescued as a "brand plucked out of the burning." It was first printed in John Wesley's hymnbook A Collection of Psalms and Hymns (Charleston, 1737), under the tile "On the Crucifixion."'

I presume the incipit then read "Saviour" and that "Savior" is a later American emendation. How much of the rest has been modernized or otherwise toyed with I can't guess; maybe none, but 1709 strikes me as a bit early for such a text to look so modern.

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Burke
Date: 07 May 04 - 11:39 AM

Cyberhymnal suggests "Martyrdom" by Hugh Wilson or "Windsor" by Christopher Tye. Both are good standard CM tunes that would work well. I think Martyrdom aka Avon or Sacred Throne sounds really good with the text. "Martyrdom" is frequently associate with "Alas and did my Savior bleed." Behold... had similar sentiments, but I think using the verses with "At the Cross" would be stretching things a bit.

I'm not sure what you mean about the modernness of the text. Except for one or 2 spellings, it seems to me very much of the period. Sunder, rend, death's envious chain, all seem very much of the period to me. CCEL has it from the 1889 printing of J. Wesley's Collection of Hymns, for the Use of the People Called Methodists.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,Haruo
Date: 07 May 04 - 08:43 PM

The phrasing is very much of the period, but the accidentals (spelling, punctuation and capitalization in particular) strike me as twentieth-century.

Haruo

Subject: Looking fro lyrics to 2 hymns
From:
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 04:47 PM

Hello,My name is Connie and I used to sing in the choir at our parrish,and my favorite hymns,or I should say some of my favorites,were The Peace Prayer of Saint Francis and Here I Am ,Lord.I was wondering if someone knew the verses of these two hymns.If you could help me out I'd greatly appreciate it.
                                  Thank You,
                                 Connie

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 10:35 PM

Hi Connie. I usually check out http://www.cyberhymnal.org first, but "Here I am Lord" is under copyright, therefore not posted there. I found it here, but it might not be there long.

The prayer of St. Francis can be found on the Internet also. Try searching with Google and put "let there be peace on earth" in the search box.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Jun 04 - 02:16 AM

There are a few versions of a couple of prayers of St. Francis in this thread (click).
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 08 Jun 04 - 09:50 AM

Connie, be sure to check out Joe's link to "the real prayer of St. Francis." I steered you wrong with "Let there be peace on earth." I just wasn't thinking clearly!

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: wanderhope
Date: 09 Jun 04 - 09:51 AM

I hope to have sung at my funeral:
"It Is Well With My Soul"
"They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore"

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: Haruo
Date: 13 Jun 04 - 12:21 AM

Only two songs, wanderhope?

How about adding "Drop-Kick Me, Jesus, Thru the Goalposts of Life"?

Haruo

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,Girochaser
Date: 02 Aug 09 - 08:22 AM

I forgot that I posted this ages ago, well like 6 years and I was like dearie me how many people got into it, cool.
I still love the song and yes I'm still bored at work, how mad is that? hehe.
Well the wedding never happened but thats great as my life took a turn for the better, much better. Still not into religion but hey as long as we can smile and be happy then everyone is a winner.
Thanks
Dylan AKA Boab D AKA Girochaser

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: topical tom
Date: 02 Aug 09 - 08:48 AM

How Great Thou Art.

Subject: RE: Your Favourite Hymn
From: GUEST,Girochaser
Date: 02 Aug 09 - 08:52 AM

What me, ach you just say that Tom, hehe
Dylan