Lyr Req: Be Thou My Vision / Slane

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Be Thou My Vision / Slane
From: GUEST,Dave MacKenzie
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 07:22 PM

One problem with Slane is that it's actually two tunes (not really but most hymnbooks have 10 10 10 10 (Dactylic) versions for "be Thou my Vison" and 10 11 11 12 for "Lord of all hopefulness". It helps if the organist plays the right version!

As for inclusive words, the United Reforemed Church amended the words of BTMV so that it actually fits the tune when used for congregational singing, and in the second verse says

Thou my great Father, thy child let me be,
Thou in me dwelling, and I one with thee.

(Rejoice & Sing #489)

Subject: Be Thou My Vision
From: GUEST,Paul Anthony Wallis www.paulwallis.net
Date: 29 Jun 08 - 11:37 PM

I love this hymn. Love the breadth of its vision. Learned it as a boy at school. Love its strong and resolute spirit. As a bloke I appreciate that.

I have coming out in November with Continuum Press (UK) and Paulist Press (USA) in the spring. It's called

Be Thou my Breastplate
40 days of giving your life to God the Celtic way.

Its based on another celtic Breastplate Prayer known as Fursa's Breastplate or Lorica.

Be Thou my Breastplate for people who are hungry for a more whole-life spirituality (as distinct from church-centred spirituality) and intrigued by wisdom from an ancient Celtic pioneer whose ecclesiological work and wisdom pre-dates many of the church structures we've all grown up with.

Love those Celts and the tantalizing glimpses we have into their world. so many of us in the western churches can trace our roots from generation to generation, mission to mission, pastor to pastor back to those awesome Celtic pioneers of the 500s & 600s. So a lot of us resonate with expression of their vision and values - such as this wonderful hymn.

With Blessings,

Paul Wallis

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Be Thou My Vision / Slane
From: GUEST,Jim Kuder
Date: 08 Aug 07 - 01:12 PM

Wikipedia has the following entry about the song:
The music is the Irish folk song, Slane, which is about Slane Hill where in 433 A.D. St. Patrick defied the pagan High King Lóe­gaire of Ta­ra by lighting candles on Easter Eve. Besides this general connection to Christianity, the folk song has little prior connection to the text.

Subject: HOW GREAT THOU ART in SPANISH!
From: GUEST,Christian_Ibzu
Date: 21 Apr 07 - 06:14 PM

CUAN GRANDE ES EL

Señor mi Dios,
A contemplar los cielos
El firmamento
Y las estrellas mil
A oir tu voz
En los potentes truenos
Y ver brillar el sol en su cenit

Mi corazón entona la canción
Cuan grande es Él
Cuan grande es Él
Mi corazón entona la canción
Cuan grande es Él
Cuan grande es Él

Cuándo recuerdo del amor divino
Que desde el cielo al Salvador envío
Aquel Jesús que por salverme vino
Y en una cruz sufrió por mi y murío

Cuándo el Señor me llame a Su presencia
Al dulce hogar al cielo de esplendor
Le adoraré cantando la grandeza
De Su poder y su infinito amor

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Be Thou My Vision / Slane
From: GUEST,Pat
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 01:11 AM

Does anyone have the Mary Byrne translation, not just the Eleanor Hull versification of the Mary Byrne translation? I want it partly for the same reason as others, to be better informed in how I interpret/tweak the Hull version.

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: Robin June
Date: 06 Jan 07 - 07:51 PM

Thanks, everyone.

I've been looking to try and arrange this for classical guitar and voice, and for the voice I was looking for as original a set of Irish lyrics as possible, and a good translation for them into English, if they differed from "Be Thou My Vision" substantially.

At the moment, I have a fingerstyle version of "Slane" which I will play on a classical guitar and hope that that makes it classical enough.

Now all I need are some pronunciation lessons!

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: GUEST,Eamonn Sean McWatt
Date: 02 Nov 06 - 02:39 PM

It has the most powerful lyrics and one of the most beautiful tunes I am aware of. I often just sit and meditate on the words. The similarity to some of the sentiments of the Lorica of St Patrick/The Deer's Cry are clear but of course the lorica is an even more intense prayer for protection. I am looking for a setting for Irish Warpipes/GHB for use by my Regimental Pipes and Drums at Church parades. It's appropriate as we are an Irish Regiment.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Be Thou My Vision / Slane
From: Slag
Date: 26 Jul 06 - 05:54 PM

Thanks all. This too is one of my all-time favorite hymns and tunes. Great music can make mediocre poetry sound good and great poetry can help out a marginal tune but when you have both combine and all to the glory of God, what a wonderful experience!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Be Thou My Vision / Slane
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Jul 06 - 04:23 AM

Cordilow sent me three files for posting, a PDF file of a choral arrangment (available for only a short time), and MIDI files for choral and piano arrangements.

Click to display/download sheet music

Click to play (choir version)

Click to play (piano version)

Here's the note from Cordilow:

This is an arrangement, but anyone can treat it as if it were public domain, as long as they realize that it is not public domain (i.e. so they don't post it on a site that will claim the rights to it or such, thus defeating the purpose of making it as if it were public domain); as long as what they do with it does not restrict what anyone else can do with it (the original), that is fine by me. People can restrict whatever they want as far as derivative works are concerned (if they so honor the work enough to create any).

I'm sending you the pdf and two midis (even though you only need the midi), just in case you want it. One midi is piano, and the other is choral, but the song, as arranged, is meant to be primarily for choral purposes.

The midis can be used as karaoke (all verses) with Vanbasco's Karaoke Player (it's quite a fast and nifty program for midis; you can change keys, change the tempo, see the lyrics, and so forth).

There is a new second verse, as explained on the bottom of the pdf file (if you use the midi's karaoke capabilities, anyway). I changed the second verse so that female singers could sing it comfortably (i.e. it used to say "Thou art my Father, and I Thy true son"). I re-versified the other verses a little.

I haven't shown this to a lot of people, so I'm not really sure what people will think of it.
If you like it, feel free to let me know! If you don't, feel free to tell me why.

Thanks, Cordilow!
-Joe Offer-

The piano version works well for me, but the choral version sounds scratchy. I imagine it must be a problem with that voice on my sound card.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Be Thou My Vision / Slane
From: GUEST,Cordilow
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 02:37 AM

Hello,

I've written a full choir version of this song. I wanted to make such a version freely available to everyone, as all of the choral versions I've found seem to be copyrighted pretty strictly.

I would just submit it to CPDL.org, but I don't want to restrict what people can do with derivative works. I want to make it as if it were public domain all the way. Does anyone here know of a server on the net where I can upload it (and link it to CPDL from there)? I need a server that won't claim any sort of rights on the stuff I upload, and a server that will let it remain there indefinitely. If you don't now of a public source, do you know of a private source?

Anyway, contact me at shoreu_at_hotmail.com.

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Be Thou My Vision / Slane
From: GUEST,Cordilow
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 03:52 AM

Ah,

I found earlier here an English translation of the second verse, by Aodh ó Dugáin. I put it to verse (well, most of the words are now quite different, but the meaning is pretty close).

Really, the word 'son' was never in that translation.

Here's his translation, as cited above:

Will You be my guidance
in my words and actions
Stay with me forever
and keep me on the right path

As my Father take care of me
and listen to my prayers
And give me a place
to live inside Your heart

My question now, is who is Aodh ó Dugáin? Is this person still alive? If so, how can I contact this person? Are there such English translations for other than the first four Old Irish verses?

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Be Thou My Vision / Slane
From: Peace
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 01:50 AM

Thou our great Father, the Light of the sun;
Thou in us dwelling, and we with Thee one.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Be Thou My Vision / Slane
From: Peace
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 01:48 AM

Sorry

Won't work.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Be Thou My Vision / Slane
From: Peace
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 01:20 AM

"Thou my great Father, we thy trues ones?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Be Thou My Vision / Slane
From: GUEST,Cordilow
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 01:18 AM

I'm looking for a way to re-word the current second verse so as to accommodate female singers (i.e. it says "Thou my great Father, I Thy true son"). I would just put 'child' instead of 'son', but it doesn't rhyme with 'one' on the next line: "Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one."

I couldn't find a literal translation of the second verse. I'm trying to find one so I can make my own poetic version of this verse.

Does someone have an absolutely literal translation of the second verse from Old Irish to English? It's probably the fourth verse in Old Irish, though.

Subject: RE: Lyrics to How Great Thou Art
From: GUEST,mel
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 11:24 AM

Do you have the lyrics to How Great Thou Art in Spanish??

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Be Thou My Vision / Slane
From: GUEST,Caroline
Date: 23 Nov 05 - 01:25 AM

Does anyone know how I can find a french translation to "be thou my vision" and other old hymns?
Thanks,
Caroline

---

Caroline, I moved your request here (click).
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: GUEST,Caleb ap Darryl
Date: 07 Sep 05 - 02:30 PM

Does anyone know the Lyrics to "Be thou my vision" in Cymru (welsh)? I have tried to find them online, but I could only find Irish and English translations.
Thanks
Diolch!

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Aug 05 - 08:53 PM

Posted already- Aine, 31 Jan 00, way up above, posted the Gaelic lyrics. Her source says author unknown. Cyberhymnal attributes the hymn text to Forgaill (see post above).

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Aug 05 - 08:45 PM

After that suggestion- gather ye faggots and prepare to barbecue.

I would also like to see the original, attributed to Dallan Forgaill, 8th c., in the Cyberhymnal.

The Irish tune "Slane" also is used in the song "On the Banks of the Bann" (called "Brown Girl" in Canada). See thread 72826: Banks of the bann

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 21 Aug 05 - 08:08 PM

GREG S.

What a wonderful idea - not only educational but melodic - however - why must you be racist?

Include: Dw I'n lamacio yn y dafarm

(I believe the Irish stole the tune from Wales)

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: GUEST,GregS
Date: 21 Aug 05 - 03:40 AM

Anyonoe have a recording of the OLD Irish version of 'Be Thou My Vision" (Rop Tú Mo Baile). Am looking to do an arrangement that goes from old Irish through modern Irish into English.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

GregS <><

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: GUEST,Jennie
Date: 21 Jun 04 - 08:34 PM

Oh yeah - the name of the CD by Maire Brennan is "Whisper to the Wild Water"

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: GUEST,Jennie
Date: 21 Jun 04 - 08:30 PM

I have a CD by Maire Brennan, who sings with Clannad, that has "Bi thusa mo shuile" (Be Thou My Vision) on it. She does only 2 verses, but it is very well worth the listen. My husband sang it in the Irish Gaelic last year at the first graduation at our Christian School at our church. Be Thou My Vision is their school song. He thought it would be appropriate to do it in the original tongue. I, of course, had to write it out phonetically for him. Ereyone loved it. Anyway, check out the CD - it's a very lovely version of one of my favorite hymns.

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Jun 03 - 12:40 AM

Hi, Sunrise - you'll find two Gaelic versions of this hymn here (click), toward the top of this thread.
-Joe Offer (e-mail sent)-

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From:
Date: 28 Jun 03 - 07:28 PM

Hello: I'm a first timer here to Mudcat. This is a great site. I, too am looking for the Gaelic for "Be Thou My Vision." Planning a CD and want to include the piece in the Gaelic. This is my all time favorite hymn and as i am of Irish heritage I am always looking the the music. I look for any help here.

Sunrise

Subject: Lyr Add: BE THOU MY VISION
From: GUEST,S.E.Moore
Date: 11 Sep 02 - 03:12 PM

My Vision

Friday night, driving home in my jeep, my ears filled with the song from the CD by Rebecca St. James. It moved me to tears. How many times have I heard it before? Too many to count. I was grateful for the dark night around me so no one could see the tears streaming down my cheeks.

Saturday I awoke with the song on my mind. As I went about the day's business, I visited with my best friend. As she washed the dishes, she began to hum the same song. In silent wonder, I listened. No tears. Just deep contemplation of what the song was saying to me. Again, I hid my face by jumping into the jeep and or a driving away.

Sunday morning, the song was in my hands as I held the hymnal. There it was in black and white in front of me. The words flowing from my lungs with each breathe of praise. Only the Lord could have gently allowed the repetition of the song through the past few days.

The week continues and the song crosses the path of my feet in every direction. Now in my ears, now in my mind, now in my hands, at my feet until it has finally pierced and arrived in my heart.

Now in my heart, it is in my eyes… and I understand that I am seeing you, Lord. While I am here at seminary, my Mighty and Glorious King, be Thou my vision.

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 or sleeping Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle-shield, sword for my fight,
Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight.
Thou my soul's shelter, Thou my high tower.
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven my Treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's son,
Heart of my heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.

In the words of Fernando Ortega, I pray, Lord of Eternity, Father of Mercy, and Keeper of all the stars, friend to the poorest heart, touch me and make me whole.

Lord, heal our nation and our world. Today of all days, as we mourn and remember the lost lives from one year ago, whether the lives were friend or foe, that you would save us all. Touch us and make us whole.

S. Emily Moore

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: Genie
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 11:52 AM

Wrong, Gargoyle. Read the whole thread, not just Joe's post.

Yeah, Mary, I know a couple of ways to read the yellow posts. I was just giving our gargoyle friend a hard time. ;-D

Genie

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 11:10 AM

Genie, you can read yellow type by highlighting it (drag the mouse over it). For the small stuff, I just skip it! (I like boomer enhanced type myself.)

Back to Be Thou My Vision. I was 30 years old before I discovered this tune. I heard it in a hymnbook and loved the tune. Only late did I realize that it was Irish. For some reason I've gravitated to the Irish and Scottish tunes all my life.

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 02:32 AM

Ahhh Genie again and again....this must be SOOOO confusin to little Trish... the newbie - With all the colored things on any page....how is a first-time MudCatterknow....a Blue Clicky unless your say....

What you are looking for...is within this thread....PLEASE Click Your Mouse on the color to jump to the thread.

Genie - you might try memorizing scriptures - (or cookbooks, or song lyrics) it is good for the mind and helps prevent senility - in this immediate thread you state I could've sworn I posted the lyrics It wasn't you... it was done by Joe Offer.

First rule of scholarship - always CHECK YOUR SOURCES!

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: Genie
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 01:57 AM

And a pox on pax to you, too, Garg.  : )

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 01:44 AM

PAX Gene PAX

Peace,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 01:42 AM

Ahhwww, there now.

You remind me of the burros I used to wrangle...a little prodding and all moves along quite nicely.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: Genie
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 01:10 AM

I knew the "Wake Now My Senses" lyrics had been posted in the forum before. FWIW, they are in this thread.

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 12:57 AM

Because YOU Meanie Gene - the money machine - know how to read the yellow message...and it won't scare away the innocent, young seeker requesting insight and wisdom while expecting understanding.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: Genie
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 12:39 AM

Actually, that last message was supposed to say:

 Gargoyle, if ya want me to read your messages. how about using some color other than yellow?

 Genie

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: Genie
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 12:18 AM

Gargoyle, if ya want me to read your messages. how about using some color other than yellow?

Genie

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 26 Aug 02 - 11:12 PM

Bob Bolton asked a long time ago about " I cannot tell why He ,whom angels worship". If you are still looking for that I have found it in the Mehthodist hymn Book Northern Ireland edition page 809 tune Londonderry air Written by William Young Fullerton 1857-1932. Let me know and we will find a way.

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Aug 02 - 10:47 PM

Ahhhh Genie - Again you arn't very helpful to our visitor. 1.Don't have her search for your lyrics - which you can't find... post them where she can find them. 2.She is CHRISTIAN - looking for lyrics that celebrate CHRIST

!!!Welcome TRISH!

You will find the following site very helpful in learning to wrap your southern drawl into a Gaelic approximation.

http://www.standingstones.com/gaelpron.html

Practice Hard, Sing Loud, and glorifiy HIS majesty!

Have FUN too!

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: Genie
Date: 26 Aug 02 - 10:22 PM

In this thread, I could've sworn I posted the lyrics to "Wake, Now, My Senses." It's another beautiful hymn to the "Slane" tune, and it is in the current Unitarian-Universalist hymnal, "Singing The Living Tradition."

(I still think they are posted somewhere, but I've tried various seaches and not found them yet.)

Genie

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: GUEST,Me[ trish arg i'm texan!]
Date: 26 Aug 02 - 08:03 PM

But i'm irish. irish cowgirl hoorah. I wanted to know if anyone had something that would help me pronounce the gaelic lyrics if i sung them to the modern tune of this hymn. I love it so much ..but for our youth at church i was supposed to do something talented and this seems great to do! E-mail me at [e-mail] if ya can help

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: IanC
Date: 23 May 01 - 06:41 AM

re: Holst

Liz isn't quite right. Holst was living in Thaxted when he wrote the tune for the hymn"I Vow To Thee My Country". He then borrowed it for "The Planets".

Cheers!
Ian

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: sian, west wales
Date: 23 May 01 - 05:39 AM

It's in several Welsh hymn books - I think it's in the newest interdenominational book which came out this year. The words used, usually, are a translation of Joe's Lord of All Hopefullness.

Oh, and it's in Canadian hymn books as well.

Re: using folk melodies, Welsh books are teeming with them. In some cases, the to-ing and fro-ing between hymn and folk song are so complicated that (for some) you can't really say anymore what they were at the very beginning. In many cases it's unfortunate that the tunes lose a lot of the twiddly-bits, but not in all cases. A lot of the major hymn 'figures' in the 19th C. were also noted folk-song collectors. The lyrics made great use of popular folk metres of their day - made it easier to remember them!

BTW, Welsh is not very like Scottish or Irish (although there are words very similar). Welsh is sister to Cornish and Breton (very very similar) and cousin to Irish, Scottish and Manx.

Also, seems to me that Liz is right about Holst ... just can't remember where I've seen it...

sian

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: alison
Date: 22 May 01 - 09:26 PM

hahaha.......... Jim I just put that down to a very thick Belfast accent......... I don't think he got it wrong at all..... *grin*

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: mousethief
Date: 22 May 01 - 06:07 PM

A truly beautiful melody.

Alex

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 May 01 - 04:43 PM

Van Morrison sings this song on "Hymns to the Silence," 1991 - I think with the Chieftains. Unfortunately, he sings "… save that Thy art," which makes no sense, instead of "… save that Thou art." This has got to be one of the worst bloopers in the history of pop music.

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: IanC
Date: 22 May 01 - 08:33 AM

Info from the Anglican Hymnal site Oremus

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart [lyrics are copyright]
see #568 in The Book of Common Praise, 1938;
#253 in The Hymnbook, 1971;
#488 in The Hymnal 1982;
#343 inHymns Ancient and Modern New Standard;
and #339 in The New English Hymnal]

Words: Ancient Irish hymn; trans. Mary Byrne and versified by Eleanor Hull, 1927

Music: Slane

(the tune had already been used in earlier hymnals for "Lord of All Hopefulness" and others)

Cheers!
Ian

Meter: 10 10 10 10

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: GUEST,Brían
Date: 22 May 01 - 08:20 AM

Well, I was creeping around in the perma threads when I found this Be Thou My Vision in A Basic Folk Library

I would love it if Mr. John Moulden or anyone else could offer an explanation of how this wonderful poem was set to the melody Slane?

Brían

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: Kaleea
Date: 17 May 01 - 01:39 AM

Yes, I do. It is one of my favorite tunes to play on a whistle. With lots of ornamentation of course! When directing choirs, I have been known to slip this and other Irish tunes in hymn settings in for the services around St Patrick's day. Some got it, most did not.

Subject: RE: Be Thou My Vision -do ya know this Irish Tune
From: GUEST,Brían
Date: 16 May 01 - 08:32 AM

Go raibh míe maith agat a Alison, tá neart eolas agat ar ceol !

Brían.