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03 Aug 09 - 06:16 PM (#2693087) Subject: Origins: Reutterliedlein From: GUEST,leeneia Last Sunday, our pianist was not available for church service, so I played guitar and recorder. Flipping through the hymnal during communion, I saw a nice one called 'Rejoice, Angelic Choirs, Rejoice.' and played it on the spot. It's pretty nice, being a crooked tune with some nice climbing passages and jaunty eighth notes at the end. The tune dates to 1535 and comes from something (a book probably) called 'Reutterliedlein.' by C. Egenolf. I can figure out 'Liedlein,' which means 'little songs.' Does anybody have a clue what 'Reutter' is? I am doubly interested because I have neighbors with that name. (The online German Dictionary doesn't find it, either with one t or two.) It is pronounced roy-ter. |
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04 Aug 09 - 02:09 AM (#2693294) Subject: RE: Origins: Reutterliedlein From: Ernest hi leenia, "Reutter" is a historical form of the word "Ritter" (= knight) or "Reiter" (= rider). It simply means "folksong". According to Lutz Röhrichs book " Gesammelte Schriften zur Volkslied- und Balladenforschung" the word "folksong" = Volkslied was first used by the poet, philosopher etc. Johann Gottfried Herder (born1744, died 1803); before that various words have been used from "cantus vulgi" to "Gassenhawerlin" or "Strassenlied" (last 2 can be translated as "street ballads"). Best wishes Ernest |
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04 Aug 09 - 03:05 AM (#2693310) Subject: RE: Origins: Reutterliedlein From: Joe Offer Which hymnal did you find it in, Leeneia? I found an online source for the lyrics, but couldn't find it in print. The Lutheran Manual on the Liturgy (ELCUSA) says the song, #146 in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), can be used instead of the Exsultet, the Easter Proclamation. If you look at the text, you'll see it is very close to the Exsultet. The hymn will not appear in the new hymnal, Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006). The tune I see associated with it is Waechterlied (watchman's song) - can't find that one, either. Cyber Hymnal didn't help at all. Rejoice, Angelic Choirs, Rejoice (attributed to Augustine of Hippo) Rejoice, angelic choirs, rejoice! Rejoice now, all creation! Let trumpets loudly raise their voice to hail the Lord's salvation; Let all Christ's holy priesthood sing The triumph of their mighty king In festive celebration! O earth, exult in radiance bright, illumined by Christ's splendor! Your darkness now is put to flight; to him due praises render! Be glad, O Church! Sing out your songs! Your temples fill with shouting throngs To hail the glorious victor! Let all who gather round this flame, the sign of Christ's arising, The deathless light of Christ accplaim, His saving mercy prizing; That all may live by faith in Him Who conquered death, despair and sing, To make us his forever. Labels: 11th c., latin Tune: Waechterlied Source: http://poor-hymnal.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html You can hear the tune at the LBW Online Hymnal. Is that the tune you played, Leeneia? If not that, how about this one? -Joe- |
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04 Aug 09 - 10:14 AM (#2693477) Subject: RE: Origins: Reutterliedlein From: GUEST,leeneia Danke sehr, Ernest. Das is nett. Reutter = Ritter. Joe, I found it in the Lutheran Book of Worship, which my congregation still uses. The tune is indeed Wachterlied, which I suppose means 'Watching Song.' I've listened to the version on the site you mentioned, Lutheran-Hymnal.com It makes the song sound like something done by a not-too-polished marching band. When I see a tune like this, from 1535, and then I see all those block chords in the arrangement, I wonder where the arrangement came from. Is it [shudder] Victorian? I have been tinkering with the tune using Noteworthy Composer, and I think the bar lines are in the wrong places. (The editors thought so too, because they've inserted breath marks in funny places.) So I try to imagine a Renaissance choir, which will be led by boy sopranos, singing a song of joy. Then I ask myself, where would their sentences begin and end? It seems to need 4/4 measures and at least one 6/4 measure, but unless the overall phrasing makes sense, my friends will never be able to play it with me. When a song has a different number of beats in different measures, it's called a crooked tune. I wonder is that is just an American phrase, or do other countries use it. (?) As a Lutheran, I've sung such songs all my life. When my friends look at them and cry, "What?!" I tell them, 'Look, nobody's dancing here. We're singing words, and however many beats it takes to sing the words, that's how many we use.' |
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04 Aug 09 - 07:35 PM (#2693890) Subject: RE: Origins: Reutterliedlein From: Joe Offer OK, now listen to the MIDI leeneia made. I think it's spectacular. I didn't really like Wächterlied, but this is a fitting tune for the Easter Exsultet (of course, I'm rather partial to the Gregorian Chant Exsultet, but this is very nice.). Click to Play (Rejoice Angelic Choirs)Here' leeneia's explanation:
========== thanks leeneia |
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05 Aug 09 - 09:43 AM (#2694109) Subject: RE: Origins: Reutterliedlein From: GUEST,leeneia I'm glad you like it, Joe. When I first played the song, it seemed rather confusing. Then when I altered the time signatures, it made more sense to me. |
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24 Aug 09 - 10:44 AM (#2707290) Subject: RE: Origins: Reutterliedlein From: katlaughing Very kewl! Can't wait to share it with my brother, the composer. Thanks for heads up in the other thread, leeneia! Good job, Joe! |
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24 Aug 09 - 12:04 PM (#2707339) Subject: RE: Origins: Reutterliedlein From: GUEST,leeneia Thanks, kat. My gang will be playing this (world premiere of the new arrangement) on August 30th. I can't wait to tell them it's very kewl. |