tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457782610616273742.post3680251931811825013..comments2018-05-27T04:22:13.975-04:00Comments on Lady of Silences: The first day of Creation all over againUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457782610616273742.post-23710610427117027522008-03-24T19:00:00.000-04:002008-03-24T19:00:00.000-04:00Oh don't ask that. Our music director has us sing...Oh don't ask that. Our music director has us sing that just as a hymn once in awhile (I guess it must be in the hymnal) and it drives me nuts (I don't mind it in the middle of the Lutheran Communion, only because I expect it there, but I just can't stomach it anywhere else). <BR/><BR/>We don't have anything like that for the Eucharist itself - i.e. no hymn that is part of the service every week -- we just have the various musical settings for the Sanctus (Holy, holy, lord, God of power and might.... etc.) and other parts of the mass, all the same words as the Romans. [Hey, we had traditional Episcopal mass music at our wedding -- you don't recall?]<BR/><BR/>So the triumphalism is nothing integral to the service or any kind of regular feature -- it all just depends on the background of the composers and lyricists who author the hymns the congregation sings and the choral works the choir presents at the Offertory, before the regular words of the mass begin, and then sometimes a Communion anthem, sung after the choir and musicians take Communion and get situated, while others may still be going to the rail.<BR/><BR/>In those anthems, depending on the selections, we have occasional strains of mighty Protestantism that courses through some Anglican music. The English, especially, are historically far more evangelical and less Catholic than us, and we borrow hymns from just about everyone -- Methodist, Lutheran, etc. Choral pieces, however, can be just about anything, any style or time period.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, this year our big offertory anthem was the same used for last year's Easter music at St. Thomas's Fifth Avenue in NYC. I got to like the music o.k. after about 8 weeks of practice but... well, it ain't Easter to me. Here it is:<BR/><BR/><I>Ye choirs of new Jerusalem<BR/><BR/>Ye choirs of new Jerusalem, <BR/>Your sweetest notes employ, <BR/>The Paschal victory to hymn <BR/>In strains of holy joy. <BR/><BR/>For Judah's Lion bursts his chains, <BR/>Crushing the serpent's head; <BR/>And cries aloud through death's domains <BR/>To wake the imprisoned dead. <BR/><BR/>Devouring depths of hell their prey <BR/>At his command restore; <BR/>His ransomed hosts pursue their way <BR/>Where Jesus goes before. <BR/><BR/>Triumphant in his glory now <BR/>To him all power is given; <BR/>To him in one communion bow <BR/>All saints in earth and Heaven. <BR/><BR/>While we, His soldiers, praise our King, <BR/>His mercy we implore, <BR/>Within his palace bright to bring <BR/>And keep us evermore. <BR/><BR/>All glory to the Father be, <BR/>All glory to the Son, <BR/>All glory, Holy Ghost, to Thee, <BR/>While endless ages run. <BR/><BR/>Alleluia! Amen.</I><BR/><BR/>Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924), from <A HREF="http://www.allsaintskingston.co.uk/music/anthems/s.htm" REL="nofollow"><BR/>R Campbell and the compilers of Hymns Ancient and Modern</A><BR/><BR/>This was positively crashing (with the "depths of hell" stuff sung by the basses). And then we had the Hallelujah chorus for the communion anthem -- an immovable tradition where the folks in the pews can sing along (if they have their own music or have memorized it).<BR/><BR/>Anyway, going from Methodists to Lutherans to Piskiepalians, I've never noticed any appreciable difference in Easter Sunday fanfares. Always too loud and brassy, one way or another.kladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09526715552795733402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457782610616273742.post-39346290080571226192008-03-24T18:11:00.000-04:002008-03-24T18:11:00.000-04:00So do Episcopals sing This is the Feast of Victory...So do Episcopals sing This is the Feast of Victory for our Lord? Just wondering.o-momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03630194671643453521noreply@blogger.com