I don't know offhand what was sung at this morning's Mass, apart from *Happy Birthday to you*...
Seriously?
I'm afraid so - *Happy Birthday, dear Jesus* would probably have been sung, not actually within the Mass, but at the post-Mass refreshments.
OTOH, it has been known for FatherInCharge to get people to sing it whilst gathered at the Crib (in church) before the Blessing/Dismissal. He once ended Mass on the Nativity of Our Lady by singing *Happy Birthday, dear Mary* at our Walsingham shrine.
I have not inquired further, as my Spy would become incandescent with rage - she hates it as much as I do...
O come, all ye faithful - Adeste Fideles* On Christmas night all Christians sing - Sussex Carol Joy to the world - Antioch Little Jesus, sweetly sleep - Rocking** Hark, the herald-angels sing - Mendelssohn
* sadly without The Chord - I doubt that the lady who was playing yesterday would know it if it came up in her soup.
** on the first hymn list I was sent, the fourth hymn was down as Unto us is born a Son, which was really the only reason I went to the service (having been at two on Sunday, and thinking it would be my only chance to sing it), and the bloody organist changed it.
On reflection, it wouldn't really have worked at that point (during Communion - not sure what she was thinking), but I'd have had an extra couple of hours in bed if I'd known!
I shall Have Words so that she knows it's not negotiable for next year ...
There is, I think, I real tension between having the Traditional Hymns and Carols for Christmas and having Modern but Less Well-known* items, especially at Family Services. I mean, how many adults - let alone children - understand what 'th'incarnate Deity' means? Conversely there are Carols Sung In School which the children know and like but rarely IME make their way into church.
Personally, as my years grow perilously close to three-score-and-ten, I'm becoming increasingly bored with the traditional fayre and, in fact, would much prefer to go down a robust and hearty folk-song or Quire route for Christmas singing. "That chord" in "O come, all ye faithful" and the discordant descant in "Hark! The herald angels sing" have lost their oomph for me. (And could "O come, o come Emmanuel" be sung without bar-lines?)
Heresy to many, I know - but that's where I'm at.
* I'm not thinking here of composers such as Chilcott but more populist ones such as Kendrick, Townend and probably Wild Goose as well.
At present we are listening to a rather nice CD of a Czech folk-mass setting.
There is, I think, I real tension between having the Traditional Hymns and Carols for Christmas and having Modern but Less Well-known* items, especially at Family Services. I mean, how many adults - let alone children - understand what 'th'incarnate Deity' means? Conversely there are Carols Sung In School which the children know and like but rarely IME make their way into church.
Personally, as my years grow perilously close to three-score-and-ten, I'm becoming increasingly bored with the traditional fayre and, in fact, would much prefer to go down a robust and hearty folk-song or Quire route for Christmas singing. "That chord" in "O come, all ye faithful" and the discordant descant in "Hark! The herald angels sing" have lost their oomph for me. (And could "O come, o come Emmanuel" be sung without bar-lines?)
Heresy to many, I know - but that's where I'm at.
* I'm not thinking here of composers such as Chilcott but more populist ones such as Kendrick, Townend and probably Wild Goose as well.
At present we are listening to a rather nice CD of a Czech folk-mass setting.
This. I totally agree.
(Are you by any chance listening to J J Ryba's Czech Christmas Mass?)
Good Christian friends, rejoice (In dulci jubilo)
Once in royal David's city (Irby)
What child is this, who, laid to rest (Greensleeves)
Joy to the world! the Lord is come (Antioch)
Choral:
Palestrina: Missa Aeterna Christi munera
Tavener: Today the Virgin (1989)
Tavener: The Lamb (1982)
I'm sorry, BT - we'll have to agree to differ. The day the Willcocks descants "lose their oomph" for me, it'll be time to wheel me out feet first!
Having said that, I enjoyed some of the more recently-composed offerings from King's this year; although the commissioned piece didn't particularly float my boat, some of the others were lovely.
There is, I think, I real tension between having the Traditional Hymns and Carols for Christmas and having Modern but Less Well-known* items, especially at Family Services. I mean, how many adults - let alone children - understand what 'th'incarnate Deity' means? Conversely there are Carols Sung In School which the children know and like but rarely IME make their way into church.
Personally, as my years grow perilously close to three-score-and-ten, I'm becoming increasingly bored with the traditional fayre and, in fact, would much prefer to go down a robust and hearty folk-song or Quire route for Christmas singing. "That chord" in "O come, all ye faithful" and the discordant descant in "Hark! The herald angels sing" have lost their oomph for me. (And could "O come, o come Emmanuel" be sung without bar-lines?)
Heresy to many, I know - but that's where I'm at.
* I'm not thinking here of composers such as Chilcott but more populist ones such as Kendrick, Townend and probably Wild Goose as well.
At present we are listening to a rather nice CD of a Czech folk-mass setting.
This. I totally agree.
(Are you by any chance listening to J J Ryba's Czech Christmas Mass?)
Now that I don't have to sing/play carols until Christmas I enjoy them much more. Just two services per year, eight carols per year in all.
Christmas Eve 8PM service at my parents' Anglo-Catholic shack:
Carol sing:
"While shepherds watched their flocks by night" / WINCHESTER OLD
"Lo how a rose e'er blooming" / EST IST EIN ROS (sung by the choir)
"God rest you merry" / GOD REST YOU MERRY
"The Lamb" by John Tavener (sung by the choir)
"What child is this" / GREENSLEEVES
"Jesus Christ the apple tree" by Elizabeth Poston (sung by the choir)
"Good Christian friends, rejoice" / IN DULCI JUBILO
Solemn High Mass:
The ordinary of the mass was from the Missa brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo by Franz Joseph Haydn, and sung by the choir in Latin with translations into English provided in the service booklet.
"O come, all ye faithful" / ADESTE FIDELES
"Dominus dixit ad me" / Gregorian chant mode II (sung by the choir)
Psalm 96, chanted
"Alleluia. Dominus dixit ad me" / Gregorian chant tone VI (sung by choir with congregational refrain.
"Of the Father's love begotten" / DIVINUM MYSTERIUM
"Laetentur caeli" / Gregorian chant Mode IV (sung by the choir)
"O little town of Bethlehem" / FOREST GREEN
"In splendoribus sanctorum" / Gregorian chant mode VI (sung by the choir)
"O magnum mysterium" by Tomas Luis de Victoria (sung by the choir)
"Silent night" / STILLE NACHT
"Hark the herald angels sing" / MENDELSSOHN
See Him Lying on a Bed of Straw / CALYPSO CAROL
While Shepherds Watched their Flocks / WINCHESTER OLD
Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) / NEW BRITAIN (with Chris Tomlin chorus)
To God Be the Glory
/ TO GOD BE THE GLORY
Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (and a Baby Dedication).
“Hail to the Lord's anointed” - Cruger.
“One more step along the world I go”.
“Mary and Joseph came to the temple” - Bunessan.
“Jesus, hope of every nation” - Stuttgart.
“Lord of the years”.
Aren't you a bit previous? Shouldn't that be at Candlemas (2nd February)?
We were doing the Naming of Jesus, although the hymns were still decidedly Christmassy, and sung with suitable gusto:
The first nowell - The First Nowell A great and mighty wonder - Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen Unto us a boy is born - Puer Nobis What child is this? - Greensleeves* God rest you merry, gentlemen - God Rest You Merry
* I can't sing that tune without thinking of a version the King's Singers did at a concert in Orkney several millennia ago:
Green Shield Stamps were all she gave
And Green Shield Stamps were all I took
Green Shield Stamps were all she gave
And she stuck them all in my green stamp book
You have to be Really Quite Old (and possibly British) for that to mean anything ...
I can't sing that tune without thinking of a version the King's Singers did at a concert in Orkney several millennia ago:
Green Shield Stamps were all she gave
And Green Shield Stamps were all I took
Green Shield Stamps were all she gave
And she stuck them all in my green stamp book
You have to be Really Quite Old (and possibly British) for that to mean anything ...
Sumday after Christmas Day with a slight theme of the Holy Innocents
Mattins
Christians awake (Yorkshire)
Unto us a boy is born
When Christ was born in Bethlehem (Rodmell)
Of the Father's love begotten (Corde natus)
A small number so we said the Psalm and muddled our way through the Te Deum. Shortening the Venite to 7 verses and using the Jubilate is a bit easier for a handful 😳
"How bright appears the morning star" / WIE SCHÖN LEUCHTET
Psalm 147: 13-21, chanted
"Word of God come down on earth" / LIEBSTER JESU
"Of the Father's love begotten" / DIVINUM MYSTERIUM
"In the bleak midwinter" / CRANHAM
"Joy to the world" / ANTIOCH
“Of the Father’s Love Begotten”
“On this Day Earth Shall Ring”/PERSONENT HODIE
“Love Has Come”/BRING A TORCH
“Lo, How a Rose”
“The Christ-Child Lullaby” (Tàladh Chrìosda)
“Away in a Manger”/MUELLER
“Poor Little Jesus”
“Angels We Have Heard on High”
“Joy to the World”
We ended with Standing at the Portal of the Coming Year today. For a dreary, downbeat song to sing after a week when the sun has not once been seen, the rain never stopped and the snow never snew, this was the ultimate downer. Fortunately, there was a guest trumpeter who delivered the most gorgeous jazz rendering of Good King Wenceslas for the offertory that had to be heard to be believed.
I can't sing that tune without thinking of a version the King's Singers did at a concert in Orkney several millennia ago:
Green Shield Stamps were all she gave
And Green Shield Stamps were all I took
Green Shield Stamps were all she gave
And she stuck them all in my green stamp book
You have to be Really Quite Old (and possibly British) for that to mean anything ...
Didn't Green Shield eventually morph into Argos?
Yes, according to Wikipedia - I hadn't realised that.
I had a wonderful weekend singing the services at St Edmundsbury Cathedral.
Yesterday’s Eucharist:
Mass of the Quiet Hour - G Oldroyd
Lully, lulla, lullaby - P Stopford
Hymns
For Mary Mother of the Lord
A great and mighty wonder
The first Nowell
Evensong
Responses - Peter Moorse in E Flat
Canticles - Brewer in D
Anthem - Here is the Little Door, Herbert Howells
Hymns
Of the Father’s heart begotten (with the last verse sung to the Willcocks arrangement)
O Christ the same (sung to the Londonderry Air. After a weekend of such wonderful music, it was a shame that the last thing I sang in 2023 was that crap)
Quite - that would put a bit of a damper on things!
Glad you had an otherwise good sing though - the Howells is absolutely gorgeous.
I have a soft spot for Bury St Edmunds: it was the first place I experienced a Cathedral Evensong, when David took me there shortly after we got engaged, and I was instantly hooked. ❤️
I've not been to church this morning (going to an afternoon gathering where there won't be any singing) but I was listening to the Sunday service on Radio 4 for Epiphany. They sang Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning which is one of my favourites and I would have sung along had they not used a new (to me) and cacophonous (to me) tune which I didn't recognise and never want to hear again.
Parish Communion for Epiphany.
The Virgin Mary had a baby boy. ( Trad.)
As with gladness ( Dix)
Who would think that what was needed
( Scarlet ribbons)
Gather around for the table is spread ( Skye boat song)
Lord Jesus Christ ( Living Lord).
Our first Sunday of the month "Hymns of Praise" service.
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen / GOD REST YOU MERRY Although the first line is printed as "God rest you merry, gentlefolk" in our Anglican Hymns Old & New
As with Gladness Men of Old / DIX
*O Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness (Sanctissimus) / WAS LEBET WAS SCHWEBET
*Teach me my God and King / SANDYS
O Jesus I have promised / DAY OF REST
*Both of these chosen by members of the congregation who talked about what the hymn meant to then.
As with gladness men of old - Dix Angels from the realms of glory - Iris O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness - Was Lebet In the bleak midwinter - Cranham We three kings of orient are - Kings of Orient
*Epiphany Sunday* at Our Place:
We three kings (Kings of Orient) As with gladness (Dix) Angels from the realms of glory (Iris) What child is this (Greensleeves)
We three kings was sung one verse at a time** (cantor, with the Faithful Few joining in the refrain) as FatherInCharge flapped and clucked about, marshalling various people as Star-Carrier, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, each one processing individually through the church bearing a *gift* as their verse was intoned.
**I think the first and last verses were sung by all, actually.
The Plan was to re-marshal the Star-Carrier, etc., for the Offertory Procession, and to lead everyone (after the Blessing) to the Crib for the Angelus - hence the choice of the final hymn.
“Brightest and best of the sons of the morning” - Epiphany hymn.
“Riding out across the desert” - The Camel Shuffle.
“Meekness and majesty” (Kendrick).
“Praise the Spirit in creation” - Rhuddlan.
“The first Nowell”.
The only Epiphanic hymn was We 3 Kings.
However things were enlivened when one of the children returned from their children's liturgy to inform us that the gifts were gold, myrrh and Frankenstein. Much mirth in the congregation at this unexpected guest at the manger.
We three Kings - in procession to the Epiphany House
Earth has many a noble city (Stuttgart) - returning to the Sanctuary
Psalm 72
How vain the cruel Herod's fear (Ely)
From the eastern mountains (Cuddesdon)
O worship the Lord (Was lebet)
Brightest and best (Epiphany Hymn)
There are at least five tunes to the last hymn, two in A&M Revised that would be all but unknown, another in the new English Hymnal as an alternative to "Epiphany Hymn" and another one I associate with non conformity called "Spean" which is rather nice. I often wonder which is the most used one these days 🤔
The only Epiphanic hymn was We 3 Kings.
However things were enlivened when one of the children returned from their children's liturgy to inform us that the gifts were gold, myrrh and Frankenstein. Much mirth in the congregation at this unexpected guest at the manger.
My parents had a recording of 4-ish year old me reporting that the gifts were gold, Frankenstein and money.
Today, the Baptism of Lord, we had:
“Sing Glory to the Name of God” (Ps 29)/LASST UNS ERFREUEN
“The God of Heaven” (Ps 29)/GLORY
“Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” (“Jesus, the Light of the World”)/WALK IN THE LIGHT
“Crashing Waters at Creation”/CRASHING WATERS
(Yes, two paraphrases of Psalm 29, with two different moods.)
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning - Epiphany. As with gladness men of old - Dix We three kings O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness - Was Lebet The First Nowell - The First Nowell
Epiphany was well observed... it's one of those occasions where those with favourite hymns which may not have been sung come and ask if we can have it next year and I was honouring a request or three. (I'm happy to do so from time to time ss my little lot are not that prone to it, appreciate what hymns/songs I do choose and why, and, most importantly, rarely grumble when I introduce new stuff.)
We are recovering from the version of the words of The First Nowell they were not what most people were expecting. Which means I can happily let it rest next year!
Lord for the Years (Lord of the Years)
Faithful One (Brian Doerksen)
Take My Life and Let It Be (Nottingham)
God is Working his Purpose Out (Benson)
Hmm. Quite an important part of the Nativity/Incarnation story...
But you know that...
Today's Mass at the Old-Catholic Cathedral in Utrecht (NL) was described as celebrating The Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Nations - with Epiphany Play.
The *Epiphany Play* was performed, by children from the congregation, at the point where the Gospel is normally proclaimed. It added a certain touch of informality to what is usually a fairly formal and dignified liturgy (very similar to a High Church service here in the UK)!
As it was the first Sunday of the month, we had Evensong as well:
Christ is the world's true light - Buckland The Church's one foundation - Aurelia God be in my head - God be in my head Lord Jesus Christ - Living Lord
"Hail to the Lord's anointed" / ES FLOG EIN KLEINS WALDVÖGELEIN
Psalm 29, chanted
"Christ, when for us you were baptized" / CAITHNESS
"The sinless one to Jordan came" / SOLEMNIS HAEC FESTIVITAS
"Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness" / SCHMÜCKE DICH
"When Christ's appearing was made known" / ERHALT UNS, HERR
"O love, how deep, how broad, how high" / DEUS TUORUM MILITUM
Entrance Antiphon - Psalm 95
Responsorial Psalm 97
Offertory - We Three Kings
Communion - What Child is This
Recessional - Hark, the Herald Angels Sing
Was hoping to hear As With Gladness Men of Old but all in all, a strong selection.
Aurelia - O! Dagon, have mercy! The worst hymn tune ever written...
I agree, but when I used it for Oh Jesus I have promised the congregation raised the roof!
O Jesus I have promised is one the favourite hymns of a very loyal and hard-working couple at Our Place, BUT they insist on singing it to what they call *the bouncy tune* (Hatherop Castle):
This was at the requiem for our parish sister, who had been a retreat giver (the 30 day Ignatian jobbie) and a spiritual director to many priests and at least one bishop. This was her favourite hymn. The requiem was quite a "do." The packed congregation was set on giving her a good send off.
Sometimes Christian funerals are incredibly uplifting.
This was at the requiem for our parish sister, who had been a retreat giver (the 30 day Ignatian jobbie) and a spiritual director to many priests and at least one bishop. This was her favourite hymn. The requiem was quite a "do." The packed congregation was set on giving her a good send off.
Sometimes Christian funerals are incredibly uplifting.
Indeed they are - far better than the regular stuff!
Comments
No carols here until "Midnight" Mass at 8.00pm ..... unless you count school carol services that use our building as a venue.
I'm afraid so - *Happy Birthday, dear Jesus* would probably have been sung, not actually within the Mass, but at the post-Mass refreshments.
OTOH, it has been known for FatherInCharge to get people to sing it whilst gathered at the Crib (in church) before the Blessing/Dismissal. He once ended Mass on the Nativity of Our Lady by singing *Happy Birthday, dear Mary* at our Walsingham shrine.
I have not inquired further, as my Spy would become incandescent with rage - she hates it as much as I do...
Our offerings on Christmas morning:
O come, all ye faithful - Adeste Fideles*
On Christmas night all Christians sing - Sussex Carol
Joy to the world - Antioch
Little Jesus, sweetly sleep - Rocking**
Hark, the herald-angels sing - Mendelssohn
* sadly without The Chord - I doubt that the lady who was playing yesterday would know it if it came up in her soup.
** on the first hymn list I was sent, the fourth hymn was down as Unto us is born a Son, which was really the only reason I went to the service (having been at two on Sunday, and thinking it would be my only chance to sing it), and the bloody organist changed it.
On reflection, it wouldn't really have worked at that point (during Communion - not sure what she was thinking), but I'd have had an extra couple of hours in bed if I'd known!
I shall Have Words so that she knows it's not negotiable for next year ...
Personally, as my years grow perilously close to three-score-and-ten, I'm becoming increasingly bored with the traditional fayre and, in fact, would much prefer to go down a robust and hearty folk-song or Quire route for Christmas singing. "That chord" in "O come, all ye faithful" and the discordant descant in "Hark! The herald angels sing" have lost their oomph for me. (And could "O come, o come Emmanuel" be sung without bar-lines?)
Heresy to many, I know - but that's where I'm at.
* I'm not thinking here of composers such as Chilcott but more populist ones such as Kendrick, Townend and probably Wild Goose as well.
At present we are listening to a rather nice CD of a Czech folk-mass setting.
This. I totally agree.
(Are you by any chance listening to J J Ryba's Czech Christmas Mass?)
I'll have a look and see if it's on YouTube...
Good Christian friends, rejoice (In dulci jubilo)
Once in royal David's city (Irby)
What child is this, who, laid to rest (Greensleeves)
Joy to the world! the Lord is come (Antioch)
Choral:
Palestrina: Missa Aeterna Christi munera
Tavener: Today the Virgin (1989)
Tavener: The Lamb (1982)
I'm sorry, BT - we'll have to agree to differ. The day the Willcocks descants "lose their oomph" for me, it'll be time to wheel me out feet first!
Having said that, I enjoyed some of the more recently-composed offerings from King's this year; although the commissioned piece didn't particularly float my boat, some of the others were lovely.
Now that I don't have to sing/play carols until Christmas I enjoy them much more. Just two services per year, eight carols per year in all.
Carol sing:
"While shepherds watched their flocks by night" / WINCHESTER OLD
"Lo how a rose e'er blooming" / EST IST EIN ROS (sung by the choir)
"God rest you merry" / GOD REST YOU MERRY
"The Lamb" by John Tavener (sung by the choir)
"What child is this" / GREENSLEEVES
"Jesus Christ the apple tree" by Elizabeth Poston (sung by the choir)
"Good Christian friends, rejoice" / IN DULCI JUBILO
Solemn High Mass:
The ordinary of the mass was from the Missa brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo by Franz Joseph Haydn, and sung by the choir in Latin with translations into English provided in the service booklet.
"O come, all ye faithful" / ADESTE FIDELES
"Dominus dixit ad me" / Gregorian chant mode II (sung by the choir)
Psalm 96, chanted
"Alleluia. Dominus dixit ad me" / Gregorian chant tone VI (sung by choir with congregational refrain.
"Of the Father's love begotten" / DIVINUM MYSTERIUM
"Laetentur caeli" / Gregorian chant Mode IV (sung by the choir)
"O little town of Bethlehem" / FOREST GREEN
"In splendoribus sanctorum" / Gregorian chant mode VI (sung by the choir)
"O magnum mysterium" by Tomas Luis de Victoria (sung by the choir)
"Silent night" / STILLE NACHT
"Hark the herald angels sing" / MENDELSSOHN
Angels from the Realms of Glory (Iris)
See, Amid the Winter's Snow (Humility)
The Sussex Carol (Sussex Carol)
It came upon the midnight clear.
Angel voices, ever singing
O praise ye the Lord.
Ye holy angels bright
While Shepherds Watched their Flocks / WINCHESTER OLD
Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) / NEW BRITAIN (with Chris Tomlin chorus)
To God Be the Glory
/ TO GOD BE THE GLORY
“Hail to the Lord's anointed” - Cruger.
“One more step along the world I go”.
“Mary and Joseph came to the temple” - Bunessan.
“Jesus, hope of every nation” - Stuttgart.
“Lord of the years”.
We were doing the Naming of Jesus, although the hymns were still decidedly Christmassy, and sung with suitable gusto:
The first nowell - The First Nowell
A great and mighty wonder - Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen
Unto us a boy is born - Puer Nobis
What child is this? - Greensleeves*
God rest you merry, gentlemen - God Rest You Merry
* I can't sing that tune without thinking of a version the King's Singers did at a concert in Orkney several millennia ago:
Green Shield Stamps were all she gave
And Green Shield Stamps were all I took
Green Shield Stamps were all she gave
And she stuck them all in my green stamp book
You have to be Really Quite Old (and possibly British) for that to mean anything ...
It is in fact the RCL set Gospel reading for Year B Christmas 1.
Mattins
Christians awake (Yorkshire)
Unto us a boy is born
When Christ was born in Bethlehem (Rodmell)
Of the Father's love begotten (Corde natus)
A small number so we said the Psalm and muddled our way through the Te Deum. Shortening the Venite to 7 verses and using the Jubilate is a bit easier for a handful 😳
"How bright appears the morning star" / WIE SCHÖN LEUCHTET
Psalm 147: 13-21, chanted
"Word of God come down on earth" / LIEBSTER JESU
"Of the Father's love begotten" / DIVINUM MYSTERIUM
"In the bleak midwinter" / CRANHAM
"Joy to the world" / ANTIOCH
“Of the Father’s Love Begotten”
“On this Day Earth Shall Ring”/PERSONENT HODIE
“Love Has Come”/BRING A TORCH
“Lo, How a Rose”
“The Christ-Child Lullaby” (Tàladh Chrìosda)
“Away in a Manger”/MUELLER
“Poor Little Jesus”
“Angels We Have Heard on High”
“Joy to the World”
Yes, according to Wikipedia - I hadn't realised that.
Yesterday’s Eucharist:
Mass of the Quiet Hour - G Oldroyd
Lully, lulla, lullaby - P Stopford
Hymns
For Mary Mother of the Lord
A great and mighty wonder
The first Nowell
Evensong
Responses - Peter Moorse in E Flat
Canticles - Brewer in D
Anthem - Here is the Little Door, Herbert Howells
Hymns
Of the Father’s heart begotten (with the last verse sung to the Willcocks arrangement)
O Christ the same (sung to the Londonderry Air. After a weekend of such wonderful music, it was a shame that the last thing I sang in 2023 was that crap)
Glad you had an otherwise good sing though - the Howells is absolutely gorgeous.
I have a soft spot for Bury St Edmunds: it was the first place I experienced a Cathedral Evensong, when David took me there shortly after we got engaged, and I was instantly hooked. ❤️
The Virgin Mary had a baby boy. ( Trad.)
As with gladness ( Dix)
Who would think that what was needed
( Scarlet ribbons)
Gather around for the table is spread ( Skye boat song)
Lord Jesus Christ ( Living Lord).
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen / GOD REST YOU MERRY
Although the first line is printed as "God rest you merry, gentlefolk" in our Anglican Hymns Old & New
As with Gladness Men of Old / DIX
*O Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness (Sanctissimus) / WAS LEBET WAS SCHWEBET
*Teach me my God and King / SANDYS
O Jesus I have promised / DAY OF REST
*Both of these chosen by members of the congregation who talked about what the hymn meant to then.
As with gladness men of old - Dix
Angels from the realms of glory - Iris
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness - Was Lebet
In the bleak midwinter - Cranham
We three kings of orient are - Kings of Orient
Predictable, but quite enjoyable.
We three kings (Kings of Orient)
As with gladness (Dix)
Angels from the realms of glory (Iris)
What child is this (Greensleeves)
We three kings was sung one verse at a time** (cantor, with the Faithful Few joining in the refrain) as FatherInCharge flapped and clucked about, marshalling various people as Star-Carrier, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, each one processing individually through the church bearing a *gift* as their verse was intoned.
**I think the first and last verses were sung by all, actually.
The Plan was to re-marshal the Star-Carrier, etc., for the Offertory Procession, and to lead everyone (after the Blessing) to the Crib for the Angelus - hence the choice of the final hymn.
“Riding out across the desert” - The Camel Shuffle.
“Meekness and majesty” (Kendrick).
“Praise the Spirit in creation” - Rhuddlan.
“The first Nowell”.
However things were enlivened when one of the children returned from their children's liturgy to inform us that the gifts were gold, myrrh and Frankenstein. Much mirth in the congregation at this unexpected guest at the manger.
As with gladness men of old - Dix
Love came down at Christmas - Gartan
Hail to the Lord’s anointed - Crüger
The first Nowell - The first Nowell
We three Kings - in procession to the Epiphany House
Earth has many a noble city (Stuttgart) - returning to the Sanctuary
Psalm 72
How vain the cruel Herod's fear (Ely)
From the eastern mountains (Cuddesdon)
O worship the Lord (Was lebet)
Brightest and best (Epiphany Hymn)
There are at least five tunes to the last hymn, two in A&M Revised that would be all but unknown, another in the new English Hymnal as an alternative to "Epiphany Hymn" and another one I associate with non conformity called "Spean" which is rather nice. I often wonder which is the most used one these days 🤔
Today, the Baptism of Lord, we had:
“Sing Glory to the Name of God” (Ps 29)/LASST UNS ERFREUEN
“The God of Heaven” (Ps 29)/GLORY
“Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” (“Jesus, the Light of the World”)/WALK IN THE LIGHT
“Crashing Waters at Creation”/CRASHING WATERS
(Yes, two paraphrases of Psalm 29, with two different moods.)
As with gladness men of old - Dix
We three kings
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness - Was Lebet
The First Nowell - The First Nowell
Epiphany was well observed... it's one of those occasions where those with favourite hymns which may not have been sung come and ask if we can have it next year and I was honouring a request or three. (I'm happy to do so from time to time ss my little lot are not that prone to it, appreciate what hymns/songs I do choose and why, and, most importantly, rarely grumble when I introduce new stuff.)
We are recovering from the version of the words of The First Nowell they were not what most people were expecting. Which means I can happily let it rest next year!
Lord for the Years (Lord of the Years)
Faithful One (Brian Doerksen)
Take My Life and Let It Be (Nottingham)
God is Working his Purpose Out (Benson)
Hmm. Quite an important part of the Nativity/Incarnation story...
But you know that...
Today's Mass at the Old-Catholic Cathedral in Utrecht (NL) was described as celebrating The Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Nations - with Epiphany Play.
The *Epiphany Play* was performed, by children from the congregation, at the point where the Gospel is normally proclaimed. It added a certain touch of informality to what is usually a fairly formal and dignified liturgy (very similar to a High Church service here in the UK)!
Christ is the world's true light - Buckland
The Church's one foundation - Aurelia
God be in my head - God be in my head
Lord Jesus Christ - Living Lord
Psalm 45 (can't remember who wrote the chant)
and the usual canticles
"Hail to the Lord's anointed" / ES FLOG EIN KLEINS WALDVÖGELEIN
Psalm 29, chanted
"Christ, when for us you were baptized" / CAITHNESS
"The sinless one to Jordan came" / SOLEMNIS HAEC FESTIVITAS
"Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness" / SCHMÜCKE DICH
"When Christ's appearing was made known" / ERHALT UNS, HERR
"O love, how deep, how broad, how high" / DEUS TUORUM MILITUM
Entrance Antiphon - Psalm 95
Responsorial Psalm 97
Offertory - We Three Kings
Communion - What Child is This
Recessional - Hark, the Herald Angels Sing
Was hoping to hear As With Gladness Men of Old but all in all, a strong selection.
I agree, but when I used it for Oh Jesus I have promised the congregation raised the roof!
O Jesus I have promised is one the favourite hymns of a very loyal and hard-working couple at Our Place, BUT they insist on singing it to what they call *the bouncy tune* (Hatherop Castle):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pmGPFvm5VQ
I like it, too, but we used to sing it in a very slightly more up-beat manner - it seems to lend itself to various moods IYSWIM...
Sometimes Christian funerals are incredibly uplifting.
Indeed they are - far better than the regular stuff!