A trip over to St Mary’s Hamilton for our Regional Ascension Day service last night, fitting choice as they have a magnificent West window depicting the Ascension.
Strange, and difficult tune to one of the hymns obviously a local thing, as we that travelled from St Mark’s weren’t the only ones to be totally baffled by it. Why change a well liked and well known hymn tune, especially when to change it means repeating words and lines to make it fit the music, meaning that not only the tune isn’t known but anyone unfamiliar with it doesn’t even know what part of the hymn will be sung next?
Our Ascension Service was spoken, but last Sunday we had a hymn which only the organist knew (and not all that well) which was sad as the church was full and we made quite a good noise with the other hymns (despite the lad in the pew behind me loudly hushing his mother for singing too loudly and possibly embarrassing him by being noticed).
On the other hand, you need some mechanism for introducing new hymns/tunes to the congregation from time to time. Our approach is usually to get the choir to sing it at Communion, though this isn’t always ideal, depending on the nature of the hymn.
Can you give me any clues as to the hymn/tune that so puzzled you at St Mary’s, Hamilton?
Robin
Lissa it is a shame when that happens, but at least they all got a good sing with the rest of the hymns.
Robin - The hymn in question was Lord Enthroned In Heavenly Splendour, I have no idea what tune was being played, what everyone was expecting, or at least those who spoke to me about it after was St Helen.
I do agree that when new music is introduced the congregation benefit from getting used to it before first before it is sung as one of the main hymns on a Sunday.
Ah! It sounds as if you were singing “Lord Enthroned” to Bryn Calfaria, which is the tune it’s set to in the English Hymnal/Hymnal for Scotland. It starts out like this
m,m:l:t|d’,d’:d’:t|d’,d’:m’:r’,d’|t,t:l:-
To fit the words, you have to sing three Alleluyas in each verse (instead of two for St Helen’s), and repeat the last line.
We’ve used this tune a couple of times, as a senior member of our congregation, now departed, much preferred it to St Helen’s. On the whole, I agree: it’s a good rousing tune, and St Helen’s IS a bit plodding.
Now, does anyone fancy singing “Love Divine” to that fine Welsh tune, Moriah, as the English Hymnal suggests?
Robin
The way assistant organist played St Helen’s at St Mary’s on Thursday evening could in no way be considered as plodding, including jacking the key up a tone for the last verse after an interlude whilst Fr Provost sensed the nave altar. It was the first time many of the trebles had encountered this and the look on their faces when the final verse did not follow on immediately after the penultimate was a picture to behold.
Roll on Pentecost - Full Choral Eurcharist in the morning and Solemn Evensong in the evening, followed by a Ceilidh. And another opportunity for Fr Provost to swing the Thurible.