10 june

We draw on psalms for two of this morning’s hymns: Psalm 122 for the opening hymn and Psalm 150 for the offertory hymn. Parry’s tune for O praise ye the Lord is the concluding section of his (very big) anthem Hear my words, O ye people, written in 1894. Don’t feel that you have to strain to sing the two Amens which round off the music – ignore them, or sing any notes that seem to blend in.

We introduced the tune of the hymn after the talk a few weeks ago so that we would know it for use today; and we have used the tune Vater unser several times since learning it last year.

before the service
Air and Gavotte

Samuel Wesley 1766 - 1837

after the service
Choral Song

Samuel Sebastian Wesley 1810 - 1876

In the Wesley dynasty the names Charles and Samuel appear several times. The writer of the Air and Gavotte was the son of the hymn-writer Charles, nephew of John, and father of Samuel Sebastian.

S S Wesley was given the name ‘Sebastian’ on account of his father’s great love of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach.


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opening hymn

I rejoiced to hear them say,
'Come and worship God today!
Come with heart and mind and soul,
seek the peace that makes us whole;
see disordered lives restored
in the presence of the Lord:
from your burdens find release
in his presence there is peace'.

From Psalm 122
Basil E Bridge b 1927
St George’s Windsor
G J Elvey 1816 - 1893

hymn after the talk

Baptised in water,
sealed by the Spirit,
cleansed by the blood of Christ our king;
heirs of salvation,
trusting his promise —
faithfully now God’s praise we sing.

Michael Saward b 1932
© Michael Saward / Jubilate Hymns
Schönster Herr Jesu
also known as St Elizabeth
melody from Schlesische Volkslieder Leipzig 1842
harmony Thomas Tertius Noble 1867 - 1953

offertory hymn

O praise ye the Lord! Praise him in the height;
rejoice in his word, ye angels of light;
ye heavens adore him by whom ye were made,
and worship before him, in brightness arrayed.

Sir H W Baker 1821 - 1877
based on Psalm 150
Laudate Dominum
C H H Parry 1848 - 1918

during the giving of communion

Great God of wonders, all thy ways
are matchless, godlike and divine;
but the fair glories of thy grace
more God-like and unrivalled shine:
Who is a pardoning God like thee,
or who has grace so rich and free?

Samuel Davies 1723 - 1761
Vater Unser
Melody from Geistliche Lieder Leipzig 1539
harmonised by J S Bach 1685 - 1750

final hymn

Life-giving Christ, our hope and head,
who met the sad and raised the dead;
new miracles of love begin
for mourners, and the dead in sin.

Christopher Idle b 1938
Gonfalon Royal
P C Buck 1871 - 1947

3 june 2007

Yesterday saw the 150th anniversary of the birth of Edward Elgar, and this is marked in our music today.

The tune for the Gloria paraphrase is too well-known to need comment. That for the gradual was written in 1878, and originally entitled "Hymn Tune in F major"; it was published in 1896 with the title Drakes Broughton. Elgar later incorporated it into his Nursery Suite, which was prompted by the birth in August 1930 of Princess Margaret. Today, out of feeling for the singers (it goes rather high), we sing it not in F but two notes lower, in E flat.

The words of the gradual are from Cardinal Newman’s The Dream of Gerontius, when on his death-bed, Gerontius declares his Christian faith.

Have you noticed the very simple rhyme scheme used by Heber in the opening hymn?


before the service
Chanson de Matin

Edward Elgar
2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934

after the service
Trio section Nobilmente from Pomp and Circumstance March No 4

Edward Elgar

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opening hymn
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
early in the morning our song shall rise to thee;
holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

Bishop R Heber 1783 - 1826
Nicea
J B Dykes 1823 - 1876

for gloria in excelsis
Glory in the highest
to the God of heaven!
Peace to all his people
through the earth be given!
Mighty God and Father,
thanks and praise we bring,
singing Alleluia
to our heavenly king.

Christopher Idle b 1938
Land of hope and glory
from Pomp and Circumstance March No 1
Edward Elgar 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934

gradual hymn
Firmly I believe, and truly
God is Three and God is One
and I next acknowledge duly
manhood taken by the Son.

John Henry Newman 1801 - 1890
Drakes Broughton
Edward Elgar 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934

offertory hymn
Affirm anew the threefold name
of Father, Spirit, Son,
our God whose saving acts proclaim
a world's salvation won.
In him alone we live and move
and breath and being find,
the wayward children of his love
who cares for humankind.

Timothy Dudley-Smith b 1926
Tyrol
Tyrolean melody

during the giving of communion
Father God, the Lord, Creator,
by whose hand we all are fed,
in your mercy re-create us
at the Breaking of the Bread.

John Richards
Waltham
H Albert 1604 - 1651
harmony by J S Bach 1685 - 1750

final hymn
Eternal God, your love's tremendous glory
cascades through life in overflowing grace,
to tell creation's meaning in the story
of love evolving love from time and space.

Alan Gaunt b 1935
Highwood
R R Terry 1865 - 1936