Before I go on, a couple of links I would like to share with our readers:
First, another excellent article on the language of hymnody by Professor Anthony Esolen, this one particularly on "Man" - What Is Man?
Also, a nice promo by Daniel Lord on Jeff Ostrowski's great little project, the Vatican II Hymnal. - Some New Church Music That Isn't Sickening
Continuing on one of GIA's four newest hymnals, Worship - Fourth Edition. Reminder that this is the follow-up I promised on iSNARK! podcast episode #185. We're almost halfway through this. In the middle of it all, I will be commencing work later today on iSNARK! #186, reviewing another hymnal (this one has a cover that is fire engine red, the same shade of red as my dad's old 1970 Chevy Townsman station wagon).
Sections covered in this installment: Petition/Prayer
* = new to the Worship series
*654 When My Soul Is Sore and Troubled (Krisman) - garbage
*655 Eternal Spirit of the Living Christ ("Sursum Corda") - tune nice, dang good text, too!
656 Jesus, Come! for We Invite You (Krisman) - probably one of Ronald Krisman's better tunes. Something about the text, however. "Jesus, come! for we invite you, guest and master, friend, and Lord". Anyone?
*657 Lead Me, Guide Me (Akers) - perfect for the hymnal that bears the same name, but definitely not for the Worship series.
*658 Lord, Teach Us How to Pray ("St. Thomas"/Williams) - nice tune, dumbed down text.
*659 Jesus, Show Us How to Pray ("The Call"/Vaughan Williams) - another nice tune, but would Ralph (or "Raph", depending on who refers to the great RVW) really want a hymn other than "Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life" set to this tune? Especially a text this awkward? Verse 2: "When we ask our angry 'Why'", Verse 3: "Filled with fear and nagging doubt".
*660 As a Chalice Cast of Gold ("Dix") - another nice tune, another awkward text.
*661 Be Still, My Soul, before the Lord (Haugen) - I never thought that the tune Haugen used for "We Walk by Faith" (to conclude his "Massive Cremation") would dare be used for another text. This is probably the ONLY hymn tune by Haugen that's even close to being useful as a hymn tune, btw. I have to give credit where it's due, the tune isn't bad at all. Anyone wanna review the text?
662 Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life ("The Call"/Vaughan Williams) - now THAT's more like it!
663 Seek Ye First (Lafferty) - now with a couple of added verses. This hymn can be done perfectly over Pachelbel's Canon in D, which, to me, is musical Sominex.
*664 We Cannot Measure How You Heal ("Radiant City") - not a bad new tune at all. Reminiscent of another tune I really like called "Charterhouse". Text is pretty good too!
*665 Have Mercy, Lord (Morris) - Too much social justice jargon wrapped in a rather poor attempt at a Taize-style song.
666 Silence, Frenzied, Unclean Spirit ("Ebenezer") - Something about the title and the number it is assigned (666) that might go hand in hand. The tune "Ebenezer" is much more singable than the Carol Doran tune used with this same hymn in Worship III. Works nicely with the Gospel about the unclean spirit (duh?).
*667 O Lord, Hear My Prayer (Taize) - eh
Next installment: Lament (speaking of which, how many more titles shall we lament?)
Peace,
BMP
First, another excellent article on the language of hymnody by Professor Anthony Esolen, this one particularly on "Man" - What Is Man?
Also, a nice promo by Daniel Lord on Jeff Ostrowski's great little project, the Vatican II Hymnal. - Some New Church Music That Isn't Sickening
Sections covered in this installment: Petition/Prayer
* = new to the Worship series
*654 When My Soul Is Sore and Troubled (Krisman) - garbage
*655 Eternal Spirit of the Living Christ ("Sursum Corda") - tune nice, dang good text, too!
656 Jesus, Come! for We Invite You (Krisman) - probably one of Ronald Krisman's better tunes. Something about the text, however. "Jesus, come! for we invite you, guest and master, friend, and Lord". Anyone?
*657 Lead Me, Guide Me (Akers) - perfect for the hymnal that bears the same name, but definitely not for the Worship series.
*658 Lord, Teach Us How to Pray ("St. Thomas"/Williams) - nice tune, dumbed down text.
*659 Jesus, Show Us How to Pray ("The Call"/Vaughan Williams) - another nice tune, but would Ralph (or "Raph", depending on who refers to the great RVW) really want a hymn other than "Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life" set to this tune? Especially a text this awkward? Verse 2: "When we ask our angry 'Why'", Verse 3: "Filled with fear and nagging doubt".
*660 As a Chalice Cast of Gold ("Dix") - another nice tune, another awkward text.
*661 Be Still, My Soul, before the Lord (Haugen) - I never thought that the tune Haugen used for "We Walk by Faith" (to conclude his "Massive Cremation") would dare be used for another text. This is probably the ONLY hymn tune by Haugen that's even close to being useful as a hymn tune, btw. I have to give credit where it's due, the tune isn't bad at all. Anyone wanna review the text?
662 Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life ("The Call"/Vaughan Williams) - now THAT's more like it!
663 Seek Ye First (Lafferty) - now with a couple of added verses. This hymn can be done perfectly over Pachelbel's Canon in D, which, to me, is musical Sominex.
*664 We Cannot Measure How You Heal ("Radiant City") - not a bad new tune at all. Reminiscent of another tune I really like called "Charterhouse". Text is pretty good too!
*665 Have Mercy, Lord (Morris) - Too much social justice jargon wrapped in a rather poor attempt at a Taize-style song.
666 Silence, Frenzied, Unclean Spirit ("Ebenezer") - Something about the title and the number it is assigned (666) that might go hand in hand. The tune "Ebenezer" is much more singable than the Carol Doran tune used with this same hymn in Worship III. Works nicely with the Gospel about the unclean spirit (duh?).
*667 O Lord, Hear My Prayer (Taize) - eh
Next installment: Lament (speaking of which, how many more titles shall we lament?)
Peace,
BMP
2 comments:
Thank you for brightening my day with the phrase "musical sominex"! Found you because we're singing "Silence, Frenzied..." to Ebenezer this Sunday, and I'm sending my pastors info on the hymn and tune.
My pleasure. Actually the first time I used the word Sominex in music is when I reviewed a Music Issue and sent it to one of OCP's head honchos. I think it was "One Bread, One Body" that I wrote off as "instant Sominex". I wonder how many actually remember the 60's/70's famous sleeping pill "Sominex" that used to actually have commercials - those usually played immediately following the Geritol commercials way back when. :)
BMP
Post a Comment