I know some songs that get on everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves....
Oh, welcome to part XIX in our series on Worship - Fourth Edition. In this volume of Worship, we've encountered a good number of songs that have gotten on everybody's nerves, but we've also encountered a good number of songs that, if they haven't gotten on everybody's nerves yet, they will soon! Just look at the second hymn on this list, for example.
Sections covered: Second Coming, Eternal Life/Heaven, Presentation of the Lord, Joseph Husband of Mary, Annunciation, Nativity of John the Baptist, Peter and Paul, Transfiguration, Assumption, Exaltation of the Holy Cross
* = new to the Worship series.
*860 Christ Is Surely Coming ("King's Weston") - fine
*861 Soon and Very Soon (Crouch) - Lately it seems that the mainstream Catholic parish can't go one Advent without having to play this crap at least once.
*863 When the Lord in Glory Comes (Bob Moore) - not this, not that, not this, not that, not these, not those, etc. WTF?
*865 From the Father's Throne on High ("Heinlein") - fine
*866 Shall We Gather at the River (Lowry) - overplayed/overrated
*868 Martha, Mary, Waiting, Weeping ("Beach Spring") - seems ok
869 Jesus, Remember Me (Taize) - also overrated and WAY overplayed. Now with added Spanish and Polish.
*870 Long-Awaited Holy One ("Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland") - text seems ok. Tune fine.
*871 O Light of Gentile Nations ("Llangloffan") - in the low key of F minor here. Text is a Catherine Winkworth translation. The credit to her translation says "alt." (altered), so I'm guessing it's mainly "thees" and "thys" watered down to "yous" and "yours". I don't have a link handy to the original. Sorry.
*872 Now Let Your Servant Go in Peace ("Conditor Alme Siderum") - a modern translation (and then some) of the Nunc Dimittis. Nice tune, though I'd rather use a tune like "Te Lucis Ante Terminum" and save the "Conditor" for Advent. Still a nice addition.
*873 St. Joseph, Mary's Faithful Spouse ("Tallis' Ordinal") - Good piece. However, I miss "St. Joseph, God Has Chosen You" (tune: "London New"), which hasn't been seen since Worship II. Another good St. Joseph hymn that is MIA in this volume, "Joseph, Be Our Guide and Pattern" (tune: "Oriel"), which was in Worship III.
876 Praise We the Lord this Day ("Swabia") - always a great hymn, but too low. Should be in the key of D.
*877 The Moon with Borrowed Light ("Terra Beata") - nice.
878 The Great Forerunner of the Morn ("Winchester New") - lowered key to A, which is ok at our 7:30 AM Mass, but would much rather use B-flat at our later Masses.
*880 Transform Us ("Picardy") - The tune is always beautiful. However, the text, like "Gather This Din", has no mention of God or Christ in it. It's just giving orders, which COULD be directed to God, but COULD also be directed to one of your relatives, neighbors, or the pastor, or even the warden of your local prison.
881 How Good, Lord, to Be Here ("Swabia") - should be "'TIS Good, Lord, to Be Here". Better still, see Worship II for the correct text.
883 Hail, Holy Queen Enthroned Above ("Salve Regina Caelitum") - Middle verse should read "The cause of joy to MEN below". Otherwise, great!
*884 We Glory in the Cross (Krisman) - a tune called "Morgansgate", and probably the best tune of Ronald Krisman that exists in this hymnal.
885 Lift High the Cross ("Crucifer") - Should be lowered to D, otherwise a great hymn. Now with added Spanish.
Next installment: All Saints
Peace,
BMP
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