Sunday, February 26, 2012

WORSHIP - Ultimate Edition (Part I)


On my most recent episode of iSNARK!, we discussed The Evolution of Worship, how the four editions of GIA's flagship hymnal (1971, 1975, 1986, and 2011) evolved over the years (and not necessarily for the better).

Now, as a follow-up, after compiling on one giant spreadsheet (well over 900 entries), I am narrowing it down to a new book I'd like to put together and dubbing the project Worship - ULTIMATE Edition, utilizing the best hymns of the four editions.

Instead of putting hymns in "categories", which has been the case of all Worship editions except Worship II, I'm going to follow the Worship II pattern by putting all titles in alphabetical order.  The St. Michael Hymnal emulates this pattern, as did the venerable (but sadly out-of-print) Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Canticles.  Some Latin titles will have English translations with them.  Any hymns that may be high will be assigned an alternate low-key in the organ book (for example, #5 would appear in the people's edition in the key of F, but in both F and E-flat in the organ edition).  The hymnal specified next to each entry is for the version of the hymn that appears in that particular hymnal.

In this first installment, I will list the "A" titles I narrowed the hymnal down to, preceded by the hymn number I am assigning it.  There are 39 entries beginning with "A" alone.

1. A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing (using the five-verse version at #530 in Worship IV, restoring any original lyric that might have been bastardized).  Tune: Lasst uns Erfreuen.  Key of D.
2. A Message Came to a Maiden Young (Worship II, #1).  Tune: Annunciation.  Key of A-flat.
3. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (Worship I, #84 - the Frederick Henry Hedge translation).  Many may argue against this hymn because of its author/composer (Martin Luther).  It's too bad he defected.  However, the verses of this hymn can easily be used in a Catholic context, and (in my own snarky opinion) has a better theology than anything former Lutheran/now UCC member Marty Haugen ever wrote for Catholic or Lutheran hymnals.  Tune: Ein' Feste Berg.  Key of C.
4. A Stable Lamp Is Lighted (Worship III, #385).  Tune: Andujar.  Key of A minor.
5. Accept, Almighty Father (Worship II, #4).  Tune: Gott Soll Gepriesen.  Key of F in the people's edition.  Low-key option E-flat.
6. Adoro Te Devote (Worship II, #5), with the English Godhead, Here in Hiding.  Tune: Chant, Mode V.  Key of D.
7. Again We Keep this Solemn Fast (Worship III, #420).  I think Fr. Scagnelli would be honored that his texts are making the cut. :)  Tune: Erhalt uns, Herr.  Key of E minor.
8. Ah! Holy Jesus, How Has Thou Offended (Worship II, #6).  Tune: Herzliebster Jesu.  Key of G minor in the people's edition.  Low-key option in F minor.
9. All Creatures of Our God and King (Worship II, #8).  Tune: Lasst uns Erfreuen.  Key of D.
10. All Glory Be to God on High (Worship III, #527).  This text is ok, but it could be better replaced by the translation (and harmonization) found in the very first edition of We Celebrate (1976).  The translation in We Celebrate is by the late Catherine Winkworth.  Tune: Allein Gott in der Hoh.  Key of G in the people's edition.  Low-key option in F.
11. All Glory, Laud, and Honor (1st Tune) (Worship II, #9). Tune: St. Theodulph. Key: B-flat.
12. All Glory, Laud, and Honor (2nd Tune) (Worship III, #810, but using the text in Worship II).  Tune: a metrical rendition of Gloria, Laus, et Honor (or just use the straight Mode I chant).  Tonic: D.
13. All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name (Worship II, #10). Tune: Coronation.  Key of F (which is the low-key option in Worship II's organ book).
14. All My Heart this Night Rejoices (Worship II, #12). Tune: Warum Sollt Ich. Key of F.
15. All People that on Earth Do Dwell (Worship II, #14, but I would follow Jeff Ostrowski's cue and use the version that is in the Vatican II Hymnal, page 204, so if I want to use the Vaughan Williams arrangement, all the words will match; I'd still add the Praise God, from whom all blessings flow as an alternate "doxology" verse).  Tune: Old Hundredth.  Key of G.
16. All Praise to Thee, for Thou, O King Divine (Worship II, #15).  Tune: Engelberg.  Key: F.
17. All Praise to Thee, My God, this Night (Worship II, #16).  Tune: Tallis' Canon.  Key of G.
18. All Things Bright and Beautiful (Worship II, #17).  Tune: Royal Oak.  Key of G.
* All Who Put their Faith in Jesus (Worship IV, #904) - This hymn would be replaced by Ye Who Claim the Faith of Jesus (Hymnal 1982, #'s 268 and 269) using Den des Vaters sinn Geboren as the first tune (key of D) and Julion, a David Hurd gem (key of F), in that order.  We'll assign numbers when we get to the "Y" section.
19. All You Who Seek a Comfort Sure (Worship III, #490) - This hymn would be retitled All YE Who Seek a Comfort Sure, thus what looks like a "mis-sequencing".  Tune: Kingsfold.  Key of E minor.
20. All You Who Pass this Way (Worship III, #440) - probably the only Taize piece that will make the cut.  Tune by Jacques Berthier.  Key of F-sharp minor.
* Alleluia, Alleluia, Praise the Lord, His Glories Show (Worship II, #18) - To be replaced by Praise the Lord, His Glories Show and re-numbered in the "P" section.  The tune will be Llanfair (Key of F).
20. Alleluia, Alleluia, Ye Redeemed in Thanks Unite (Worship I, #49), one of a couple of "Hungarian Mass Songs" found in Worship I and II.  Tune: Alleluia Song.  Key of F.
21. Alleluia! Sing to Jesus (Worship II, #19), and using the harmony from Worship II as well.  Tune: Hyfrydol.  Key of F.
22. Alleluia! Song of Gladness (Worship III, #413) Tune: Dulce Carmen.  Key of G.
23. Amazing Grace (Worship II, #22) Tune: New Britain.  Key of F, and probably with the harmony that appears in Hymnal 1982.
24. America, the Beautiful (Worship II, #191) Would alphabetize by the actual title here instead of the first line because almost everyone who knows this tune knows it as America the Beautiful, as opposed to O Beautiful for Spacious Skies.  Tune: Materna.  Key of B-flat.
25. Angels from the Realms of Glory (Worship II, #23)  Tune: Regent Square.  Key of B-flat.
26. Angels We Have Heard on High (Worship II, #24)  Tune: Gloria.  Key of F.
27. Around the Throne, a Glorious Band (First Tune) (Worship III, #719). Tune: Jesu, Dulcis Memoria.  Key of A minor.
28. Around the Throne, a Glorious Band (Second Tune) (my own tune at CanticaNova).  Key of B-flat in the people's edition, with A-flat as a "low-key option" in the organ book.  (Note: CanticaNova publishes the tune in A).
29. As the Bridegroom to His Chosen (Worship II, #26)  Tune: Bridegroom. Key of F.
30. As with Gladness Men of Old (Worship II, #27)  Tune: Dix.  Key of G.
31. At the Cross Her Station Keeping (Worship III, #421)  Tune: Stabat Mater.  Key of F (Worship III uses G, but I would drop it to F.)
32. At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing (1st Tune) (Worship I, #53)  Tune: Salzburg. Key: D.
33. At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing (2nd Tune) (Worship II, #29) Tune: Sonne der Gerechtigkeit.  Key of D.
34. At the Name of Jesus (Worship II, #30) Tune: King's Weston.  Key of D minor.
35. Attende, Domine (Worship III, #414), with the English Hear Us, Almighty Lord.  Tune: Chant, Mode V.  Key of C.
36. Ave Maria (Worship II, #32)  Tune: Chant, Mode I.  Tonic: D.
37. Ave Verum Corpus (Worship II, #33)  Tune: Chant, Mode VI.  Key of F.
38. Awake, O Sleeper, Rise from Death (Worship III, #586)  Tune: Azmon (however, I would use the 3/2 time signature instead of 3/4).  Key of G.
39. Away in a Manger (Worship II, #34)  Tune: Cradle Song (Kirkpatrick).  Key of F.

Please note that I'm only working with the titles that are in the four Worship editions.  There are a sizable number of very good selections outside of these volumes that are just as worthy (if not even more worthy) than what you're seeing here.  An eventual project would be to comb other hymnals such as the St. Michael Hymnal, the Adoremus Hymnal, the Vatican II Hymnal, Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Canticles, the Collegeville Hymnal, and the earlier We Celebrate and People's Mass Book editions.

Peace,
BMP

2 comments:

Elisabeth said...

I'm afraid I really, really dislike alpha order hymnals.

Look - if I've got, say, a Lenten service to choose hymns for, I want to see the Lenten-specific hymns in one section so I can see what I have to choose from. Otherwise, I run the risk of missing out on some good songs, and wasting time searching for hymns that aren't there.

Brian Michael Page said...

Rest assured, Laura, that no hymnal should go without topical/seasonal indices, which would ease the search.

The reason for the alpha-order is that many hymns that get stuck in "categories" could fit into multiple categories. For example, one may find "Lift High the Cross" in either a "Lent" or "Exaltation of the Holy Cross" category, but may fit in other days in Ordinary Time. This saves the singer from thinking "Why are we singing a Lent hymn in August?"

Hope this helps.
BMP