Awake, My Soul, Awake

This is a timely “Advent Tavern Song” with a text by Harry Hagen OSB set by Timothy R. Smith.

He tells the story of how the song happened in the videos below.

There is a wordless interlude to be sung after the second and fourth verses. It is a lot of fun and a joyous Advent song. It has more life in it than most of the new OCP offerings, but then it was written more than twenty years ago.

The sheet music is at OCP where the text is in their preview.

My backing is more a Latin tavern.

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2 Responses to Awake, My Soul, Awake

  1. Chris Wroblewski says:

    This is is a really good text, originally written for Advent Weeks 1-3 Morning Prayer, but I believe you may be in error with the music: according to OneLicense, the version in Breaking Bread has music by Don Partridge, not Timothy R. Smith. It is much more restrained and, in my view, more suitable for Mass:

    YouTube: https://youtu.be/aZpbYVO9YOs
    OCP: https://www.ocp.org/en-us/songs/90936

    Sadly, OCP makes no mention that this is was written as a short meter text that could be sung with numerous well known tunes. From CWB2, CARLISLE would work well, but the better known FRANCONIA could also be used. FESTAL SONG might be even better.

    The collection the text comes from is excellent, and contains a large number of texts intended for Morning and Afternoon Prayer. It can be freely (and legally!) downloaded from the St Meinrad Archabbey website:

    https://www.saintmeinrad.edu/media/91416/hymns-for-the-liturgy-of-the-hours-at-saint-meinrad-seasons-of-the-year-2023.pdf

    • maddg says:

      You’re correct of course, Chris. OCP would never put something lively as a new song in Breaking Bread these days!

      I’ll have a look at the Partridge setting.
      cheers

      Geoff

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