Music for Feasts of the Lord and Solemnities in CWB II

The editors of CWB II have made the seemingly sensible decision, for the songs selected for liturgies that only occur once a year, to mate them with tunes that should be familiar from traditional hymnody. The problem is that many churches have not used these tunes for decades and will find them unfamiliar tunes rather than known tunes.

I’d like to get to the general hymns, even though they are fairly traditional as well and not what parishes I’ve played at would use. To do that means ripping through these songs for Solemnities.

425/426 Presentation of the Lord

CWB II uses Chant mode VIII adapted by the editors so it is different to other versions and you’ll have to learn it from their book. The NPM versions are here.

Their version sound like this.

427 In the Temple Now Behold Him

This text for the Presentation of the Lord is by Henry John Pye (vs 1-3) and William Cooke v.4. Here it is set to LAUDA ANIMA, although other settings are more commonly used.

In His Temple now behold Him,
See the long-expected Lord;
Ancient prophets had foretold Him, —
God has now fulfilled His word.
Now, to praise Him, His redeemed
Shall break forth with one accord.

In the arms of her who bore Him,
Virgin pure, behold Him lie,
While His aged saints adore Him
Ere in faith and hope they die.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Lo! the incarnate God most high.

Jesus, by Thy presentation,
Thou, who didst for us endure,
Make us see our great salvation,
Seal us with Thy promise sure,
And present us in Thy glory
To Thy Father, cleansed and pure.

Prince and Author of salvation,
Be Thy boundless love our theme!
Jesus, praise to Thee be given
By the world Thou didst redeem,
With the Father and the Spirit,
Lord of majesty supreme!

428 Lord, Hear the Praises

This is for the feast of St Joseph and set to CHRISTE SANCTORUM.

The text is here, although CWB II commendably gets rid of the “thy”s.

429 Help of Christians, Guard This Land

This is for “Mary, Help of Christians” with a text by James Phillip McAuley and music by Richard Connolly. I suspend my concerns for traditional stylings where they are concerned.

The text is here (last page – thanks Mary).

430 God Called Great Prophets to Foretell

This is for the Birth of John the Baptist and set to ST ANNE. The text from Stanbrooke Abbey is in in this book at Google books.

431 On This High Feast Day

This is also for JBap, translated from a C8 Latin text Ut queant laxis by Paul the Deacon. CWB II uses ISTE CONFESSOR here. The text used is at Google books but I note much grumbling on the blogs about the translation used from Hymns Ancient and Modern.

432 Give Thanks for Christ’s Apostles

This is selected to be used for Saints Peter and Paul by CWB II. This is also a text from Stanbrooke Abbey and set to AURELIA. The text is here on page 14 of this bulletin.

433 Jesus on the Mountain Peak

A song for the Transfiguration by Brian Wren and set, here, to CHRISTUS IST ERSTANDEN. The text is here.

434 O Raise Your Eyes on High and See

More for the Transfiguration by Ralph Wright and set to TALLIS ORDINAL. The text is here.

435 “Tis Good, Lord, to Be Here

This song is also for the Transfiguration and by Joseph Armitage Robinson. It is set to CARLISLE by Charles Lockhart. I note that Together in Song dispensed with the ‘Tis business but CWB II brought it back. They did however dispense with the “fain”s and “thy”s.

1 ‘Tis good, Lord, to be here,
your glory fills the night;
Your face and garments, like the sun,
shine with unborrowed light.
2 ‘Tis good, Lord, to be here,
your beauty to behold,
where Moses and Elijah stand,
your messengers of old.
3 Fulfiller of the past,
our hope of things to be,
we hail your body glorified,
and our redemption see.
4 Before we taste of death,
we see your kingdom come;
we long to hold the vision bright,
and make this hill our home.
5 ‘Tis good, Lord, to be here,
yet we may not remain;
but since you bid us leave the mount,
come with us to the plain.

436 If I could Tell the Love of God

I really shouldn’t bury anything by Christopher Willcock in a post like this, should I? Nonetheless, this is for the Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop and is Willcock in a restrained mode. The text is here (page 8).

My backing has guessed chords.

437 From Penola’s Plains

438 The Ark Which God Has Sanctified

CWB II recommend this for the Assumption. It is another Stanbrook Abbey text and set to MARTYRDOM. The text is here.

439 For All the Saints

440 Lord of the Living

All Souls. Text by Fred Kaan. Set to ISTE CONFESSOR. The text is at Hymnary.

441 Remember Those, O Lord

This is another hymn for All Souls, this time with a text by James Quinn and set to FRANCONIA. The text is here.

442 Holy Light on Earth’s Horizon

This hymn is for the Immaculate Conception. Edward Caswall write the words and CWB II uses STUTTGART.

Holy light on earth’s horizon,
Star of hope to those who fall,
Light amid a world of shadows,
Dawn of God’s design for all,
Chosen from eternal ages,
You alone of all our race,
By your Son’s atoning merits
Were conceived in perfect grace.

Mother of the world’s Redeemer,
Promised from the dawn of time:
How could one so highly favored
Share the guilt of Adam’s crime?
Sun and moon and stars adorn you,
Sinless Eve, triumphant sign;
You it is who crushed the serpent,
Mary, pledge of life divine.

Earth below and highest heaven,
Praise the splendour of your state,
You who now are crowned in glory
Were conceived immaculate.
Hail, beloved of the Father,
Mother of his only Son,
Mystic bride of Love eternal,
Hail, O fair and spotless one!