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Views from the Choir Loft

Do You Recognize This Hymn Tune?

Jeff Ostrowski · September 14, 2016

119 St. Robert Southwell HE JESUIT PRIEST and brilliant poet, Saint Robert Southwell, earned his crown of martyrdom at age thirty-three. 1 He left us beautiful verses, and the bravery he demonstrated during his life shows he believed what he wrote—to the very core of his soul. In the CAMPION HYMNAL, many of his religious texts were set to delightful music.

Here’s an example, which focuses on something we don’t like to think about, namely our sins:

This globe of earth doth thy one finger prop,
The world thou dost within thy hand embrace;
Yet all this weight of sweat drew not a drop,
Nor made thee bow, much less fall on thy face;
But now thou hast a load so heavy found,
That makes thee bow, yea fall flat to the ground.

(It’s the second verse of #826 in the Campion Hymnal.)

ONE MUST ALWAYS STRIVE to marry hymn texts to melodies with care and sensitivity. The following is a famous text by St. Robert Southwell, but do you recognize the tune?

121 Southwell MATERNA


It’s a beautiful tune, but I don’t think it could be used—because the association to something secular is (in my opinion) too strong.

Consider two more “grotesque” hymn pairings:

    * *  Example 1 • pairs an Easter text

    * *  Example 2 • pairs “At the Lamb’s High Feast.”

Were you able to discern the melodies?

WHILE POSTING THOSE VERSES by Saint Robert Southwell (SEE ABOVE) I stumbled upon something I published years ago. Now, you must understand that in general I’m a person who hates everything he’s ever done. I’m always embarrassed when I see my old writings or my old projects. This time, however, it was different. Believe it or not, I was spellbound by how good this particular project of mine came out—and I’d previously forgotten I was the author!

But I must say something else.

No matter how great our “accomplishments” are, they are nothing compared to what God does. Anyone who’s a parent, think about your children—how perfect they are. The way their bodies develop: ears; stomach; eyes; hair; feet; and so forth. And the way their little minds develop!

As parents, we had nothing to do with this; it’s 100% God. And no matter how much we develop, through practice and study, our creations are NOTHING compared to the perfections of the children God creates and entrusts to our care. God the Father was “well pleased” in His Son, and this should give parents something to meditate upon during their holy hours.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   Please do read the beautiful words spoken by Fr. Hardon about St. Southwell.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    PDF • “For General Use Until Advent”
    If you conduct a volunteer choir, you might consider using this Simple Piece #40273 (“Adésto Sáncta Trínitas”) which can be used during the rest of the liturgical season until Advent. It's based on the well known hymn tune: OLD HUNDREDTH. Rehearsal videos are available at #40691. A live recording of #40273 (“Adésto Sáncta Trínitas”) by a volunteer choir is here (#40065).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Introit • (This Coming Sunday)
    Our volunteer choir appreciates training videos, so here's my attempt at recording “Exáudi Dómine Vocem Meam,” which is the INTROIT for this coming Sunday. This coming Sunday is Dominica Post Ascensionem (“Sunday after the feast of the Ascension”). It is sung according to the official rhythm of the Catholic Church.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Volunteer Choir Attempts “Kýrie Eléison”
    My volunteer choir attempted the polyphonic KYRIE that will be sung at this year's Sacred Music Symposium. If you're interested, you can listen to the live recording from last Sunday. The piece is based on the ancient plainchant hymn melody: Ave Maris Stella. Polyphony like this is truly intricate and wonderful. It reminds me of the quote by Artur Schnabel: “music that's greater than it can be performed.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Iconographic tradition has theologically interpreted the manger and the swaddling cloths in terms of the theology of the Fathers. The child stiffly wrapped in bandages is seen as prefiguring the hour of his death: from the outset, he is the sacrificial victim, as we shall see more closely when we examine the reference to the first-born. The manger, then, was seen as a kind of altar.”

— Pope Benedict XVI (2012)

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