“For of all sad words of tongue or pen…”

URING the creation of the Brébeuf harmonies, we tried to adopt the “standard” version whenever such a thing existed. The following hymn (WINCHESTER NEW) is often used for “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry”—which is an English translation of Jordanis Oras Praevia, published in 1736AD by Fr. Charles Coffin, who died 13 years later. Deep in my heart, I wonder why a D-Major chord wasn’t used by the “standard” harmonization.

Do you agree this would be very nice?

John Greenleaf Whittier (d. 1892) wrote the following:

For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these: “It might have been!”

On a completely unrelated note, you can purchase the Brébeuf harmonies with a 10% discount using this coupon, but notice the expiration date!