It will astonish and appal my Humanist friends and raise
vain hopes of re-conversion in my traditionally faithful ones to hear me
declare that arch-atheist Sidney enjoys singing hymns, in a suitably
non-denominational fashion, in my bath, driving my car or meandering on my
constitutional daily walk. “Why should the Devil have all the best tunes?”
asked the 18th century divine George Whitfield and the Christians
put that right with a fine selection – and I often love the music, if not
always the lyrics.
I now visit churches as a tourist rather than a devotee but
in December I went to a Carol Service in the City of London. The singing was
excellent but some of the traditional carols are not quite my thing. Hark the Herald Angels sing hits high
notes wheezy gentlemen like me cannot quite reach and O come all ye faithful is a fine tune but I deplore its cod
theology, all that stuff about “abhors not the Virgin’s womb” and “begotten not
created”. My favourite Christmas carol is O
Little Town of Bethlehem written
by the Philadelphia priest Philip Brooks and sung in England to a catchy tune by
Ralph Vaughan Williams, the fifth line onwards being particularly melodic.
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light,
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.
As a schoolboy in Scotland I sang plenty of hymns both in
Presbyterian and Episcopalian tabernacles (I warbled as an alto soloist, no
less) and while I lost my faith in my late teens, in my dim sub-conscious the
words and hymn tunes remain. How much we liked Onward Christian Soldiers! politically incorrect, with Crusaders
currently in bad odour, with words by eclectic Sabine Baring-Gould but such a
rousing tune from Sir Arthur Sullivan:
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!
If any jihadists hear this one coming, I advise instant flight.
Hymns go back many centuries. The Roman Church still uses 9th century Veni, Creator, Spiritus in Gregorian chant for processional purposes and its phrasing is a challenge to any congregation. Rather easier is venerable Come down O Love Divine, written by Bianco da Siena in the 15th century, beautifully translated by Littledale and sung in Britain to the lovely tune Down Ampney by Vaughan Williams. It is a firm favourite with me:
Come down, O love divine,
seek thou this soul of mine,
and visit it with thine own ardour glowing;
O Comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear,
and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.
----
Let holy charity
mine outward vesture be,
and lowliness become mine inner clothing;
true lowliness of heart,
which takes the humbler part,
and o'er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.
The words are inspiring if you happen to be of a transcendental turn of mind. Many other hymns get an airing from me: Who would true Valour See by John Bunyan saw irreplaceable Mrs Thatcher off at St Paul’s last April and at my obsequies my shade would approve of For all the Saints who from their Labours rest by W W How, a stirring tune, (Vaughan Williams again) to disperse the Blues!
For all the saints who from their labours rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confess,
Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress, and their Might;
Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Oh, may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old
And win with them the victor's crown of gold.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Finally I admit enthusiastically to singing that great Anthem of Protestantism Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott with words and music by Martin Luther. I know best the version Rejoice today with one Accord with a text by H. H. Baker. It is a great tune, used by Bach, Mendelssohn and by Meyerbeer in his March from The Huguenots which so electrifies London’s Trooping the Colour every June when played by the massed bands of the Guards’ Division.
Rejoice today with one accord,
sing out with exultation;
rejoice and praise our mighty Lord,
whose arm hath brought salvation.
His works of love proclaim
the greatness of his name;
for he is God alone,
who hath his mercy shown:
let all his saints adore him!
Hymn singing is not the most fashionable of activities but it gives me much pleasure. Sing along if the spirit so moves you!
 |
| Massed Bands at Trooping the Colour |
9.01.2014
Text copyright © Sidney Donald 2014
No comments:
Post a Comment