Handbook to the Mennonite HymnaryHostetler, Lester
Religion
Handbook to the Mennonite Hymnary
Hostetler, Lester
Hymns, English -- History and criticism; Mennonites -- Hymns -- History and criticism
The original of this morning hymn is attributed to Gregory the Great,
Pope Gregory I, a sincere man, devoted to missions and reforms within
the church, and one of the greatest of the line of Popes. The date of
his election to the papacy, A.D. 590, is usually given by church
historians as the end of the period of the Ancient Church and the
beginning of the period of the Middle Ages—a witness to the importance
of Gregory. A man of unblemished character and statesmanlike wisdom, he
had a noble vision and ambition for Christianity and took a keen
interest in the ritual and music of the church. Though not original or
scholarly, he was a voluminous writer and had much influence in his
time. He sent out missionaries, such as Augustine to England, and
labored incessantly to purify and strengthen the church, care for its
poor, and bring Christianity to the heathen. Gregory was particularly
interested in the music of the church; and the “Gregorian Chants,” many
of them composed by him, became the basis of cathedral music for a
thousand years. He did away with certain embellishments which had crept
in through the influence of Ambrose, and inaugurated the use of the
solemn, stately chants which bear his name.
The translation of this hymn is by Percy Dearmer, an English hymnologist
and clergyman who became Canon of Westminster, London, in 1931. He
edited _Songs of Praise_, adopted widely in England for use in churches
and public schools.
_MUSIC._ CHRISTI SANCTORUM is a tune of uncertain origin taken from a
book by Francois de la Feillée, entitled _Methode du Plain Chant_,
published in 1782. The melody, easily within range of all voices, is
well adapted for unison singing. It is most effective when sung somewhat
slowly. Though the tune appears in a book of plainsong, the melody has
rhythm and is measured, and has none of the characteristics of a
plainsong.
25. Awake, my soul, and with the sun _Thomas Ken_, 1637-1711
Taken from a _Manual of Prayers_, which Bishop Ken wrote for Winchester
College students in 1674. It appeared as the “Morning Hymn.” The preface
of the book admonished the boys “to be sure to sing the Morning and
Evening Hymn in your chamber devoutly.” Both the Morning and Evening
Hymn (33) had for the closing stanza the famous doxology, “Praise God
from whom all blessings flow,” now sung by the whole Christian church.
The original poem had fourteen stanzas. According to Julian, this hymn
is one of four at the head of all hymns in the English language.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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