Odd Fellows (Tunes and Texts, that is) -
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    I just read of a new Christmas CD from The Organ Historical Society. It features the choir of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, singing, amongst other things, 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing', to Judas Maccabeus., not our familiar Mendelssohn. I have never encountered this pairing before and am having trouble, actually, imagining how it works, this because the metres (not to mention the spirits) don't match. There must be some repetition of words or such. Has anyone seen this seeming mis-match before?

    There are some other really strange mis-fits in hymndom, but this will do for now.

    (Perhaps, um, someone will suggest that this is another example of the Irish vs. the English aesthesis?) [Purple tincture.]
    Thanked by 1bonniebede
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,944
    https://vimeo.com/72650163

  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    I could have lived with about a minute less of that brass/organ introduction. Overworked to the point of stupidity.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,151
    Nigel Poole noticed a formal musical & harmonic similarity between the Mendelssohn setting of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and the Gavotte from J. S. Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 4 (in D). He came up with what he calls Bach's Christmas Carol, adapted from the Gavotte of the Orchestral Suite 4 in D.

    The key has been lowered from D to G and notes redistributed to suit voices, and an introduction added (borrowed from 8 bars before the end). Otherwise Bach's music remains intact.

    Here are the Score and MPEG recording by the Calgary Boys' Choir.

  • JacobFlahertyJacobFlaherty
    Posts: 328
    Another example that I can think of is in the St. Michael Hymnal which has 'Humbly We Adore Thee' set to the tune of 'Noel Nouvelet'. Does not work aesthetically.
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    Yes, indeed! About that brass(y) introduction. I could imagine it as the gaudy (and gauche) sound track of a Cecil B. de Mill production. Maybe when Cleopatra makes her debut in Rome, or some such?

    Nor can I imagine 'Humbly I adore thee' to Noel Nouvelet as anything but comedy.
  • bonniebede
    Posts: 756
    (Perhaps, um, someone will suggest that this is another example of the Irish vs. the English aesthesis?) [Purple tincture.]

    Certainly not. you will note this is an Irish Protestant group. There's your difficulty right there. (more purple. ;-)
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
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