Hymn for Ascension
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    It's probably too late for most everybody, but here's something if you are interested.
    (I might have posted it last year. Don't remember.)

    The text is shoe-horned a bit into the meter, based on the specifics of the tune (THAXTED). I don't know how I feel about that.
    Feel free to use, adapt, ignore, ridicule, or offer suggestions.

    (BTW - I do not remember where the harmonization came from. It may have been from a copyrighted source. If anyone with an ownership interest in that arrangement sses this: my apologies. Send me a note and I'll take it down.)

    CC: BY-SA

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    PDF HERE

    FINALE SOURCE FILES HERE
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,934
    I can use this. Thanks!
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    I like it, and like all of your texts it's really well-done.

    I'm not sure it's something I would personally program to sing in a Catholic church, because of the theology of v. 2. As I was reading along, I thought, cool, he's going to mention that God is present in the Blessed Sacrament. But it wasn't about that, unfortunately. That seems to me to be a big lacuna (not unlike a Big Kahuna).

    This is sort of the money reference from Pope Paul VI's encyclical Mysterium Fidei.

    35. All of us realize that there is more than one way in which Christ is present in His Church. We want to go into this very joyful subject, which the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy presented briefly, (30) at somewhat greater length. Christ is present in His Church when she prays, since He is the one who "prays for us and prays in us and to whom we pray: He prays for us as our priest, He prays in us as our head, He is prayed to by us as our God" (31); and He is the one who has promised, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them." (32) He is present in the Church as she performs her works of mercy, not just because whatever good we do to one of His least brethren we do to Christ Himself, (33)but also because Christ is the one who performs these works through the Church and who continually helps men with His divine love. He is present in the Church as she moves along on her pilgrimage with a longing to reach the portals of eternal life, for He is the one who dwells in our hearts through faith, (34) and who instills charity in them through the Holy Spirit whom He gives to us. (35)

    36. In still another very genuine way, He is present in the Church as she preaches, since the Gospel which she proclaims is the word of God, and it is only in the name of Christ, the Incarnate Word of God, and by His authority and with His help that it is preached, so that there might be "one flock resting secure in one shepherd." (36)

    37. He is present in His Church as she rules and governs the People of God, since her sacred power comes from Christ and since Christ, the "Shepherd of Shepherds," (37) is present in the bishops who exercise that power, in keeping with the promise He made to the Apostles.

    38. Moreover, Christ is present in His Church in a still more sublime manner as she offers the Sacrifice of the Mass in His name; He is present in her as she administers the sacraments. On the matter of Christ's presence in the offering of the Sacrifice of the Mass, We would like very much to call what St. John Chrysostom, overcome with awe, had to say in such accurate and eloquent words: "I wish to add something that is clearly awe-inspiring, but do not be surprised or upset. What is this? It is the same offering, no matter who offers it, be it Peter or Paul. It is the same one that Christ gave to His disciples and the same one that priests now perform: the latter is in no way inferior to the former, for it is not men who sanctify the latter, but He who sanctified the former. For just as the words which God spoke are the same as those that the priest now pronounces, so too the offering is the same." (38) No one is unaware that the sacraments are the actions of Christ who administers them through men. And so the sacraments are holy in themselves and they pour grace into the soul by the power of Christ, when they touch the body. The Highest Kind of Presence.

    These various ways in which Christ is present fill the mind with astonishment and offer the Church a mystery for her contemplation. But there is another way in which Christ is present in His Church, a way that surpasses all the others. It is His presence in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, which is, for this reason, "a more consoling source of devotion, a lovelier object of contemplation and holier in what it contains" (39) than all the other sacraments; for it contains Christ Himself and it is "a kind of consummation of the spiritual life, and in a sense the goal of all the sacraments." (40)

    39. This presence is called "real" not to exclude the idea that the others are "real" too, but rather to indicate presence par excellence, because it is substantial and through it Christ becomes present whole and entire, God and man. (41) And so it would be wrong for anyone to try to explain this manner of presence by dreaming up a so-called "pneumatic" nature of the glorious body of Christ that would be present everywhere; or for anyone to limit it to symbolism, as if this most sacred Sacrament were to consist in nothing more than an efficacious sign "of the spiritual presence of Christ and of His intimate union with the faithful, the members of His Mystical Body." (42)


  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    As I was reading along, I thought, cool, he's going to mention that God is present in the Blessed Sacrament. But it wasn't about that, unfortunately. That seems to me to be a big lacuna


    I agree. I'm not sure how where I was in my thinking that I didn't go there.

    If you (or anyone else) feel moved to write additional verses or amend the existing ones, feel free. If I get to it, I will do so.

    Thanks.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    Regarding the text itself, again, it is really well-crafted. But since you asked for suggestions, I wonder if these reflections might be helpful.

    Most of these are suggestions about how the meter could be more accommodated:

    vs. 1:
    delete "now" from line 1.
    Change line 2 to "you have seen His wondrous glory: the risen Lord of love."

    vs. 2:
    line 2: change "though not" to simply "not"
    (The line about the Mercy Seat--really nice theologically btw! A rich and oft-neglected image!--should optimally drop a syllable, but I can't see how just now.)
    (Same with "if we only dare to see"--and this expression seems a little overused. I'd suggest a rewrite, particularly given the easily-rhymed ending syllable.)

    vs. 3:
    line 1: change "saving God" to "Savior"
    The use of "now" in line 1 is rather weak, I think. Sometimes the word "now" is charged with meaning, but I don't know if that is true here, and I would personally save "now" for when it is needed, in order to talk about time. I would prefer "sing out" to "now sing" in this line.
    line 2: "Sound the trumpet" adds a syllable (the first two notes of the phrase are supposed to tie one syllable over), but actually I think the addition is benefical and euphonic here.
    Your last phrase "the Church will ever sing" seems to me to pull a punch. You want to nail it home, I think, and this expression doesn't quite do it for me. "The Church's songs shall ring"? --nah, still a little, I don't know. But maybe you can nail it.

    I
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    (whoopsidaisy, our comments crossed!)
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,934
    Post, when revised, please. I would like to rehearse it with the choir on Wednesday evening. We can sing it Sunday.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    I'll do what I can.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    Here's an idea for a potential vs 3

    And as your blessed apostles....rising from the dead,
    Be know to us, Lord Jesus, in the breaking of the bread.
    When you open up the scriptures may our hearts be set afire
    ....desire
    yadda yadda
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    My brother requested replacing the end of v3 with a Doxology.
    Would that help?

    Alleluia to the Father, and to His Only Son.
    Alleluia to the Spirit, eternal Three in One.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    desire... fire
    bread... dead
    above... love... like a dove

    These church songs just write themselves...
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    lol
    flame...name--there's another one
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,694
    So many notes... If only there were a way I could sing this hymn on a single note rather than having to worry about intervals and rhythms and key signatures.....

    I think I will steal it and add it to THE RECTO TONO HYMNAL.
    Thanked by 2Heath Adam Wood
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    My brother requested replacing the end of v3 with a Doxology.
    Would that help?

    Alleluia to the Father, and to His Only Son.
    Alleluia to the Spirit, eternal Three in One.

    It's a great idea! Still possibly not a home run/ a hole in one/ the brightness of the sun/ God bless us, everyone.

    Don't let me needle you to death, Adam. It's a fine text.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • Heath
    Posts: 934
    Adam, nice! I do hate that you lose the rhythmic "punch" of the dotted eighth-sixteenth combo that normally happens during the first beat in m. 13. Squeeze another syllable in there somehow?
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    Don't let me needle you to death, Adam. It's a fine text.


    Especially when it comes from you, but generally also: I always take criticism as a compliment to the underlying quality. If it wasn't any good to begin with, there would be no point in trying to improve.

    Also, needling is often exactly what a work of art needs. The difference between "just right" and "good enough" is what sets artists apart from technicians.
    Thanked by 2Kathy CHGiffen
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    I agree with Heath... Any way to fit it in there?
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    I think I will steal it and add it to THE RECTO TONO HYMNAL.


    Talk to Noel Jones, I think he's ahead of you on that. He told me he's already done an SATB+Harmonica* arrangement in parallel octaves for THE RECTO TONO CHOIRBOOK.

    (*with optional sackbut choir)
  • (*with optional sackbut choir)


    This.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,151
    Heyyy ... back in antiquity, I played bass sackbut at one time in the UVa early music ensemble. It was fun.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    REVISED

    I took as many suggestions as I could and which made sense.
    I even managed to get the dotted-eighth-sixteenth back in for Heath.

    Feel free to use EITHER version, or mix and match, or rewrite as you need.

    If you do it, let me know how it goes. If you have the ability to record it, that would be wonderful.

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    PDF Score

    FINALE .mus file
    Thanked by 2Heath elaine60
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,934
    I can't record it, but will practice it with the choir tonight. Because of a long-standing tradition in the parish, a singer does the "Ave Maria" at offertory for his mother - also a choir member - on Mothers Day. I can't change that without creating much ill will. However, it is Ascension, so I will slip this hymn in at the beginning of communion right after the Proper.

    Thanks, Adam. I like it.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    I might use the first hymn tomorrow as a recessional.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    I find I like different things about each one differently, and I think there's still room for improvement. If anyone feels so inclined to do any re-writes (particularly rewrites that come out of working on it with actual singers) please post them here. (So that I can sue your pants off!)
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Adam, thank you first. Secondly, may I have permission to use this Sunday?
    Charles
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    may I have permission to use this Sunday?


    I appreciate your good manners- but the request is not needed. Please feel free to use it. (In either version above, or adapted as needed).

    If you are able, I would really appreciate a recording.
    Thanked by 1melofluent
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 891
    I really wish we celebrated the Ascension on Thursday and the 7th Sunday of Easter on Sunday. There's just so many things I'd like to do I can't cram in all in. Nice work.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,934
    The hymn was a resounding success at rehearsal last night. The choir loved it!
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    I can't help but notice the copyright symbol. Interesting!
    Thanked by 1Gavin
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    Creative Commons, and other Open Source licenses, rest on the foundation of existing Copyright Law, using the law itself to subvert the law's intent.

    Under US Law (and internaitonal law, I think) copyright is AUTOMATIC. That is- I "own" the copyright, whether I put the little circle on it or not. So I might as well declare that it's me, and not someone else, who "owns" it.

    You'll notice that below the Copyright symbol I printed:
    CC BY SA

    This stands for:
    Creative Commons: Attribution, Share-Alike

    ANYONE is free to do ANYTHING with this piece FOR ANY REASON, so long as they:
    -Let it be known that I wrote it
    -Release whatever derivative works they create under a similarly non-restrictive license
    Thanked by 1elaine60
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Topic at hand-
    AW, thanks for sharing in FINALE. You're setting a needed trend which I'll illustrate by how we acquired the hymn last night to our great joy.
    1. Tho' we sing in SATB, SAB with a well-crafted B part is accessible to many more choirs.
    2. I could transpose (up a third).
    3. With three verses it could be accompanied by the Proulx concertato arr. (wink)
    4. If I was so motivated, as per your accomodating attitude, have added a descant, a new descant (not borrowed from "you know who."
    This should become a working model among parish musicians (as opposed to touring musicians selling product) that benefits the growth of the emerging "sacred music" revolution.

    BTW, Chuck Giffen would do the same thing, obviously, with his Ascension Introit, but I found that he'd already done it and had it posted a CWiki.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    In verse 1, the comma after "stand" is a show-stopper for me.

    --The Punctuationist
    Thanked by 2Adam Wood matthewj
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    You're right, dagnabit.
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    dagnabit.

    Channeling your inner "Hoss Cartwright?" You can't possibly remember BONANZA except via reruns/DVD, young stud.
    Of course, it could be some Latin exclamation. Lemme look in Google....
    Nope, but would "na" be the accentuated sylLAble?
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,694
    The comma bothered me too. But what bothered me more were all those intervals, rhythms and non-recto-tono notes.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,151
    Chuck Giffen would do the same thing, obviously, with his Ascension Introit, but I found that he'd already done it and had it posted a CWiki.

    I also posted it HERE at MusicSacra (both SSA and ATB versions posted).
    Thanked by 1melofluent
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,151
    dagnabit
    ... pronounced dah-nyah-beet?
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    You can't possibly remember BONANZA except via reruns/DVD, young stud.


    I'm ashamed to say this to a bunch of Bible-readers, but...
    I was named after Adam Cartwright.

    No, really. Black pixels, true story.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Off topic spoiler alert
    .
    Chuck-Man, that is one serious Introit! We loved it, but were too low on females to insure that we could bring it off!
    And I want to, as long as off subject, again commend another genius (besides AW/CHG), that is our beloved Richard Rice for his Ascension (Choral) Communio. Stunningly beautiful.
    Insofar as BONANZA, I was named after the cook.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    An interesting thought just occurred to me:

    Having said, "ANYONE is free to do ANYTHING with this piece FOR ANY REASON," Adam will now be beset with a deluge of requests, "Can I use this on Sunday?" "Can I copy this?" "Can I give it to my choir?" "Can I give it to my congregation?" and other stupid questions.

    If he would have sold it for $8.99 a copy, people would buy one and photocopy hundreds to distribute. Without asking Adam.

    I don't know what conclusions to draw from this. But you know I'm right.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    I don't know what conclusions to draw from this.

    People are dumb?

    The people who like to make sure they are following the rules don't interact with the selling people (much) because the rules are clear: they just purchase the thing and use it. However, those same people might ask... incredulous that they can, really, do whatever they want.


    The people who don't care about following rules don't ask in either case, because they don't care.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    We sang it last night; many 'thumbs up' from the congregation. (Not during the liturgy, of course...)
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    THANKS!

    Sal and Charles- which version (or hybrid) did you use?

    Anyone else with an opinion... is one better than the other? Does it need more work before next year?
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Gavin, though your point is well taken, I disagree that your projected results would be a "given." This, perhaps is where there may be a potentially win/win intersection of planning and execution of Kathy's goal of saturation and widespread distribution. Adam's hymn processed in an insular environment, from his heart, brain, pen through a number of filters, etc. for a specific outcome. I don't need to elaborate upon them here. But, many other models are already out there with similar processes you mention: CanticaNova (tho' I think hardcopy remains they're option, along with St. James Press.) Gary's products are reasonably priced for octavos by comparison to, say Santa Barbara or Oxford/Concordia, while St. James has gone to a yearly subscription, which was a deal breaker for me; akin to buying the cow instead of a quart of milk.) Chris Mueller's model I believe is reasonable as the quality of product can be weighed, as you say, by the consumer, and then delivered instantaneously. I think if a consortium wanted to take all the CMAA stuff up a notch, an editorial standard will emerge one way or another. Then if it is releasable, perhaps doing a SheetMusicPlus per copy, but not at the 3.95 price point would be viable for us poorly budgeted DM's. But, to be honest, at this moment all the models, including Noel's, Richard's, AOZ's, Adam's are all working for me quite well. Sorry if this rambled.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    I wrote about this whole issue a while ago...

    EDIT:
    Reading this again two years later is interesting. Some of my thoughts about these things have changed a bit.
    Thanked by 1melofluent
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,934
    Adam, I used the revised version. There was no particular reason.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    I used the revised version. The Eucharistic reference and the doxology are nice elements of the revised text.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood