"Prayer of St. Francis" Sebastian Temple....
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,499
    This may be an impossible request but does anyone have a decent four part version of this?
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    I have an SAB of the same prayer, but my own melody and composition.
    Thanked by 1CatherineS
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,499
    Oh, thanks Francis, but it is for my cousin's wedding this weekend and this is what she wants... Sebastian temple...
  • cmbearer
    Posts: 74
    I have in my library, an SAB version arranged by Mark Bernard. I've only ever used it as a solo with accompaniment, which I believe is simple but decent. I've found, at this link from Lorenz that it is available as SATB.

    http://www.lorenz.com/Results.aspx?page=1&rpp=25&title=make me a channel&voicing1=&div=&producttype=*&usage=&level=&pop=False&pod=True&bnew=True&bbest=False&sortorder=ASC&composer=&acap=False&series=&SearchOpt=&biblebook=&biblechapter=-1&bibleverse=-1&divwiseproduct=False&Widget=0

  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Decent four part version of Sebastian Temple's Prayer of St. Francis.

    Oxymoronic.

  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,499
    .
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,933
    canadash, weddings and funerals are often odd ducks. You get asked to do things that would rarely or never be requested for Sunday mass.
  • PaixGioiaAmorPaixGioiaAmor
    Posts: 1,473
    The hymn isn't even that bad. I can think of many worse choices.
    Thanked by 2CharlesW Spriggo
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,933
    As long as we keep in mind that St. Francis never saw or heard that prayer. It was first seen on the back of a holy card during World War I.
    Thanked by 4francis Gavin rich_enough KARU27
  • lagunaredbob
    Posts: 161

    Here's one from a local here in Manila ... it is ttbb, but no SATB. (PDF)
    Mens Choir St.Francis Prayer.pdf
    302K
    Thanked by 1canadash
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,499
    The hymn isn't even that bad. I can think of many worse choices.


    True, but there are so many better choices.
    Thanked by 3francis CHGiffen rich_enough
  • PaixGioiaAmorPaixGioiaAmor
    Posts: 1,473
    I don't see a major difference between it and any other Catholic "traditional" hymn. I suppose you could do it badly, but I accompany it on the organ, and take it at a stately pace. It actually feels very reverent to me when we sing it.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    Can you slip a line into the program to note that St. Francis didn't write the prayer? Franciscan researchers have traced it to about 1915, when it was printed on the back of a French holy card with a picture of St. Francis.
    http://www.franciscan-archive.org/patriarcha/peace.html

    So it's more like the "Anonymous French Prayer inspired by St. Francis".

    This may be the Mark Hayes version mentioned above:
    http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/make-me-a-channel-of-your-peace-sheet-music/3696584
    Thanked by 4Andris Amolins Don9of11 bhcordova KARU27
  • cmbearer
    Posts: 74
    Chris, off topic, but was that okay for the podcast?


    melofluent, Yes it was great! I only wish we had more time.

    my remark was for Christ in Texas.
    !


    I don't know that I've ever been referred to like that! But if you'll see my last name, you'll realize that my full name is redundant, as Christopher means "Christ-bearer". This was how Fr. introduced me to the parish, when I began as DM here.

    My mother did play with the idea of calling me Paul, though...for about 2 seconds...

  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,499
    I would like to apologize for "thanking" the comment which made use of the term "oxymoronic". Although this is not my favourite hymn, it is alright and certainly not my least favourite. I think that a better setting than the one I am used to would also help. Terms like these do not show patience "about legitimate differences in personal taste," which is asked of us here. I would like to apologize for anyone who has been offended by this post, which certainly was never my intention and thank you for your help. Could the moderators please close this discussion, I don't think it is benefitting anyone. Merci.
    Thanked by 2CharlesW Spriggo
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,933
    Somehow, this discussion went a little crazy. I will agree the song is not one of my favorites, either. But I have heard much worse. Haven't we all done things for weddings that we would not want to use for Sunday mass? I have gone along with some goofy things at weddings because I knew when I got them out the door, I would not have to deal with them again. ;-)
  • PaixGioiaAmorPaixGioiaAmor
    Posts: 1,473
    I would submit that the only thing this hymn is guilty of is "guilt by association" with the 70s.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    I hope people don't mind, but I'm going to delete the argumentative stuff from this thread.

    I'm saving the current content for a few days in case anyone would like to preserve their remarks for some future use. For a copy of your comments, feel free to drop me a private note.

    Thanked by 1canadash
  • Reval
    Posts: 180
    Since it's the 100th birthday of this text, maybe someone should write a blog posting about how it's not actually by St. Francis. Blow the PIPs' minds...
    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • doneill
    Posts: 207
    I don't know a good SATB version, but there is a good arrangement by Martin Neary in 2 parts, with the keyboard part re-harmonized and a good descant. He did it for Princess Diana's funeral as a request, as I recall. http://www.ocp.org/products/10762
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    I believe the Mark Hayes arrangement was used at the princess' funeral, IIRC.
  • doneill
    Posts: 207
    Melo,

    That would be easy to assume, because the Mark Hayes arrangement mentions that the song was sung at Diana's funeral - but it wasn't his arrangement. Neary was the choirmaster at the time, and, not able to refuse a royal request for a tragic event, he made the best of it he could. By the way, there is no mention in the OCP citation above that Neary is the arranger, but it is indeed his.
    Thanked by 1melofluent
  • CGM
    Posts: 683
    I wrote some new music for this text back in 2008. What had originally been intended as a straightforward SATB hymn took on a life of its own, blossoming into six-voice and eventually eight-voice writing à la Gene Puerling.
    Thanked by 2canadash Heath
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 1,939
    Doneill, the descant by the trebles was fabulous at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. http://youtu.be/eHVz45n5a9M
  • CatherineS
    Posts: 690
    This hymn is enormously popular in Brazil, with a standard singable melody that everyone knows. Thanks for the suggestions of better melodies for the English version.

    Since this thread was last active in 2015, does anyone have any more recent efforts? The English versions I found on YouTube are too syrupy for my tastes. I'd like something 'traditional-hymn-style', to be sung unison.
  • CatherineS
    Posts: 690
    I'll see if I can come up with a melody, too. :)
  • CatherineS
    Posts: 690
    One difficulty is the lack of rhythm in the text. Hm. It sort of inhibits 'traditional-hymn-style'.

    This bit is particularly complicated grammatically as well as rhythmically:

    O Divine master grant that I may
    not so much seek
    to be consoled as to console

  • Caleferink
    Posts: 429
    Have you looked at Peter Latona's version? https://www.morningstarmusic.com/peace-prayer-of-st-francis.html
    Thanked by 1Joseph Michael
  • RoborgelmeisterRoborgelmeister
    Posts: 139
    Fr. Quinn wrote a metrical paraphrase.
    Lord, Make Us Servants of Your Peace
    Author (attributed to): St. Francis, of Assissi; Paraphraser: James Quinn

    https://hymnary.org/text/lord_make_us_servants_of_your_peace
    Thanked by 1liampmcdonough
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Rob,

    Is that Archbishop Quinn?
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,148
    It's Fr. James Quinn (1919-2010), a Scottish Jesuit priest. The hymn has been published with the tune O WALY WALY. Not particularly happy with the pairing of text and tune, I set it to my own arrangement of OLD HUNDREDTH.
    Giffen-Lord,_make_us_servants-Old_100th.pdf
    77K
    Old 100th.mp3
    3M
    Giffen-Old_Hundredth.pdf
    87K
    Thanked by 1Heath
  • GambaGamba
    Posts: 539
    Fr. Quinn’s text is set to the tune Dickinson College, by Lee Hastings Bristol, in the Episcopal Hymnal 1982. I think that is a really excellent pairing of text and tune, the latter being in a slow 5/4. The alternating groupings of 2s and 3s agree beautifully with the unusual text.

    https://www.riteseries.org/song/Hymnal1982/785/
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen MNadalin Joseph Michael
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,148
    I had forgotten about the DICKINSON COLLEGE setting which is better than the O WALY WALY setting. Shifting groups of 2s and 3s are a characteristic of my OLD HUNDREDTH setting, too, although not in the 5/4 mold.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    Does anyone have any more recent efforts?


    This isn't really recent, but since the thread was previously active I've stumbled on a copy of the original album performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I2jH3b_TXU
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen ServiamScores
  • CatherineS
    Posts: 690
    I like the Dickenson College setting and yours, Charles. Thanks for all the suggestions!!

    I do like that the old Sebastian Temple version is peppy, though I find it otherwise not very churchy.
    I am a fan of singing tunes with clarity and purpose, not with emotive Disney-ballad style. ;)
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • davido
    Posts: 873
    Thanks for digging that up Chonak. So glad I am too young to have had to consider converting to Catholicism in the 70s/80s.

    I really need to use that Dickinson College tune, as I live six blocks from the institution itself!
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,721
    Chonak, that is hysterical. It is wonderful, perfect (for what it is) and awful all at the same time. It made me giggle. I can never un-hear that. This has led me down the rabbit hole that are his folk masses. Wow. Just... wow.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,148
    Here is the Old 100th setting up a whole tone, in G (inadvertently, I had posted the one in F).
    Giffen-Lord, make us servants.pdf
    69K
    Thanked by 1Heath
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