Hymn to St. Anne
  • expeditus1
    Posts: 483
    We are planning a September 9 pilgrimage to the Chapel of St. Anne (in WI), and I am searching for the music for J.C. Selner's "Hymn To St. Anne." I only have the text of the first verse, and music notation which is so small that it is barely legible. Selner's text of that first verse is the same as that of "To Kneel at Thine Altar" (St. Basil Hymnal), but the melody is different. Can anybody help me? The composer, Rev. J.C. Selner (S.S.) is the same one referred to in this previous thread:
    http://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/2724/selner-responsorial-psalm-antiphons/p1

    The St. Basil Hymnal copy of "To Kneel at Thine Altar" (same tune as "Immaculate Mary") has 5 verses listed. I had read that there are 7. Does anyone have a copy of those 7?
  • ronkrisman
    Posts: 1,388
    Try:

    http://www.hymnary.org/text/to_kneel_at_thine_altar_in_faith_we_draw
    Thanked by 1expeditus1
  • expeditus1
    Posts: 483
    Thanks, ronkrisman, this will save me the trouble of editing out Verse 2 in my copy, which refers to Canada.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,150
    Here's an interesting variant on the text ... to St. Jude:

    HYMN TO ST. JUDE

    To kneel at thy altar, in Faith we draw near.
    We come to implore thee, our plea deign to hear.

    Chorus: O good St. Jude; we call on thy name
    Thy praises loud thy people proclaim.

    To all who invoke thee, thou lendest an ear
    Thou soothest the sorrow of all who draw near.

    Repeat Chorus
    Thanked by 1expeditus1
  • expeditus1
    Posts: 483
    I just remembered that I had a book which I had bought many years ago when I visited the Saint Anne de Beaupre Shrine in Quebec. I rummaged in my garage and just now found it. In the back of the book are the texts of 16 songs in honor of Saint Anne. Two of the songs there have verses (17 of them) which could be sung to the notation which ronkrisman attached above. That answers one of my questions. Now I need to track down J.C. Selner's version.
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,704
    A few more Hymns to St. Anne here,

    http://societyofstbede.wordpress.com/2014/07/25/feast-of-st-anne/
    Thanked by 2expeditus1 CHGiffen
  • expeditus1
    Posts: 483
    Thanks for this resource, tomjaw!
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    The Summit Choirbook has two items ...

    # 335
    1.
    To Joachim is born
    Blessed daughter of the morn,
    From Anna did arise
    Sea-Star, splendor of the skies.
    The prophets' word now begins to come to pass,
    And to the world shall salvation come at last,
    O happy Joachim! O happy mother Anne!
    2.
    Now the dragon's neck trod upon shall be.
    [...]
    3.
    Now Jesse's rod of old has blossomed after ages:
    [...]
    4.
    And now may both Joachim and Anna,
    [...]
    Irregular
    Text: Joachim est nata, medieval Sequence for the Feast of St. Ann
    (c) translation by DNS
    Tune: JOACHIM EST NATA, proper Mode I plainsong;
    (c) harmony and arrangement by DNS

    # 336
    1.
    God most truly honored thee,
    When He willed that thou shouldst bear
    Mary pure beyond compare,
    Holy Ann.
    2.
    Thine the child of all our race
    [...]
    3. Pray for us, O saintly Ann:
    [...]
    777.3
    (c) Text: Edward Currie (1957)
    (c) Tune: HOLY ANN, James E Daley (1957);
    (c) harmony by Cornelius O'Sullivan (1957)

    The Dominican Nuns of Summit New Jersey
    http://www.nunsopsummit.org/
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen expeditus1 Chrism
  • expeditus1
    Posts: 483
    eft94530, as I read your comment here, I just happened to be marking my music for #336 above, "God Most Truly Honored Thee," which we will be singing. I have never heard #335, or of the Summit Choirbook before. Now you've got me interested.
    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • oldhymnsoldhymns
    Posts: 220
    I found some additional verses of the hymn to St. Anne, "To Kneel at Thine Altar," in THE CHAPEL HYMN BOOK, published by the Sisters of Notre Dame (de Namur) of Philadelphia in 1893; and I am attaching it here for you.

    I also checked my Selner hymnals, published by the Gregorian Institute but could not find his hymn to St. Anne in any of them; perhaps it was published in song sheet form.
    St. Anne Hymn.jpg
    1700 x 2338 - 466K
    Thanked by 2expeditus1 CHGiffen
  • expeditus1
    Posts: 483
    Thanks, oldhymns, I hadn't seen verses 2-4 before! I just added them to our pilgrimage program.
  • expeditus1
    Posts: 483
    Came across this account of the memories of a Catholic schoolgirl "growing up with St. Anne." I laughed, because it brought to mind my own recollections (as well as those of my sister's) of our being called out of school, with absolutely no forewarning, to go play a funeral when an organist wouldn't show up. My terror of playing in public has not resolved itself, to this day.
    http://open.salon.com/blog/lalucas/2008/07/24/growing_up_with_st_anne
    Thanked by 1oldhymns
  • ronkrisman
    Posts: 1,388
    This is a veritable embarrassment of annaquated hymn texts. I was especially touched by "Sea-Star." I recommend that name for the next fish puppet that appears on the Forum.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,499
    I find myself agreeing with Fr. Krisman.

    We don't have to sacrifice literary quality to be devout.
  • expeditus1
    Posts: 483
    Mawkish: something that smells a bit sickly, or something that is overly sentimental in a way that makes you feel sick.

    Admittedly, guys, I am tasteless in any number of areas of my life, but I do have a fondness for those verses which oldhymns posted. For our choir practice on the feast of the Nativity of the BVM, we will pull out another song by the Sisters of Notre Dame, "Stella Matutina" (Birthday Hymn to Our Lady), and sing its 7 verses. I can credit oldhymns for this piece of music, as well. If you hate "Sea-Star, the Fish Puppet," I can pretty much assure you that "Stella Matutina" would trigger the same reflex.
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