Benediction cutlery
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,187
    I like the idea of singing grace off the knives.

    http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/43963.html

    https://myarmoury.com/review_dav_notationknife.html

    Apologies to all who already do this and are used to it.
    Thanked by 3SrEleanor JL Ally
  • Casavant Organist
    Posts: 805
    People chant the grace before meals? Cool! I would love to do that, but I have never found music for it.
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,471
    Rather more than you are looking for perhaps, this has brief prayers at p19/20 and p23. It's among the examples on the Gregorio site.
    Thanked by 2Casavant Organist Paul F. Ford
  • Reval
    Posts: 186
    Timely. Last week our neighbor girl had dinner with us, and after we prayed the table prayer, she told us "you guys sound like robots!" I smiled brightly and said "at least we're robots who pray!". If only we had these knives as tableware, this would prevent the robotic sound of our family at prayer...
    Thanked by 1Casavant Organist
  • JL
    Posts: 171
    They're probably less useful for grace after meals. Particularly if butter is involved.
    Thanked by 3Richard Mix StimsonInRehab Casavant Organist
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,187
    On the other hand schmalz might actually improve the singing.
    Thanked by 1JL
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,093
    Well, there's always the round, "For health and strength and daily [bread/food'], we praise Thy Name, O Lord"....
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    Be present at our table, Lord;
    Be here and ev'rywhere adored;
    These morsels bless and grant that we
    May feast in Paradise with Thee. Amen.

    Tune: OLD HUNDREDTH or TALLIS' CANON
    (or any L.M. tune)

    Thanked by 2Casavant Organist bonniebede
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,799
    I've thought about creating a CPDL category for table graces but only remember one that's available; it would make a fine set of dinner plates in partook format. I too briefly attended a German high school where the teachers took turns each semester writing a 2 part setting. At St David's I've heard this version of Be present at our table, perhaps slightly less politically correct.
  • Casavant Organist
    Posts: 805
    Anyone ever written a polyphonic table grace?
    Thanked by 1Jes
  • GerardH
    Posts: 462
    The first rule that my housemates made for me when we moved in together is "No chanting at the table!"
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,933
    We used to sing this at our family meals; it was a hand-me-down from my maternal grandmother's family. Has anyone else heard of this one?
    table blessing.pdf
    12K
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    Anyone ever written a polyphonic table grace?
    If you sing "Be present at our table, Lord" to TALLIS' CANON, then it can be sung as a 4-part round (canon). I've done it, and it's wonderful.
    Thanked by 4Liam Andrew_Malton Casavant Organist Adam Wood
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 904
    I hope we all get one of these in our Colloquium gift bag. Just think after only a few colloquiums one could collect enough chant knives for a complete table setting.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,415
    Here is the customary full treatment Anglican table grace -

    Before the meal -
    V. The Lord be with you.
    R. And with thy spirit.

    V. The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord:
    R. And thou givest them their meat in due season.

    V. Thou openest thine hand:
    R. And fillest all things living with plenteousness.

    V. Let us pray,
    Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts
    which of thy bounty we are about to receive.
    In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
    R. Amen.

    After the meal -
    V. For these and all his mercies
    may the Lord's Name be praised.
    R. Amen.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen canadash
  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,501
    At last year's Colloquium I heard and participated in the singing of grace in restaurants... loved that!

    My family sings the Regina Caeli for grace during Eastertide. I'd like to sing the Angelus the rest of the year, but the kids won't go for it, so it is spoken instead.
  • Protasius
    Posts: 468
    When we have the annual choir feast on the Sunday nearest to St Cecilia we sometimes sing "Aller Augen" by Heinrich Schütz for grace.
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,093
    And Aller Augen has this modern mirror from these shores:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv4pcothYZ8

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Berger
  • Ally
    Posts: 227
    Apparently, the table knives are polyphonic...each knife has a different part. Check this out. In the video, she talks about hunting down the different parts, and then they made some recordings.

    Now I want to have a set made, so you would have to sing your part if you want dinner at my house, ha ha.
    Thanked by 5Andrew_Malton Liam Casavant Organist CHGiffen JL
  • Ally
    Posts: 227
    Also, here is an article on the same group of knives. (I'm really fascinated by this for whatever reason!)
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,933
    What would these knives have in common with singers? Both tend to go flat after too much use . . .
    Thanked by 2Casavant Organist CHGiffen
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,093
    And: you have to be even more careful with the sharp ones.
    Thanked by 5Casavant Organist Spriggo CHGiffen StimsonInRehab Richard Mix
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