Jesu, Joy--wedding lyrics?
  • Patricia Cecilia
    Posts: 400
    My schola is singing for an OF wedding on 30 December in which Jesu, Joy is the processional piece for the bridesmaids (sung by schola, violin on the obbligato) and I am wondering if there are alternate lyrics to Jesu, Joy of man's desiring that would complement a wedding. It's only the 'soaring, dying round thy throne' that seems a bit non appropos.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Patricia,

    I'm unaware of alternate words, but if I were you, I wouldn't discount the value of the English you cite. Remember that a large part of a successful marriage is "dying to self", and that the words of that text are actually addressed to Christ.
    Thanked by 2CCooze Patricia Cecilia
  • ronkrisman
    Posts: 1,394
    Patricia, using the search feature at hymnary.org, I searched for topic: marriage along with meter: 8.7.8.7.8.8.7.7. The only match was: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.

    While I think Jesu, Joy... is fine for a wedding, you might want to have a look at Nikolai F. S. Grundtvig's hymn text: Love, the Fount of Light from Heaven, at:

    https://hymnary.org/text/love_the_fount_of_light_from_heaven

    Thanked by 6M. Jackson Osborn Patricia Cecilia CHGiffen Richard Mix madorganist JonathanLC
  • madorganist
    Posts: 906
    Incidentally, does anyone happen to know of a Latin text that fits the meter?
  • ronkrisman
    Posts: 1,394
    madorganist, Hymnary.org lists 37 texts with the 87878877 meter. There are both iambic and trochaic texts. It does not appear that any are translations from Latin.

    https://hymnary.org/texts?qu=meter:8.7.8.7.8.8.7.7 in:texts
    Thanked by 2madorganist JonathanLC
  • Patricia Cecilia
    Posts: 400
    madorganist, I once put the Ave verum corpus text into it because a friend wondered out loud, 'I wonder if you could sing Ave verum to Jesu, Joy.' It works, more or less, but something down deep in me says that is too odd a pairing, at least for my tastes. YMMV.

    As to the wedding, I think the text Fr. Krisman found has possibilities with a few changes of words.
    Thanked by 1madorganist
  • CCoozeCCooze
    Posts: 1,259
    We've sung this multiple times for weddings. I think people know the text fairly well.
    There isn't anything wrong with the type of dying that this is referring to.

    That being said, I prefer this piece as purely instrumental. *shrug*
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    I'm moved more by the German text, of which "Jesu, joy of man's desiring" is an approximate translation, the 10th movement of Bach's Cantata BWV 147 ("Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben):

    Jesus bleibet meine Freude,
    Meines Herzens Trost und Saft,
    Jesus wehret allem Leide,
    Er ist meines Lebens Kraft,
    Meiner Augen Lust und Sonne,
    Meiner Seele Schatz und Wonne;
    Darum laß ich Jesum nicht
    Aus dem Herzen und Gesicht.

    Thanked by 3M. Jackson Osborn Patricia Cecilia JonathanLC
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,415
    Chuck -

    I can, with some mental labour, comprehend dimly the German text that you have so graciously provided. You are certainly correct in that no English translation with which I am familiar comes close to capturing the nuance of the Original.

    But - so that I might comprehend it even more fully, would'st thou of thy goodness provide a translation that does, even if vaguely, capture the niceties of the Teutonic tongue more readily than our typical English 'translations'?

    (It chagrins me to reveal that I have only a first or second grade German proficiency.)
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    Here is a literal translation, Jackson ... from the CPDL website:

    Jesus will always be my joy,
    My heart's comfort and essence,
    Jesus is there through all suffering,
    He is my life's strength,
    The desire and sunshine of my eyes,
    My soul's treasure and bliss;
    Therefore I will never let Jesus go,
    Neither from my heart nor from my face.
    Thanked by 4M. Jackson Osborn Incardination JonathanLC Carol
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,510
    As a bride unto the bridegroom
    So the Church is loved by Christ.
    While He slept upon the altar--
    Lamb for our sake sacrificed--
    Forth the blood and water came.
    Thus He washed away her shame,
    Clothed His Bride in radiant light,
    Made Her holy in His sight.
    Thanked by 8M. Jackson Osborn CHGiffen melofluent Patricia Cecilia Incardination CCooze JonathanLC Carol
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,415
    That is, if not The Loveliest, one of the loveliest of your offerings, Kathy.
    Merci!
    Thanked by 1Patricia Cecilia
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    Kathy, that is indeed quite lovely, even if the meter is not 87.87.88.77.
    Thanked by 1Patricia Cecilia
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,510
    Haha, picky. It can be sung to Jesu, QEF.
    Thanked by 3M. Jackson Osborn CHGiffen Patricia Cecilia
  • Patricia Cecilia
    Posts: 400
    Kathy, I agree with Jackson and Chuck--how deeply lovely and appropriate! Do you think you could write a second verse specifically for nuptials? Your gift far surpasses my humble offerings.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,510
    Could the bridal party sponsor a commission, perchance?
    Thanked by 1Patricia Cecilia
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 904
    When I saw the heading, this was the first thing that came to mind:
    https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/may-the-grace-of-christ-our-savior-print-g5331
    But I like Kathy's better.
    Thanked by 1Patricia Cecilia
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