Trying to find lyrics for this song (Christ the Lord is Risen Again/Würtemburg)
  • voxelbits
    Posts: 4
    Hi all! Trying to prepare some hymns for Holy Week, and stumbled upon this great cathedral/choir on youtube. I just wanted to know if anyone here knows what arrangement/lyrics they are using for this song here (around 2:55:33): https://youtu.be/7_Pj2IV_Szw?t=2h55m33s

    I know the hymn as Christ the Lord is Risen Again to the tune of Würtemburg, but they seem to be using different lyrics/arrangement.

    Thanks for your help!
    Thanked by 1JonathanLC
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    Listen carefully. It is indeed Würtemburg (see my other remark below), but not quite as you may be used to it. If you take the usual five phrases as commonly given for Würtemburg (which is usually construed as 77.77.4, the final 4 being an "Alleluia"), you'll note that the melody of phrase 2 is the same as that of phrase 5 ("Alleluia"). The way this has been sung on the recording (and I think I've seen or heard it elsewhere) is to repeat phrases 1-2 (with phrase 2 on "Alleluia") then sing phrases 3 and 4 as is, and, finally, conclude with phrase 5 ("Alleluia"). Thus:

    (phrase 1) Christ the Lord is risen again,
    (phrase 2=phrase 5) Alleluia!
    (phrase 1) Christ hath broken every chain.
    (phrase 2=phrase 5) Alleluia!
    (phrase 3) Hark, angelic voices cry,
    (phrase 4) singing evermore on high,
    (phrase 5=phrase 1) Alleluia!

    This is a wholly appealing and beautiful way to sing Würtemburg, making it effectively a 74.74.77.4 tune.

    My only other remark is that there is a slight alteration of the melody in the first measure. Instead of: mi mi sol sol, it is: mi mi-fa sol sol (which I believe is a not uncommon variation, not unlike what Catholics to with "in-FIN-ite thy vast domain, putting an extra note on "-FIN-" that is not in the original tune.

    Note: Aha! I knew I'd seen it this way before ... but under the tune name "Straf mich nicht" ... check it out at Hymnary.org (same composer, Rosenmüller). In fact, Hymnary says that Würtemburg is based on (derived from) Straf mich nicht.


    Thanked by 6JonathanLC voxelbits canadash M. Jackson Osborn tomjaw eft94530
  • voxelbits
    Posts: 4
    Fantastic! It is indeed Straf mich nicht using "Through the Red Sea brought at last." Thank you!
    Thanked by 2JonathanLC CHGiffen
  • ronkrisman
    Posts: 1,394
    CHG, thank you for the information above, and for the many wonderful contributions you make to so many Forum discussions.

    hymnary.org is a great resource. I go to that website almost daily to research various hymn tunes and texts.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • ronkrisman
    Posts: 1,394
    CHG, thank you for the information you provided above, as well as for your many wonderful contributions to other discussions.

    hymnary.org is a wonderful resource, isn't it? I check something out at that website almost daily.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    Thank you, Fr Krisman. I agree about hymnary.org. Like you, I use it almost daily, too.
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,415
    Many thanks to voxelbits for posting this and exciting the discussion about it.
    But, alas!
    Am I sinning by being moved to tears by all these 'Alleluyas' in Lent?
    They are sung with such a graciously Anglican air that they are quite stuck in my head.
    Perhaps Fr Krisman can give us a dispensation?
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    Jackson, if there is a Byzantine-rite Church near you, you can visit for some lawful enjoyment of singing Alleluia during Lent. They often present extra weeknight services; I recommend the Akathist Hymn on Fridays, which is common in the Melkite Greek-Catholic Church (and among Greek Orthodox).
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,415
    Ha!
    Clever idea, Chonak - if fundamentally jesuitical.
    I shall abstain for to reap a fuller joy, come our own Western Eastertide.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    I shall try not to take offense at the pejorative term. :-)

    And really, you should attend the Akathist anyway, if it is available, out of devotion to Our Lady.
    E.g.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2IYzQ2Ava4
    [Trigger warning: video contains the A- word.]
    Thanked by 2M. Jackson Osborn CHGiffen
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,415
    Be not offended - it was tongue-in-cheek.
    Thanked by 1chonak
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