An Easter Engelberg Hymn
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,515
    One of the hymnals has an Easter hymn set to Engelberg, and I thought I could do something similar but better. Or at least more to my own taste.

    I may have forgotten a verse and if so I'll include it later.

    If it's not too early to say so, Christ is risen!

    Let Easter alleluias fill this place
    for God has sanctified the human race,
    fulfilling all the pledges of His grace,
    Alleluia!

    Why seek the Living One among the dead?
    The Lord was raised in glory as He said.
    That we might follow where our Master led,
    Alleluia!

    The path of glory shines before our eyes:
    the Christian road that leads beyond the skies.
    By crucifixion and by death we rise,
    Alleluia!

    Come quickly, Jesus, prove your promise true.
    Bring all creation into life anew:
    a living sacrifice of praise to You,
    Alleluia!

    c. Kathleen Pluth. This text may be used freely during Eastertide 2009. All other rights reserved.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,515
    This is the verse I'd forgotten:

    The stone and soldiers kept their watch in vain,
    And Christ, once raised, shall never die again.
    All praise and honor to the Lamb once slain.
    Alleluia!
  • Felipe Gasper
    Posts: 804
    Oooh, nice! :)

    A couple questions/points:

    v1: it seems a bit odd to me, personally, to have “Easter alleluias” on the first line, with an “alleluia” at the end of the verse as well.

    forgotten verse: It seems to say that the stone kept watch....?

    last verse: It seems odd to have an eschatological bent to an Easter hymn....but maybe that’s just me?
  • JDE
    Posts: 588
    Felipe,

    that's overanalysis in my opinion. A hymn is not a doctrinal treatise, but a work of linguistic art, with a certain amount of artistic license. Thomas Aquinas certainly knew the difference -- that's why he wrote in both forms, I suppose.

    For the record, having "Easter Alleluias" in a verse with an Alleluia refrain doesn't bother me a bit.

    WRT the final verse, the eschaton is always on the mind of the Church, right? Certainly an expression of longing for the completion of redemption, so to speak, is not out of place in an Easter hymn.

    And considering Jesus said "even the stones would cry out," is it such a stretch to think this one kept watch (presumably in silence)?

    Kathy -- keep writing. Please.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,515
    Awesome! Real questions!

    The vs. 1 first line refers to the line in the exultet: Let this place resound wth joy/ echoing the mighty song of all God's people (which is alleluia)

    Forgotten verse: yes, I mean to say that the stone"kept watch," in its way. That line is an homage to Wesley's inimitable "Vain the stone, the watch, the seal"

    last verse: I'm always as eschatological as possible.

    Btw, a fellow saw this text on my blog and suggested I send it to his protestant hymnal committee. Does anyone have any thougts about whether Catholics should be writing hymns for Protestants?
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,223
    Yes. Do it.

    Well, not really. Write hymns according to the Catholic faith, as you already do, and if non-Catholics would like to sing them as well, that's fine. Protestant hymnals have been borrowing Catholic hymn texts (directly or translated) for a long time.

    Can you put a clause in the contract to require higher royalty payments if they play guitar or piano instead of the organ? :-)
    Thanked by 1Casavant Organist
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,515
    (bumping)

    I really like Engelberg, and except for the great All Praise to Thee, for Thou, O King Divine (by F. Bland Tucker, Jeffrey's great-great-great-uncle?) it's hard to find a useful text for it.

    Happy Easter, everyone. Christ is risen!
  • Brian Michael Page
    Posts: 157
    There has been newer texts that COULD fit "Engelberg" metrically (10 10 10 w/alleluia). However, publishers seem to prefer to kill another great tune - "Sine Nomine" instead. I'd much rather save "Sine Nomine" for its rightful text (For All the Saints).

    BMP
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,515
    I just thought I'd bump this back up, in case anyone would like to use it. Cheers!
Add a Comment