I think it's rather easy, with the exception of the fermata. I don't even fermata it, I just phrase it off to a rather slow tempo, then pick up right after.

The melody is inane. The text is worse than inane.

Me, me, me, me, me.

V. "I want to walk as a child of the light, I want to follow Jesus.."
R. Who gives a damn what YOU want to do?
V. "God made the stars that light up the sky. The light of my life is Jesus"
R. You egocentric ass! You compare your life to the skies.

SPARE US, GOOD LORD.

When I discovered that this banal ditty was included in THE HYMNAL 1982, I was aghast. Indeed, I was embarassed for the Episcopal Church.

If you parishioners know it and are hell-bent on singing it, you may be compelled to let them. But for GOD's sake, don't teach it to them.

Waltz? When Catholics stop singing "Immaculate Mary", I'll listen to what they have to say about waltzes.

Guess I'm the only one that likes this tune. I agree the text is a bit too personal, but overall I find it non-objectionable. I've never heard the tune done in any context but myself playing it, so it's hard to have any relation to it but a dignified performance :)

Gavin

Granted, this isn't the worst tune. It does sound enormously Baptist, and I've heard it sung at Baptist services.

It's not just 3/4 meter. You need to hear how it's sung, especially by children. If you like it, it's your choice, but I hear waltzing, not even dignified. Many seem to think that slowing down the tempo and/or somewhat heavy registration on the organ can make a song more dignified. Adult choir tried this song that way in our parish, very awkward. Also I wouldn't use complicated chords for this "innocent " song, maybe simple one chord per measure with simple chord prgression for this type of song, but I would certainly do more chords changes on Immaculate Mary. I don't hear this song as serious as Immaculate Mary; it calls for a feeling of light walk or dancing in both tune and the text. At least the light text and tune go well together to me.

I guess something's wrong with me. I'll quit working as an organist and make tacos at Taco Bell now. Thank you for keeping me from wasting my time.

The only conclusion one can draw from all this is that this is mediocre work. The only thing -- the ONLY thing -- that keeps this piece in circulation is its melody, which is "catchy." No one would ever say, "what a text! I'm inspired to set this thing in other ways!"

I can't disagree with that. FWIW I tend to personally shun "I want" hymns out of my slightly Augustinian convictions (I don't "want" anything but sin, it's only by God's grace that I can have Jesus). However, on theological issues of texts I always defer to the judgment of the pastor, and choose not to enforce my own opinions but rather Church teaching.

I have no intention of promoting this as the summit of modern hymnody. But I've used it in the past and, with it available, would use it in the future. I will say I wouldn't go out of my way to use it.

It's a nice religious song, and I have a soft spot for cheerful Lutherans.

Immaculate Mary - a waltz? Are you singing the chorus: AH-ve - AH-ve or ah-VE - ah-VE -? Because one's a waltz and the other's not.

And if you do the french processional rhythm of Divinum Mysterium? Long Short Long Short....does that make it a waltz?

posted for a friends who likes IM.

Steve,

The Peloquin Gloria that you mention is actually based on the Mass VIII Gloria; compare the opening melodic motive with the chant incipit.

If that is not news to you, please forgive! ... but your post makes it sound like this would be useful knowledge for you, so I mention it just in case.

To me, HOUSTON, reminds me of the French carol, "What is this lovely Fragrance?".

Yea, the text is a bit smultzy and sentimental, but we sing it here. Oh well. One of the FEW contemporary songs that doesn't outright offend my musical sense.

Kathleen Thomerson, FAGO (!), is still an active organist and music director at a Lutheran church in Austin.

I wonder if it follows she's Lutheran herself. In any case, HOUSTON was a favorite of my (former) Methodist boss, who considered it an prime exhibit of why all music ought to be more like that of the Catholics.

I think I remember reading that she is Episcopal.

My mother was Lutheran, but for twenty years, she was the paid soloist at a very small Christian Science Church, which finally closed its doors when it got too small.

Obviously, you cannot go by where a person works.

the words mean what each of us decide they mean, FOR US, and nobody can tell us otherwise.

By this logic no song could possibly be judged inappropriate.

At least, it cannot be judged as inappropriate for someone who has grown into his full understanding of content appropriateness. There are songs that I would not consider appropriate to a ten-year-old, but I will allow the adult listener to deem it appropriate for himself. Just like there are choices that are inappropriate to the young that are not inappropriate for those a few years older.

And if we go that direction, we must look at later regret for a choice. The young teenager who decided that one (undescribed) choice was appropriate for herself at 13, and later decided she should never have made that choice; has proved that, for her, she was not ready to make that choice at 13.

My sister chose to listen to music at a loud volume when she was younger. She grew to regret that choice when she was forced start wearing a hearing aid in her 40s. She also chose to start smoking in college, and later regretted it when her husband was able to quit, but she could not. And of course, her family regretted her choice because she died before she was 60, youngest of the grandchildren on both sides of the family.

It's like religion, in a way. One person cannot tell a second person EXACTLY what that second person believes, even if they are both of the same denomination. Even a husband and wife who have worshiped together for fifty years may have certain beliefs that are different. What I really hate is the member of religion A who tells someone else exactly what Religion B believes. (I remember seeing a certain conservative denominational tract that said that "there is a darkness so deep inside the ______s that no Light can possibly reach them." Even though that was one person's opinion, I lost respect for the entire denomination because their printing house authorized distibution of that tract.

Sorry to go on and on, sometimes I just keep going and going.

There are plenty of Gregorian Chant hipsters that like to knock on Mass VIII, too.

Was it Mass VIII in 19th Century Russia? Is Outrage!

An exchange I overheard:

Byzantine Priest: How was Liturgy?
Roman Priest: It was Divine!