'Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise'—new tune
  • BrandtNightingale
    Posts: 8
    I've been a silent observer on this forum for some time. I feel that I don't quite measure up, and I also know that my work and my cultural background is much different than most of yours. However, I appreciate the chance to learn from you all. One of my hymns may stand a chance here: a new tune that I wrote for Wesley's Ascension Day text 'Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise'. Any thoughts, improvements, or indications of glaring shortcomings are welcome.

    Brandt
    HailtheDayThatSeesHimRise(Micklegate).pdf
    42K
    Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise (Micklegate).mp3
    669K
    Thanked by 5Chris Garton-Zavesky CHGiffen M. Jackson Osborn Brian Michael Page Anna_Bendiksen
  • BrandtNightingale
    Posts: 8
    Can also be sung with George Herbert's text 'King of Glory, King of Peace', though I haven't decided if the mood of the tune quite fits. An incomparable text. As he so often does, Herbert manages to be magnificent, and charming, without seeming naïve.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    In the last line of the first verse, "highest heav'n" is on a descending line, precisely where (textually, anyway) I would expect it to ascend.

    Welcome to the comment side of the forum.
    Thank you for this contribution.
    Thanked by 1BrandtNightingale
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    With 'King of Glory, King of Peace' as text, I'm not sure how you would handle the 74. 74. D metre, since your tune 744. 744. 744. 74 metre. MICKLEGATE is a nice tune, though.

    Just for reference, I've set both texts to my tune GRAF (originally 76. 76. D, altered to 74. 74. D), and these settings have been posted here.
    Thanked by 1BrandtNightingale
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,414
    An interesting tune. One might suggest an alternate note or harmony in a couple of lines, but it is really fine. You may very well not know the tune Bryn Calfaria, but your rhythm in the first three line is identical to much of Bryn Calfaria, Not that you should worry about it - people accidentally quote another's work all the time and are not guilty of plagiarism. Your tune is very gracious (and I like it better than Llanffair, which I have never really cared that much for. Most people make a ditty out of it and sing it much too fast.
    Thanked by 1BrandtNightingale
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,889
    I enjoyed this; my only suggestion is not to end on the third of the final chord. The way it is prepared it feels rather unstable for the final cadence.
    Thanked by 1BrandtNightingale
  • BrandtNightingale
    Posts: 8
    Chris,

    I will think about that. The subdominant always brings in an ethereal quality, I think. But the effect is more triumphal than ascending, definitely.
  • BrandtNightingale
    Posts: 8
    CHGiffen,

    My thought was to repeat the second and fourth lines. I will love Thee and I will move Thee. However, I just looked at GRAF, and it is in a higher league than my work. It fits Herbert's text far better.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • BrandtNightingale
    Posts: 8
    MJO,

    Thanks for your kind comments! I do know BRYN CALFARIA—one of the great hymn tunes—but I had not even thought about the similarities in rhythm. LLANFFAIR has never much inspired me either, which is why I wanted to write another tune. I'd enjoy hearing your suggestions regarding alternate harmony. This is partly what I meant when I mentioned a difference in culture: in my conservative Mennonite setting, we sing entirely a capella and generally use relatively simple tunes. But it's often the artist's job to question boundaries.
  • FKulash
    Posts: 82
    Good job! I think I'd like it even more if the whole notes in measures 2 and 4 were changed to half notes, so that it doesn't lose momentum so near the beginning.
    Thanked by 1BrandtNightingale
  • Joseph Michael
    Posts: 258
    The first measure is identical to Sydney Nicholson's CHISLEHURST. Measure two is very similar to Nicholson's. His tune was also written for "Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise."
    Thanked by 2BrandtNightingale M. Jackson Osborn
  • BrandtNightingale
    Posts: 8
    I am pleased. I didn't really expect this much response! I am pretty certain I have never heard CHISLEHURST before. Actually the inspiration for this tune came from a theme in William Harris's wonderful setting of 'King of Glory, King of Peace'. There's a good recording on YouTube by the Choir of St George's Chapel Windsor. Confused with references and cross-references yet? I don't feel that it's plagiarism in any way. I followed where the theme led me after the first measure.
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