Hymn of the Month - December: Sleep, Holy Babe
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 708
    Just in time for your Christmas music programs! For my HYMN OF THE MONTH series, I have chosen one of my favorite Christmas hymns - Sleep, Holy Babe. This is a beautiful Christmas lullaby written by Father Edward Caswall, a brother and friend to Saint John Henry Newman. This hymn was widely used throughout England, Ireland, and America. Please take a few moments to read about this wonderful Catholic priest, a convert to Catholicism, and his contributions to Catholic hymnody.

    https://www.motherofmercycatholichymns.com/sleep-holy-babe/
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen oldhymns NihilNominis
  • NihilNominisNihilNominis
    Posts: 1,021
    I know this text to the attached tune, which is apparently uncommon.
    Sleep Holy Babe.pdf
    292K
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen oldhymns Don9of11
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 708
    NihilNominis, the melody by Jacob Schloeder which is a very nice melody just never caught on. The melodies like the hymns are somewhat fickle and they survive or they don't.
    Thanked by 1NihilNominis
  • NihilNominisNihilNominis
    Posts: 1,021
    They sing it every year in Sleepy Eye, for probably a century! So it survives somewhere!
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Don9of11
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 708
    Many devotional hymns survived at my parish of St. Mary's into the 21st century. I am certain this is true in many parishes throughout the US. I think this was largely because the musical traditions were passed on from one organ master to another or the pastor saw the importance of "reinvesting" musically in the future. But when the organ masters and pastors retired or died the musical traditions and the wisdom to reinvest died with them. New pastors and musicians arrived and they just aren't interested in picking up the musical traditions.
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 708
    I received a very nice complement from the archivist at the Birmingham Oratory in London.

    Dear Don,

    It is an excellent write-up and very fond tribute to a most holy Oratorian priest. Thank you for spreading the word!

    I’ve not forgotten my follow-up task, but it is needle-in-haystack territory. I am sure The Rambler was the first to publish it, at any rate.

    Wishing you a holy Advent and Christmas (when it comes),

    Daniel


    The archivist reference to "needle-in-haystack" is a manuscript that Father Caswall kept of every poem and hymn he wrote with the actual date he composed them. Many of his poems and hymns were written between his early days at Oxford around 1832/33 until around 1849. It's unlikely that he wrote anything before then. None of Father Caswall's papers are catalogued, thus the reference by the archivist.
    Thanked by 3oldhymns CHGiffen Anna_Bendiksen
  • davido
    Posts: 942
    I don't think anyone did more for Catholic hymnody in English than Fr. Caswall!
    Thanked by 2oldhymns Don9of11
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 708
    davido, well said. Both Father Caswall and Father Faber's hymns are still being used today which is a wonderful testament to each of them.
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • NihilNominisNihilNominis
    Posts: 1,021
    Here is our recording of the Schloeder tune from Midnight Mass in Cincinnati this year!

    Sleep Holy Babe Schloeder.mp3
    2M
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen Don9of11 sdtalley3
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 708
    @NihilNominis, your recording is very nice, quite lovely infact. Thank you for sharing and if you could provide me a few more details about your parish and choir, I would be pleased to list this among others on my website.
    Thanked by 1NihilNominis
  • NihilNominisNihilNominis
    Posts: 1,021
    Thank you, Don! What details do you need?
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 708
    Just some general information for example the name of your church in Cincinnati, if you have a choir or schola, do you have photo of your choir, etc., or anything you might like people to know. You've indicated that you sing this every year?

    I have often indicated in my Hymn of Month series if music or choir directors used any of the hymns in my write-up that I would feature it in my What's New section.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • NihilNominisNihilNominis
    Posts: 1,021
    This is the Choir and Orchestra of the Cincinnati Oratory, Old St. Mary’s Church, Cincinnati, OH, along with the 21 member Laudate Pueri Children’s Schola Cantorum.

    Director / Organist of the Oratory Choir: Sean Connolly
    Directors of Laudate Pueri: Sophia Decker, director / Fatima Spoor, assistant
    (Fatima was conducting them that night. They are an integral part of the Oratory music program, so I simultaneously assist and oversee their integration).

    Attached an action shot from the choir at Midnight Mass.

    I brought this arrangement of Schloeder’s tune from my old parish, St Mary, Help of Christians in Sleepy Eye, MN. The arranger was Aaron Hirsch. They sang this every year. This is my first year back in Cincy, so we will see!
    6428DB23-E245-4D70-AA5A-49501C92B88D.jpeg
    1440 x 1440 - 481K
    Thanked by 4Don9of11 CHGiffen ServiamScores Drake
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 708
    NihilNominis, here is a link:
    https://www.motherofmercycatholichymns.com/old-st-marys-church-sings-sleep-holy-babe/

    Thanked by 2CHGiffen NihilNominis
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,887
    I am smitten with this text, but less so with the respective extant melodies, so I arranged it to Coventry Carol (with a few rhythmic tweaks) so that a congregation could sing it to a familiar(ish) melody.

    Free to use and share.
    https://psallitedomino.com/blog/sleep-holy-babe

    [edit: corrected a typo and added divisional lines between verses on the second page]
    Sleep, Holy Babe • SATB Complete.pdf
    214K
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Don9of11
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 708
    Thank you ServiamScores, I reciprocated on my end by adding your write-up to my What's New section:

    https://www.motherofmercycatholichymns.com/psallite-domino-honors-sleep-holy-babe/
    Thanked by 2ServiamScores CHGiffen
Add a Comment