Take Up Your Cross
  • Bobby Bolin
    Posts: 417
    A popular hymn this week. Which tune do you best associate it with?
  • CatholicZ09
    Posts: 268
    I have only ever known/sung it to ERHALT UNS HERR, but St. Pat’s in NYC sang it to a tune of which I don’t know the name, but I really like:

    https://www.youtube.com/live/LEZW2Qc7Os8?si=SHDiDeAO3smSjhD8

    I like ERHALT, but at the same time, it really reminds me of Lent.
  • MarkS
    Posts: 282
    St. Pat’s in NYC sang it to a tune of which I don’t know the name, but I really like:


    This appears to be the tune BRESLAU. My Episcopalians sing it to BOURBON (Hymnal 1982 # 675), which I think is a good, sturdy tune.
  • Carol
    Posts: 851
    We did sing this yesterday to ERHALT. I like this tune, which I do associate it with Lent, but obviously so does the phrase "take up your cross."
  • cmb
    Posts: 84
    I prefer it to O WALY WALY, except during Lent.
  • CantateDominoMS
    Posts: 6
    We used O WALY WALY.
  • TCJ
    Posts: 970
    We use Breslau.
  • Bombarde16
    Posts: 119
    Breslau is great for this text. Erhalt uns Herr just has too many lutheran memories of "Lord Keep us Steadfast in Thy Word" sentiments to it for me....
  • Diapason84
    Posts: 75
    Our hymnal pairs the text with “Breslau,” which I like. It’s a fine alternative to the rather severe and ham-fisted Erhalt Uns, Herr.
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,954
    I think the text would pair beautifully with Gibbons' SONG 34 (aka ANGELS' SONG). This video uses a version of the tune in 4-6/4, but it's also done in 3/4 (illustrated in the second link to a pdf)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnA6zo4I690

    https://hymnary.org/page/fetch/PHLG2023/454/high

    If you have an English-original text that is not firmly associated with one tune and that pairs well with one of the Gibbons hymn tunes, it would be hard to do better than Gibbons.
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,735
    I tweaked the poetry to fit WOODLANDS which made for a rather lovely recessional hymn.
  • Diapason84
    Posts: 75
    For some reason, I see this text going well, possibly, with the tune “Beatus Vir,” a Slovak melody. There’s a harmonization by Richard Hillert out there, which is where I first encountered it, but there might be others.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,153
    Ages ago, I learned this with the tune GERMANY.
  • Nathan_the_Organist
    Posts: 434
    The Pew Missal has it to Breslau. I had this as the offertory hymn yesterday, and I think it works better in that place with Breslau than Erhalt Uns Herr. I also heard this text from the National Shrine in DC to Eisenach.
  • Bobby Bolin
    Posts: 417
    I also like it with Breslau, mainly because it's the only text I associate with that tune.
  • lmassery
    Posts: 406
    I use O Waly Waly
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