Tune Identification
  • jporenchuk
    Posts: 66
    This tune I am attaching was played by the strings at midnight mass at my parish. It was played through twice. I am making the assumption that it is just some hymn tune arranged for strings. It might be its own composition although it was played through almost exactly the same twice with just a few melody embellishments the second time. The file I attach only contains the first play through. I have tried looking it up by incipit on hymnary but haven’t had much luck. I am just curious as to what it is, and so any information would be helpful. If I find it first, I will comment what it is in case others should be interested.

    Strings Tune.mp3
    2M
  • Brian Michael Page
    Posts: 157
    I gave it a listen and am unfamiliar with the tune. The meter seems to be 65 65 D. You can use that as an aid (metrical index of any hymnal, or perhaps hymnary.org).
    Best of luck.
    BMP
  • francis
    Posts: 10,821
    Not familiar with this tune… nice though
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    I searched both Hymnary and the CPDL for 65.65.D (and 11.11.D) tunes and did not find it at all. I've transcribed the tune and have been trying to flesh out the cello part with a view to getting a harmonization. It's quite nice, and I wish we could determine its provenance.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,509
    I don't mean any disparagement, as I like this, but it sounds like a movie or TV theme to me. I don't recognize it. It just sounds like that might be the genre.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,886
    There’s always the surefire method of simply asking the MD what was played.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    To me, it sounds rather like a lullaby, not at all like a TV or movie theme.

    Thanked by 2Kathy tomjaw
  • jporenchuk
    Posts: 66
    @CHGiffen, could I possibly see your transcription of it? It is an interesting tune to me and I was wondering what it was. I have heard it played before at my parish but usually around the Advent and Christmas season so I think it must be some sort of melody for this season.

    As to the comment about it being a TV or movie theme, I think that would be an extremely strange choice for our music director considering her usual traditional choices. It is also possible that it was composed specifically for the parish as this is the case for some other music used during this season. I may ask but I would like to do a bit more searching.

    I thank everyone for the input.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Kathy
  • davido
    Posts: 942
    It struck me as TV or movie -ish. I suspect it is a new composition, perhaps by the musicians performing. The musical language has a contemporary feel to it, I think that’s where the film comparison comes from.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    Attached is the hymn tune. It sounds rather traditional for a hymn tune to me.

    If it strikes one as TV or movie -ish, then how on heaven or earth does Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity (from The Planets), a.k.a. Thaxted strike one as anything other than grist for a patriotic song (I vow to thee my country) or the middle of an exciting movement from Holst's epic tone poem? Holst himself disavowed the overly sentimental treatment of the Thaxted theme, especially in performances wherein he used a much faster tempo than the broad tempo generally associated with it. Oh, and Thaxted appears in TV and movie settings.

    6565melody.pdf
    148K
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,509
    Here is something similar. https://youtu.be/7uTAIpU0sa0?si=krhH7Qpi07a5OJ_8
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • francis
    Posts: 10,821
    Thaxted should only be performed with an orchestra in its original intent… I personally made a 54 minute movie of the planets for my students using many hi rez images from NASA… it is totally synchronized with the entire suite by Holst.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen tomjaw
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,509
    https://youtu.be/7uTAIpU0sa0?si=krhH7Qpi07a5OJ_8
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