Evangelia Cantata: the gospels notated for singing
Do you recognize this 7.7.7.7.7 hymn tune?
  • Marc Cerisier
    Posts: 552
    Greetings. I ran across this lovely hymn (file attached) tune in vespers at NDdP recently and saw that it's a "17th century French melody" per the French score. Being a standard 7.7.7.7.7 tune (that I left a slur out of to make the Alleluias work in the last phrase), I popped in a text practical for the upcoming Easter season from Hymnary.org, but wondered if this text is at all known or used in the English-speaking world. If so, what it's tune name is? Using the melody searcher on Hymnary.org, the closest I found was—aptly named—PARIS, which is maybe somewhat related, but not the same (though seemingly related).

    All the best in your preparations for Holy Week and Easter.

    Marc
    Christ the Lord is Risen Again - 77777.pdf
    30K
    Thanked by 1cmb
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,234
    The meter is clearly not all 7s. It's 77.77 with alleluias, or 77.77.8.
    That said, I haven't found it elsewhere.
  • Marc Cerisier
    Posts: 552
    There’s supposed to be a slur in the last phrase. I made the alleluias work.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,189
    Search By Melody at Hymnary did not shed helpful light.

    While it's 17th French, at first blush it looks inspired-by, shall we say, Genevan Psalter tunes. (Which, given that I tend to love them, I may have a cognitive bias about; the Burgundian-Allemanic zone - between solid French and solid German - begat so much richness to Western arts.)
    Thanked by 2Andrew_Malton CHGiffen
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,201
    What text was sung to this tune at Vespers at Notre Dame?
  • Marc Cerisier
    Posts: 552
    What text was sung to this tune at Vespers at Notre Dame?


    Puisque Dieu nous a aimés
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,234
    The tune is actually the refrain from a longer hymn:

    https://www.scribd.com/document/717905700/Puisque-Dieu-No-Us-a-Aimes

    Thanked by 1Liam
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,201
    I found many versions on YouTube. It is lovely indeed!

    https://youtu.be/28DMN9nydDI?si=wLukFPfxKQiOAMw_ for example.

    I also found “Quand Jean-Paul II a célébré la messe à Lisieux en juin 1980, et que la foule chantait, unanime, comme un ample choral: «Puisque Dieu nous a aimés.», elle retrouvait, d'emblée, dans ce cantique français la mélodie d'une prose «néo-gallicane» : permanence d'un plain-chant populaire, au-delà de deux siècles et demi d'existence, à travers les aléas de l'histoire de la liturgie en France. Ce répertoire mérite d'être connu...” in Evenou, “De la prose au cantique” (1981). It must surely be the same melody he's talking about. Perhaps this will help find the original?
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Marc Cerisier
    Posts: 552
    The tune is actually the refrain from a longer hymn:


    Indeed in its modern usage, but I think the "refrain" makes a lovely hymntune alone. It just sounds/feels familiar to me, which is why I asked.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen ServiamScores
Add a Comment