HYMN OF THE MONTH – October: Mother of Mercy, Day by Day
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 803
    October is almost here, and for my HYMN OF THE MONTH series, I have chosen one of my favorite Marian hymns. This hymn was written by a Catholic priest and was widely used throughout England, Ireland, and America. Please take a few moments to read about this beloved Catholic priest and his contributions to Catholic hymnody.

    Please visit my website Mother of Mercy Catholic Hymns and click on HYMN OF THE MONTH.

    https://www.motherofmercycatholichymns.com/mother-of-mercy-day-by-day/
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen oldhymns
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,464
    I don't know if you're open to suggestions for pairing with other melodies for people who want to use the text afresh, but if you were, the meter of the text is such that it would be fittingly paired with one of the great tunes collected by Vaughan Williams in the 1906 English Hymnal, the plaintive (rather than jiggy/dance-y) DANBY:

    https://hymnary.org/page/fetch/HSUF1937/483/high
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Anna_Bendiksen
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 803
    @Liam, there are eleven different melodies I found for this hymn, the text is Long Meter 88 88, so it would work with a number of different melodies. So, I don't have a problem setting the text to a new melody if none of the eleven are to your liking.
    Thanked by 1Liam
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,464
    Haha. There was something in the water for Baptist, Methodist, and Catholic hymnodists in the late 19th century that gave them a decidedly strong preference for jiggy triple meter tunes and a wariness of anything plaintive. It's a feature of that period of which I am less than fond.
    Thanked by 1Anna_Bendiksen
  • RoborgelmeisterRoborgelmeister
    Posts: 307
    About Danby, when RVW used this excellent tune in EH, 1906, he did not use a modal harmony. Either he, or possibly Martin Shaw, offered it in unison with the correct mode, as the link Liam used illustrates.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Liam
  • AgnusDei1989
    Posts: 50
    I learned it to a rather plaintive 3/4 tune in New Zealand (where it was apparently the school song for the Sacred Heart Sisters' students) — not too waltzy as long as it was slow. Looking at the "Danby" tune, I realize the words would also fit pretty well to "The Water is Wide". Or something in 4, to take some of the schmaltz out of it!
    Thanked by 1Liam
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,464
    AD1989:

    O WALY WALY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86G3ZHSx6RA

    https://www.justanothertune.com/html/wateriswide.html
  • AgnusDei1989
    Posts: 50
    Precisely - thank you!
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