Christmas Day Introits in Long Meter
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,513
    Christmas Mass at Dawn

    Light shines today; the Lord is born:
    The wondrous God, the Prince of Peace,
    The Father of all future times,
    Whose reign shall never cease.

    Christmas Mass during the Day

    A Child is born for us today.
    To us today is giv'n a Son.
    Upon His shoulder, power rests,
    The Wise, the Wondrous One.

    I'm really enjoying writing these, by the way. In order to write a line like the last one above, I have to spend time thinking about what "Wonder-Counsellor" means. That's not a bad way to spend a little time!
  • Isn't long meter supposed to be 8.8.8.8?
    Thanked by 1mrcopper
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,513
    True--I apologize. I'd fixed this on another post but not this one.

    Christmas Mass at Dawn

    Light shines today; the Lord is born:
    The wondrous God, the Prince of Peace,
    The Father of all future times:
    Dominion that shall never cease.

    Christmas Mass during the Day

    A Child is born for us today.
    To us today is giv'n a Son.
    Upon His shoulder, power rests,
    The Counsellor, the Wondrous One.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,199
    I, too, was a bit puzzled at the fairly uncommon 88. 86 meter!
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,513
    Lol. I think that when I was writing these I had in mind two different tunes. Going a bit too fast I suppose.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,513
    Can anyone think of a good Christmas long meter tune?
  • rogue63
    Posts: 410
    PUER NOBIS
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,513
    Perfect, thank you!
  • ronkrisman
    Posts: 1,396
    Or perhaps something more stately like VOM HIMMEL HOCH?
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    I thought the Introit for all Christmas masses was "O Come All Ye Faithful"
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,199
    When I did settings of Kathy's Hymn Tune Introits for the Christmas, I used "Vom Himmel hoch" (Christmas through Holy Family) , "Eisenach" (Mary Mother of God and 2nd Sunday after Christmas) and "Puer nobis nascitur" (Epiphay & Baptism). The harmonizations and Anglican chant Psalm verses are posted here somewhere.
    Thanked by 1Kathy
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,513
    Is there a long meter tune (iambic obviously) in common use with a Spanish text?
  • mrcoppermrcopper
    Posts: 653
    One thing you might keep in mind, based on my recent LM tune-writing hours, that a beginning syllable is best (easiest for the composer) androgynous. The "A" in the second verse seems to force an upbeat, whereas the first verse can be used either arsis or thesis.