trying to identify a source
  • CGM
    Posts: 697
    Dear church musicians,

    Friends of mine are soon to be performing Howard Hanson's little-known "Song of Human Rights" for chorus & orchestra. Hanson set some text from the preamble of the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, using various musical source material (and other texts, too). At one point he uses the chant-tune "Of the Father's love begotten," for example.

    The piece closes with the attached chorale, and they're asking me if I know the chorale tune. I don't, though it sounds perhaps like something out of the Southern Harmony tradition. Can anyone identify the attached melody? Or did Hanson create it himself, to sound like "American" hymnody? (The text is by St. Ambrose.)

    Your thoughts are most gratefully accepted.

    - ChoirMan
    Hanson-Song of Human Rights pg.19.pdf
    246K
  • Patricia Cecilia
    Posts: 400
    You could try asking Tom Riis, director of the American Music Research Center at UC-Boulder (Thomas.Riis@colorado.edu). He is an expert in the shaped-note and Southern-Harmony traditions, and when I knew him, a congenial man who loved to share his knowledge.
  • CGM
    Posts: 697
    Dear Patricia,

    Thanks for the recommendation. I emailed Tom, and perhaps he'll be able to ID the melody, that is, if it isn't a Hanson original tune.

    Thanks again!

    - ChoirMan
  • CGM
    Posts: 697
    I emailed the Sibley Music Library at Eastman, and they got back to me in less than a day. It is a melody by Hanson himself. The helpful and quick staff at Sibley seem like a great resource!
  • Patricia Cecilia
    Posts: 400
    Facepalm! Yes, of course--I'm sorry I didn't think of that! They are a great resource indeed, and are in the process of digitizing their entire (incredible!) library. I'm glad you received a quick and authoritative answer.
  • CGM
    Posts: 697
    Emailing Sibley was Tom's idea. Great suggestion!
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