Help Identifying Tune
  • CarsonHaupt
    Posts: 46
    I have a tune floating around my head, associated with the text "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee," and for the life of me I can't find out what it's called, or even if it's a real tune or a mishmash constructed from parts of other tunes. If anyone can help me identify it, I thank you in advance!
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,414
    The original Latin text of this hymn, translated by Casswall, is found at number 462 in The Hymnal 1940, and is paired with two tunes, Windsor and Sawley, neither of which is the tune that you are remembering. This hymn may also be found at no. 410, paired with St Botolph, in The English Hymnal.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    Here you are, St. Bernard, No. 17 in the St. Gregory Hymnal: https://hymnary.org/hymn/SGHC1920/page/41
    Thanked by 2madorganist tomjaw
  • CarsonHaupt
    Posts: 46
    Many thanks!
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,508
    I don't know why but I sing it to ST. AGNES.
    Thanked by 1LauraKaz
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    ST. AGNES is the overwhelmingly dominant tune for it.
    Thanked by 2ServiamScores LauraKaz
  • CarsonHaupt
    Posts: 46
    To me, ST. AGNES sounds like a fairly sentimental tune. In itself, that's not necessary a bad thing, but when combined with this text I find it can be a bit much. I think it's fair to say that this is a matter of taste and impression, so your mileage may vary!
    Thanked by 2ServiamScores LauraKaz
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,092
    "Jesus" as the first word of an emphatically iambic tune line like ST BOTOLPH strains in English. ST AGNES. SAWLEY and WINDSOR (the tune by Wm Damon & Thos E(a)st(e)) work better. I know it's "done", as it were, but it's not necessarily convincing.
  • Schönbergian
    Posts: 1,063
    Take it up with the poet, not the composer. Though a fine tune, WINDSOR has the same issue and the other tunes don't particularly respect the meter, which is otherwise very consistent.
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,092
    The WINDSOR tune (WINDSOR (Tye)) in the 1982 Hymnal, for reference:

    https://hymnary.org/hymn/EH1982/642
  • oldhymnsoldhymns
    Posts: 229
    Here is a recording of Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee to the St. Bernard melody found in St. Gregory's Hymnal (click #3).

    https://www.catholicdevotionalhymns.com/recordings/hymns-from-bridgewater-2012/
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
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