Christ, the fair glory
  • BruceL
    Posts: 1,072
    Hello all, with the (now combined, sadly) Feast of the Archangels tomorrow, Sep. 29, in the OF calendar, I thought I might remind of a wonderful hymn for the day. If you're so inclined and your parish likes a more high-church Anglican style, "Christ the fair glory" (CAELITES PLAUDANT) is one of the best. Oremus Hymnal link here (http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/c/c095.html; please watch your speakers!) and a free recording from St. Thomas Church, 5th Ave. here: (http://free.napster.com/st-thomas-choir-of-men-and-boys;-gerre-hancock-music/album/christ-the-fair-glory/13001424). Enjoy!

    PS-If you're on the fence, or need a version formatted for a worship aid, I have one!
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    Wonderful hymn!

    Attached - copyright free to print and share. Thanks for suggesting this hymn.
    ChristTheFair.pdf
    45K
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,148
    Excellent hymn text!
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    Well, I agree. Unfortunately I can hear, "Christ, the Fair Glory....what the heck does that mean...." from the pews.

    A lack of interest in the beauty of music is often coupled with a lock of interest in the beauty of text.

    There are many on this list who are doing good work, lay people and priests...thank goodness for you all.
  • BruceL
    Posts: 1,072
    Well, don't assume that just because I use it that people like it! Sadly, there isn't much pride in doing this sort of thing for most modern parishes, even if they are the only music that really addresses their patron. I always thought (upon entering the Church) that this sort of hymn was like a sacred "fight song"...but I don't suppose it translates that way for many p-i-p's.
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    I prefer (and used this Sunday!) "Te splendor et virtus patris", the Vesper hymn. Dupré has an excellent setting of it.
  • Joseph Michael
    Posts: 254
    Theodore Marier wed the tune CAELITES PLAUDANT to a metrical setting of Psalm 100, "Sing All Creation"--#296 Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Canticles. What a wonderful example of one of the classic French diocesan hymn tunes. There is grand fauxbourdon setting of the hymn by Healey Willan.
  • BruceL
    Posts: 1,072
    JM, thanks for this. I didn't realize the Marier connection. By the way, do you know where one could find the Willan? I have heard of it, but never seen it and am not sure about the collection it might be in. If you have a copy (and can email it to me or post it in this thread by 6:30PM tonight or so...hint hint!), please do send it! (My parish patron is an archangel, so we celebrate today again on Sunday as a solemnity in this parish.)
  • Joseph Michael
    Posts: 254
    Bruce

    The title of the collection is "Ten Faux Bourdon" containing CAELITES PLAUDANT was published by Gordon V. Thompson Limited, Toronto...(a subsidiary?) of Walton Music Corp. WEI-1069 I purchased the collection circa 1980. I'm not sure if they are still in print.

    Interestingly, my first encounter with CAELITES PLAUDANT was in Willan's church, St Mary Magdalene, Toronto, on the feast of St Michael and the Angels.
  • Steve CollinsSteve Collins
    Posts: 1,021
    I love the text, but very much prefer it to the original tune - the first option in "The Hymnal 1940". The one y'all are talking about is much too metrical!
  • BruceL
    Posts: 1,072
    Steve, sad face! I can't imagine anything I like more than C.P.! That said, I routinely place personal preference under the good of the whole, so I'm happy to re-examine!
  • Steve CollinsSteve Collins
    Posts: 1,021
    While I don't have an operational scanner at the moment, I did find a Finale file I had created some years ago - melody only, in Latin. I'll work on it next week (too late for last Thursday's Feast!) and include the accompaniment.
    ChristeSanctorum-m-Lat.pdf
    11K
  • hymndescants.org
    Posts: 28
    Late weighing in, but: the tune Christe Sanctorum (in Hymnal 1982, that would be #1) was an earlier tune composed explicitly for Christ, the fair glory, written in Sapphic meter. I am at present working on an arrangement that uses both tunes since none of the textual dreck I've seen assigned to Christe sanctorum is worthy of the tune....and the lustrous setting from Rouen of Caelites plaudant is too sublime to be passed over, ever.
  • RoborgelmeisterRoborgelmeister
    Posts: 138
    Here's a descant for the French tune. I found it in a funny little book by Athelston Riley who was the translator of this hymn in the English Hymnal 1906. Rob
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    ROM, did you mean to add a link pointing to the descant?
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • RoborgelmeisterRoborgelmeister
    Posts: 138
    Couldn't get this descant and organ to upload yesterday, but here is. Athelstan Riley's book was online about three years ago, but then dropped (I suspect it was uploaded in a country where it's still copyrighted, even though it's not in the US.

    ROM
    Caelites_plaudant_descant.pdf
    75K
  • hymndescants.org
    Posts: 28
    And my own descant arrangement. Audio demo on the site.
    http://hymndescants.org/hymn-descants/caelites-plaudant
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