We Grew Up Singing It the Wrong Way! - Perhaps a parent or teacher once said, “Say it again like you mean it,” when you mumbled through a “Thank you” after being prompted. It wasn’t good enough to merely say the words with no mind to how you said them. The form needs to match the content. The same can be said of how you sing a song.
Thanks for sharing this with us at Chenaniah, Jarrod. We sang this recovered version at our recent men's breakfast. Of course, most of the men already knew the text, so before we sang it, I played it first a few times on my euphonium for them. The hardest part is going into that last line with the pick up with no rest before it as the lines above it all have.
What a beautiful tune. I looked through all my hymnals and the only one that had the rhythmic version was the 1941 Lutheran Hymnal, and it wasn't even to Rinkart's lyrics. I'm surprised the Cantus Christi doesn't even have the tune.
I actually had to look it up to understand the difference between versions that you talked about and boy howdy, was there ever a difference!
I’ve often wondered when Christians began to equate slow and dirge like with holiness?
PS In all seriousness when I googled it the box that comes up with questions related to your search contained, “Was the hymn “Now Thank We All Our God” written for a funeral?” Really drove your point home, I’d say!
I wouldn't say the even rhythms are wrong. I could see you argue that the original is better/worse in comparison but right/wrong I'm not convinced. Also the even rhythms don't lend themselves to being ponderous any more than the organ is a slow instrument. Perhaps the vigorous rhythms are suitable to a hearty "thank you!" like at the end of a meal but perhaps expansive gratitude is what is needed when your city is liberated in the 30 years war or when Roe v Wade finally overturned. Sometimes we are so thankful we are giddy and dance and other times we fall to our knees with hands uplifted. A good tune can often withstand varied treatment and so I think when you address WACHET AUF you may conclude the original rhythm is superior to movement 4 of BWV 140 but maybe it's just a better/worse and not a right/wrong?
Hi, Jordan. It was mostly a tongue-in-cheek title, saying we've been singing "it the wrong way." It was me using a hook rather than an actual moral evaluation.
I do know and love movement 4 of the Wachet Auf 140. Yes, the original would generally be better for congregations to sing. But give me the choral Bach version any day if you have a choir preparing it as a special offertory, call to worship, etc. The larger point is "how you say something matters." Yes, you can play the even isorhythmic hymn settings vibrantly, but you have more purposeful effort to do that than with the rhythmic settings. Wisdom is the application of better/best and not so much right/wrong.
We want our music to be singable and our services to be participatory from those in the pew who may have little understanding. We both agree and work with our church folks in learning to sing more skillfully. As we go about doing that, we should look to sing more rhythmic settings of these great hymns, not less. I hope all is well for you up there in Illinois!
We'd love to have you visit. I'd love to come up there sometime. I appreciate the thoughtful, well-crafted instrumentation that I hear from your services. It is an encouragement to me of how we need to develop our musicians and our collaboration in worship accompaniment across numerous instruments.
That makes sense! I was just concerned for someone feeling like the version they grew up and loved is called wrong. I like how the Cantus Christi and other hymnals that followed it put both the Bach and Schutz versions of EIN' FESTE BURG (A Mighty Fortress) next to each other. Would you consider doing that with Now Thank We All Our God or do you think it's time to toss the isorhythmic? Totally agree that form and content need to match.
In our upcoming Redeemer Hymnal, we will put some of both, allowing for forward and backward stretch. For instance, we will likely have both the Bach chorale "A Mighty Fortress" and the Lutheran setting of text and tune of "A Mighty Fortress" that is different than the Schütz version that is present in both Cantus Christi hymnals.
Wow! What a difference!
Well, now I've heard it come to life. Thank you, Jarrod! This is important.
Thanks for sharing this with us at Chenaniah, Jarrod. We sang this recovered version at our recent men's breakfast. Of course, most of the men already knew the text, so before we sang it, I played it first a few times on my euphonium for them. The hardest part is going into that last line with the pick up with no rest before it as the lines above it all have.
What a beautiful tune. I looked through all my hymnals and the only one that had the rhythmic version was the 1941 Lutheran Hymnal, and it wasn't even to Rinkart's lyrics. I'm surprised the Cantus Christi doesn't even have the tune.
I love it. Keep them coming.
It's funny what the parent or teacher might have said.
Anyway, I'm a music writer myself. Let's collaborate or subscribe to each other's newsletters.
I actually had to look it up to understand the difference between versions that you talked about and boy howdy, was there ever a difference!
I’ve often wondered when Christians began to equate slow and dirge like with holiness?
PS In all seriousness when I googled it the box that comes up with questions related to your search contained, “Was the hymn “Now Thank We All Our God” written for a funeral?” Really drove your point home, I’d say!
I wouldn't say the even rhythms are wrong. I could see you argue that the original is better/worse in comparison but right/wrong I'm not convinced. Also the even rhythms don't lend themselves to being ponderous any more than the organ is a slow instrument. Perhaps the vigorous rhythms are suitable to a hearty "thank you!" like at the end of a meal but perhaps expansive gratitude is what is needed when your city is liberated in the 30 years war or when Roe v Wade finally overturned. Sometimes we are so thankful we are giddy and dance and other times we fall to our knees with hands uplifted. A good tune can often withstand varied treatment and so I think when you address WACHET AUF you may conclude the original rhythm is superior to movement 4 of BWV 140 but maybe it's just a better/worse and not a right/wrong?
Hi, Jordan. It was mostly a tongue-in-cheek title, saying we've been singing "it the wrong way." It was me using a hook rather than an actual moral evaluation.
I do know and love movement 4 of the Wachet Auf 140. Yes, the original would generally be better for congregations to sing. But give me the choral Bach version any day if you have a choir preparing it as a special offertory, call to worship, etc. The larger point is "how you say something matters." Yes, you can play the even isorhythmic hymn settings vibrantly, but you have more purposeful effort to do that than with the rhythmic settings. Wisdom is the application of better/best and not so much right/wrong.
We want our music to be singable and our services to be participatory from those in the pew who may have little understanding. We both agree and work with our church folks in learning to sing more skillfully. As we go about doing that, we should look to sing more rhythmic settings of these great hymns, not less. I hope all is well for you up there in Illinois!
When are you going to come down here to Louisiana so I can fully persuade you of my point? :)
Cars drive both ways. But I would love to visit someday. I love watching from a distance all the stuff you are doing there. Blessings on your work!
We'd love to have you visit. I'd love to come up there sometime. I appreciate the thoughtful, well-crafted instrumentation that I hear from your services. It is an encouragement to me of how we need to develop our musicians and our collaboration in worship accompaniment across numerous instruments.
That makes sense! I was just concerned for someone feeling like the version they grew up and loved is called wrong. I like how the Cantus Christi and other hymnals that followed it put both the Bach and Schutz versions of EIN' FESTE BURG (A Mighty Fortress) next to each other. Would you consider doing that with Now Thank We All Our God or do you think it's time to toss the isorhythmic? Totally agree that form and content need to match.
In our upcoming Redeemer Hymnal, we will put some of both, allowing for forward and backward stretch. For instance, we will likely have both the Bach chorale "A Mighty Fortress" and the Lutheran setting of text and tune of "A Mighty Fortress" that is different than the Schütz version that is present in both Cantus Christi hymnals.