Good Christian Friends Rejoice UM 224, Advent 3 Year C

“Good Christian Friends, Rejoice” (Isa, Matt) B96, C164, E107 (PD), EL288, F177, G132, L55, N129, P28, UM224, VU35, W391

This is Parson Paul on the Hymns. If this is your first time or you’ve tuned in before, welcome. Today’s hymn is Good Christian Friends Rejoice, UM 224.

1.     Today’s first example comes from the Dominican House of Studies in Washington DC.  And the Dominican Friars. Give a listen to this a Capella recording.

Again, welcome this is Parson Paul. I am Paul Lathum a retired United Methodist Pastor. My bachelor’s degree is in Sacred Music. I want to help busy church professionals, church musicians and people in general to have a greater appreciation and understanding of the hymns and church music today. I want to help give you some background on the hymns and how they came to us as well as share some great music.

I believe the hymns can speak into our lives as well today as in the day when they were first written. Please feel free to share this blog or podcast with others you think might enjoy and drop us a line with suggestions or any comments. Be sure and check out the links and notes I have placed at the end of this blog and in the show notes of the podcast for full videos today’s hymn selection and others I found interesting.

United Methodist Hymnal editor Carlton Young talks about folk carols such as this that are of unknown authorship. This carol seems to be from the 15^th century Germany. It is interesting in that it was originally written in Latin, but Carlton Young, Editor of the United Methodist Hymnal points out that this is linked to dance.

The Oxford Movement of the 19^th century England brought back many ancient Greek and Latin hymns and translated them for modern use. John Mason Neale (1818-1866) translated this hymn from Latin and the vernacular German. This mash-up making what is called macaronic carol.

In the Medieval Roman Catholic church liturgy such settings would not have been allowed for at least 3 reasons: only Latin was allowed in the Mass, macaronic carols such as this used dance rhythms in contrast to the traditional plainsong chant, and it often used folk instruments including percussion instruments not usually permitted in the Mass.

I think it is interesting that in some popular worship music today we think we have a new idea of resurrecting the hymn tunes or texts for a modern audience.  But as we read the history this is not a new idea. We are doing what others have done before in updating the loved tunes and texts for modern audiences.

2.     Our final selection for today is rendered by the Robert Shaw Chorale which was a professional choir founded in New York City in 1948 by Robert Shaw. The Chorale ceased operations in 1965.

Carlton Young points out that Thomas Helmore “incorrectly transcribed the tune from the old notation and added two notes after each third phrase.” As you will notice in the rhythm in this hymn is irregular and Neal added words to accommodate that change in meter , “Joy, joy,” and ‘Peace, peace’ and ‘News, news’ which has become the standard version.

The message of the carol is clear and is found in the last line of each stanza of “Christ is born today!” “Christ is born for this!” Christ was born to save!”

Please let us know your favorite Christmas hymn or Worship Song perhaps we can feature it next week.

Kiersten Rose, modern worship leader at Manchester United Methodist in St. Louis shares with us one of her current favorites “I like the freshness of a new song, new words, new ways of saying an age-old truth. This year I have a new favorite called "Glory (Let There Be Peace)" by Matt Maher. It speaks to the promise of Emmanuel, one child, one voice, one love to bring us together in peace.”

If you want to give it a listen, here's a link:  https://youtu.be/7h2relyt_d8

Thank you Kiersten.

1.     From the Dominican Friars in Washington DC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE4PH_Kjy0I

This is an a capella recording posted in 2016.

2.     A capella, The Robert Shaw Chorale recording featuring a verse in the Latin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv9-m-xDvwk  A history of the Robert Shaw Chorale can be found https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Shaw_Chorale

3.     Another a capella recording from the Wissman Family https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkCjddxp1g4

4.     With full organ, King’s College Cambridge, 2012. Arranged by Philip Ledger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1gHaU8rDUQ