Favourite Hymn Tune?

johnflugel

johnflugel

Active Member
Following the recent thread on which hymn tunes you use to warm through with, what is your favourite hymn tune and why? Words association, links with a piece, does it remind you of a particular event?

Personally, I love lots of tunes but to narrow some down:

Laudes Domini - Words associated are 'May Jesus Christ be Praised' - first really began to like this after playing 'Renaissance' where it is given a really majestic airing. Love it.

Blaenwern - Words often associated are 'Love Divine'. As a christian, the words are great. There are so many arrangements around but I think the best is Bill Himes 'To know thee' where he seems to explore so many moods and colours that derive from the basic hymn book arrangement.

St Magnus - This is the theme for the Euro Test piece this year by Ken Downie but is featured to great effect in the first movement of Ray Steadman Allens 'At the Edge of Time'...wow....great bass part in this presentation of the tune. I always get a tingle when playing or listening to that. The same composer (RSA) also produced a straight forward 5 verse (it's a short tune!) arrangement for the SA which is a fine arrangement in it's own right.

What do you think?

John 'Aren't hymns brilliant' Ward
 
R

Rootus Maximus

New Member
Hi John,

I too love the tune St. Magnus. I played RSA's 5 verse arrangement recently and it was super. Also heard At the Edge of Time and enjoyed the opening movement but was a bit dissappointed with the rest of it.

My favourite tune has to be "Was Lebet" - "O Worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness". Great tune and I'd love somebody to use it for the theme of a bigger work.

Rootus Maximus
 
Dave Payn

Dave Payn

Active Member
John, good topic!

Purely from a musical standpoint, my favourite isn't in the standard brass band hymn book (maybe due to copyright clearance?) but John Ireland's 'Love Unknown' ('My song is Love Unknown') is my top choice. Does anyone know if this hymn is in any brass band hymn book?

As a brass band arrangement, I still get a tingle when I hear William Himes' version of Amazing Grace. Beautifully crafted; likewise with Wilfred Heaton's version of Just As I am.
 
Maestro

Maestro

Active Member
It depends what mood I'm in really to lsiten to hymn tunes, but some of the ones I like, for varying reasons, are:

Consecration Hymn
The Old Rugged Cross
Abide With Me
Blacklands
Rock Of Ages
Cwm Rhondda
Miles Lane
 
johnflugel

johnflugel

Active Member
Rootus Maximus said:
Hi John,

I too love the tune St. Magnus. I played RSA's 5 verse arrangement recently and it was super. Also heard At the Edge of Time and enjoyed the opening movement but was a bit dissappointed with the rest of it.

Rootus Maximus
Click to expand...
Disappointed that you don't like the rest of the work. I think the 2nd movement is a stunning piece of writing - the 3rd is aggressive but I guess it is describing the end of the world :? I find it an uplifting piece to listen to. The 1st movement is in a completely different style to the other movements so I can see why people don't get what they expect from movements 2&3.

John
 
GJG

GJG

Well-Known Member
Personal favourites include

"Sine Nomine" (Vaughan-Williams)

"Ein Feste Burg" (as used by R.S-A. in "The Holy War")

"Langollen" (as used by R.S-A. in "The Lord is King")

In fact you could probably extend my list by saying "Any Hymn Tune used as the basis of a major work by R.S-A." :)

G.
 
A

andyp

Active Member
My favourite is a close run thing between "St Clement" (The day thou gavest us Lord has ended), especially the Philip Wilby arrangement, and "Calon Lân" (which is Welsh for "a pure heart" if I remember it right), though that only sounds right sung in Welsh, but I also like;
Cwm Rhondda
Just As I Am
Light Of the World (a combination of "Aurelia" and the SA hymn "Behold Him knocking at the door")
Gresford
The Old Rugged Cross

and for a lively one, Will Your Anchor Hold in the Storms of Life!"
 
PeterBale

PeterBale

Moderator
Staff member
Dave Payn said:
John, good topic!

Purely from a musical standpoint, my favourite isn't in the standard brass band hymn book (maybe due to copyright clearance?) but John Ireland's 'Love Unknown' ('My song is Love Unknown') is my top choice. Does anyone know if this hymn is in any brass band hymn book?
Click to expand...
It's not in the current SA tune book, but it was in the yellow "Keep Singing" one of a few years ago.

Favourite tunes for me include:
Alford (memories of processing into the church when in the choir) - also comes at the end of one of the Festival Series pieces, but can't think which one at the moment, as well as being featured in "Whitsun Wakes"
Penlan (In heavenly love abiding)
Deep harmony (to the words 'When I survey the wondrous cross')
Showers of Blessing (one of our BM's favourites for after the meeting)
Stainer (Love divine, all loves excelling) - esp in Brian Bowen's setting
 
G

Gorgie boy

Member
Rootus Maximus said:
My favourite tune has to be "Was Lebet" - "O Worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness". Great tune and I'd love somebody to use it for the theme of a bigger work.
Click to expand...
Iain Rayner used this hymn tune as the basis for his excellent prelude 'His Glory Proclaim'. It's published by SP&S in the Festival Series and is worth a look as it's a good number if not the 'bigger number' you might be looking for!

Paul Drury
Edinburgh Gorgie SA Band
 
G

Gorgie boy

Member
PeterBale said:
Favourite tunes for me include:
Alford (memories of processing into the church when in the choir) - also comes at the end of one of the Festival Series pieces, but can't think which one at the moment, as well as being featured in "Whitsun Wakes"
Click to expand...
It's 'Portraits from St Paul's Epistles' (Movt 4) I think Peter

Paul Drury
Edinburgh Gorgie Band
 
G

Gorgie boy

Member
Favourites for me are:

Grimsby - for purely reasons of matching great tune with great words such as "His blood can make the foulest clean, His blood avails for me". It's great on the march too.
Lydia - can be used to the above words too and it's a great tune.
St. Clements
Hereford
Stracathro
My Shepherd
Miles Lane
Cardiff

Paul Drury
Edinburgh Gorgie Band
 
BoozyBTrom

BoozyBTrom

Member
Read this topic and knew which hymn i wanted to pick but can i remember the name.

No. I Can't.

Sadly i do know the number in the little red book. 110.

No doubt someone will be able to to tell me the name.
 
PeterBale

PeterBale

Moderator
Staff member
Gorgie boy said:
PeterBale said:
Favourite tunes for me include:
Alford (memories of processing into the church when in the choir) - also comes at the end of one of the Festival Series pieces, but can't think which one at the moment, as well as being featured in "Whitsun Wakes"
Click to expand...
It's 'Portraits from St Paul's Epistles' (Movt 4) I think Peter

Paul Drury
Edinburgh Gorgie Band
Click to expand...
That's it - another under-used piece, maybe because the title is a bit off-putting? I'd also endorse your recommendation of "His Glory Proclaim" - we've often used it to open our programme, and it is excellent (so long as you can get the cross rhythms right ) :!: :wink:
 
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