Over at www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com, they have unearthed two alternate tunes to On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry.
It is important to note that this hymn is in Long Meter (four lines with eight syllables per line, or LM, or 88 88) and there are hundreds of tunes that could be sung to this text. Lutheran Service Book alone has 40 tunes with this meter, plus a few that are Long Meter and Alleluias, and a few more that are Long Meter Double (LMD or 88 88 88 88), not to mention Long Meter and Refrain. WHEW!!!
So, when it comes to alternate tunes, I am sticking with ones that are actually paired with this text in print somewhere.
The names of these tunes are not cited, so if you know them, feel free to enlighten us in the comment box.
Find out more about the author of this hymn here.
Find out more about the hymn itself here.
Sheet Music from John Clark Hollister, ed., The Sunday-School Service and Tune Book (New York: E. P. Dutton and Company, 1863, 1865), #2, p. 16.
Sheet music from A. B. Goodrich, ed., A New Service And Tune Book For Sunday Schools (New York: Gen. Prot. Episc. S. S. Union and Church Book Society, 1863, New Edition, Enlarged, 1866), #66, p. 72.
Yeah, just because you can sing Amazing Grace to the tune of Gilligan's Island with a note twist here and there doesn't make it right. :)
ReplyDeleteTalk about a tale of a fateful trip!
ReplyDelete