Just for Fun: Muppets take Bohemia

Introducing Wordwise Hymns

Wordwise Hymns takes a different approach to hymn blogging.  Scrolling through the archive, you will notice that blogger Robert Cottrill often provides historical background on hymns and hymn writers.

If it happened on a given day, he blogs about it on that day!  Its kind of like having a commemoration day for a hymn or hymn writer.

Robert recently weighed in on a Sound of Majesty broadcast here on All for Hymn.  That particular broadcast featured the tune "Miles Lane" with the text "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name."

Today marks the anniversary of the birth of James Ellor, who wrote the tune, "Diadem" for this piece.  Neither of these tunes made it to Lutheran Service Book, so I will feature Diadem plus the tune "Coronation" from LSB below.  For the tune "Miles Lane" check out this broadcast of Sound of Majesty.  You can also follow along with the playlist for that show.

Read Robert's post on James Ellor here.  You can read about Robert's faith journey here.  Robert has served as parish musician, parish pastor and educator.  In our tradition he would probably be called Kantor.

Tune: Coronation

Coronation with a contemporary twist

Tune: Diadem

Diadem with a Mens Chorus

Diadem with Mahalia Jackson

Time Out #41: Now Come, Thou Blessed One

The latest Time Out episode features "Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying" from The Lutheran Hymnal (1941).

The broadcast is here, and the words and melody are here.

Special thanks to Layman Dan and Southern Lutheran Kantor for filling my request.  They had a few hurdles along the way, given the copyright of the LSB setting, and SLK provided the melody and words from TLH.

Time Out Turn-back: Anthems Be to Thee Addressed

Episode 2: Songs of Thankfulness and Praise

Songs of thankfulness and praise,

Jesus, Lord, to Thee we raise,

Manifested by the star

To the sages from afar,

Branch of royal David's stem,

In Thy birth at Bethlehem.

Anthems be to Thee addressed

God in man made manifest.

Manifest at Jordan's stream,

Prophet, Priest, and King supreme,

And at Cana, Wedding-guest,

In Thy Godhead manifest;

Manifest in power divine,

Changing water into wine.

Anthems be to Thee addressed

God in man made manifest.

Manifest in making whole

Palsied limbs and fainting soul;

Manifest in valiant fight,

Quelling all the devil's might;

Manifest in gracious will,

Ever bringing good from ill.

Anthems be to Thee addressed,

God in man made manifest.

Sun and moon shall darkened be,

Stars shall fall, the heavens shall flee;

Christ will then like lightning shine,

All will see His glorious sign;

All will then the trumpet hear,

All will see the Judge appear;

Thou by all wilt be confessed,

God in man made manifest.

Grant us grace to see Thee, Lord,

Mirrored in Thy holy Word;

May we imitate Thee now

And be pure as pure art Thou

That we like to Thee may be

At Thy great Epiphany

And may praise Thee, ever blest,

God in man made manifest.

US Thanksgiving: In Thy Garner to Abide

Come, ye thankful people, come,

Raise the song of harvest home;

All is safely gathered in,

Ere the winter storms begin.

God our Maker doth provide

For our wants to be supplied;

Come to God’s own temple, come,

Raise the song of harvest home.

All the world is God’s own field,

Fruit unto His praise to yield;

Wheat and tares together sown

Unto joy or sorrow grown.

First the blade and then the ear,

Then the full corn shall appear;

Lord of harvest, grant that we

Wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come,

And shall take His harvest home;

From His field shall in that day

All offenses purge away,

Giving angels charge at last

In the fire the tares to cast;

But the fruitful ears to store

In His garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come,

Bring Thy final harvest home;

Gather Thou Thy people in,

Free from sorrow, free from sin,

There, forever purified,

In Thy garner to abide;

Come, with all Thine angels come,

Raise the glorious harvest home.

US Thanksgiving: With Countless Gifts of Love...

Now thank we all our God

With hearts and hands and voices,

Who wondrous things has done,

In whom His world rejoices;

Who from our mothers' arms

Has blest us on our way

With countless gifts of love

And still is ours today.

Oh, may this bounteous God

Through all our life be near us,

With ever joyful hearts

And blessed peace to cheer us

And keep us in His grace

And guide us when perplexed

And free us from all ills

In this world and the next!

All praise and thanks to God

The Father now be given,

The Son, and Him who reigns

With them in highest heaven,

The one eternal God,

Whom earth and heav'n adore;

For thus it was, is now,

And shall be evermore.

Indulging in a little Distler: Oh, Bless the House, Whate'er Befall

Scoping out youtube for Hugo Distler's choral arrangement of "Wachet Auf" didn't yield the desired results, but it did yield this interesting little piece.

It falls into the "theme and variations" genre.  There is a simple, hymn-like playing of the theme, followed by a number of variations.

This is a live recording, with coughs and a few mistakes thrown in for good measure.  Otherwise, it would sound canned ;)  Ten Table Talk Radio points to the person who can identify the word that is spoken at the very end of the recording.  It's probably in Dutch.

Southern Lutheran Kantor: the first variation is for you!  I think you could rock it out on the Mighty Capra.

Mom and Dad: stanza 3 below is for you!  I think we all turned out OK.

Oh, blest the house, whate'er befall,

Where Jesus Christ is all in all!

A home that is not wholly His -

How sad and poor and dark it is!

Oh, blest that house where faith is found

And all in hope and love abound;

They trust their God and serve Him still

And do in all His holy will!

Oh, blest the parents who give heed

Unto their children's foremost need

And weary not of care or cost.

May none to them and heaven be lost!

Oh, blest the house, it prospers well,

In peace and joy the parents dwell,

And in their children's lot is shown

How richly God can bless His own.

Then here will I and mine today

A solemn promise make and say:

Though all the world forsake Thy Word,

I and my house will serve the Lord!

Text from LSB 862