[Magdalen] On a humorous note

[Grace Cangialosi]

My problem with "Onward, Christian Soldier" is the text, not the tune. I wouldn't like it with any tune...
YMMV, of course.

> On Oct 10, 2015, at 10:37 AM, "Jim Guthrie" <jguthrie at pipeline.com> wrote:
> 
> One problem we suffer in many parishes involves an organist and/or choirmaster who believes a hymn isn’t done in a properly Godly manner if it isn’t at dirge tempo. Others absolutely follow the suggested tempos in the hymnal, not realizing that those are tempos set by organists of the Standing Committee who all play in huge barns and cathedrals where it takes awhile to get to the back of the room. Those tempos can often be deadly when adhered to in a small parish in a relatively small (and perhaps acoustically dead) room.
> 
> S for Onward Christian Soldiers, try singing it to the tune found at #314 in H82 -- Adoro Devote. Uncoupling the text from the tune does wonders for it, I think.
> 
> But then, any time a text can’t be decoupled from the "known" tune without a lot of moaning and groaning tells us that Sunday morning is merely an hour of nostalgia rather than what we hope it should be.
> 
> For those who demand Old Hunt coupled with Praise God from whom all blessings flow when the money gets venerated, try some of the many other tunes  with the same meter.
> 
> My favorite -- for Easter Season is using the tune found at #400 H82 (All creatures of our God and King"
> 
> Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow,
> Praise Him al creatures here below.
> Alleluia! Alleluia!
> Praise Him above ye heavenly host,
> Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost.
> Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
> Alleluia.
> 
> Gotta remember that coupling tunes with texts was J. P. Morgan's idea in the first place, and like many of Morgan's idea, it is firmly planted among us in TEC.
> 
> Cheers,
> Jim Guthrie
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> Jim Guthrie