An old English hymn tune - Forest G
reen - was set to a poem by Frances Whitmarsh Wile at the request of William Channing Gannet. Ms. Wile was a native of Bristol, NY and Gannet was a Unitarian minister who had been educated at Harvard after the American Civil War. They met in Rochester, NY where both were active in the women's suffrage movement. Gannet was collecting hymns and was interested in those that evoked the beauty of winter.
reen - was set to a poem by Frances Whitmarsh Wile at the request of William Channing Gannet. Ms. Wile was a native of Bristol, NY and Gannet was a Unitarian minister who had been educated at Harvard after the American Civil War. They met in Rochester, NY where both were active in the women's suffrage movement. Gannet was collecting hymns and was interested in those that evoked the beauty of winter.My mind was taken to this hymn again this morning as Di and spent 90 minutes clearing our driveway from the morning's snow. With the knowledge that by Wednesday there is likely to be another 15 inches on top of the 24 we already have, it seemed prudent to give it the good fight. Then I snapped this picture from my study window: we ain't going NOWHERE until Thursday!
All beautiful the march of days, as seasons come and go;
The Hand that shaped the rose hath wrought the crystal of the snow;
Hath sent the hoary frost of Heav’n, the flowing waters sealed,
And laid a silent loveliness on hill and wood and field.
O’er white expanses sparkling pure the radiant morns unfold;
The solemn splendors of the night burn brighter than the cold;
Life mounts in every throb
bing vein, love deepens round the hearth,
And clearer sounds the angel hymn, “Good will to men on earth.”
O Thou from whose unfathomed law the year in beauty flows,
Thyself the vision passing by in crystal and in rose,
Day unto day doth utter speech, and night to night proclaim,
In ever changing words of light, the wonder of Thy name.
The Hand that shaped the rose hath wrought the crystal of the snow;
Hath sent the hoary frost of Heav’n, the flowing waters sealed,
And laid a silent loveliness on hill and wood and field.
O’er white expanses sparkling pure the radiant morns unfold;
The solemn splendors of the night burn brighter than the cold;
Life mounts in every throb
bing vein, love deepens round the hearth,And clearer sounds the angel hymn, “Good will to men on earth.”
O Thou from whose unfathomed law the year in beauty flows,
Thyself the vision passing by in crystal and in rose,
Day unto day doth utter speech, and night to night proclaim,
In ever changing words of light, the wonder of Thy name.
Later the English composer, Ralph Vaughn Williams, arranged the hymn after discovering the beauty of traditional Celtic folk tunes and carols. He was instrumental in reclaiming an almost extinct musical tradition. To this day, while adoring rock and roll and jazz and hip hop, I still cherish these old, old tunes, too.
Thanks for this -- I love hymns, and the music of Vaughn Williams. (I also used to live in Massachusetts, am now in Oregon and DON'T miss the snow...it's safely far away on Mt. Hood most of the time.)
ReplyDeleteThanks Margaret: I am learning to love winter and snow after 10 years in Tucson. Thanks for your note.
ReplyDeleteLoving the snow and loving the old tunes. A good way to be.
ReplyDeleteNow, if only churches would lock up the organs and let the people bring out the bodhrans and whistles and harps and guitars and do the tunes justice...
YES, my man, YES. I couldn't find a good folk version of this anywhere despite its origins. (And I read the Hardy book you told me about, too, after you vist. Wonderful!)
ReplyDeleteHey, glad you liked it, James!
ReplyDelete