Hymn tunes that started life as folksongs feature in today's programme. And we mark The Assumption of Mary into Heaven with some Marian hymns - the feast day is celebrated on August 15th in the liturgical calendar.
Detail of an historiated initial 'S'(ancta) of the Virgin Mary. Image taken from f. 101 of Book of Hours, Use of Rome (the 'Hours of Bonaparte Ghislieri', formerly known as 'The Albani Hours'). Photo: [Public Domain https://picryl.com/media/virgin-mary-from-bl-yt-29-f-101-7f1a70]
SONG: BE THOU MY VISION
Artist: Choir of St Mary’s Episcopal Church, Edinburgh
Words/Music: Anon trans Byrne, versified Hull/Trad
Recording: Priory PRCD 376
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
be all else but naught to me, save that thou art;
be thou my best thought in the day and the night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word;
be thou ever with me, and I with thee, Lord;
be thou my great Father: and I thy true son;
be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight;
be thou my whole armour, thou my true might,
be thou my soul's shelter, be thou my high tower:
O raise thou me heavenward, great power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise
be thou mine inheritance now and always
be thou and thou only, the first in my heart
O Sovereign of Heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of Heaven, thou Heaven’s bright sun!
O grant me its joys after victory is won,
great heart of my own heart whatever befall,
still be thou my vision, O ruler of all.
SONG: THANK YOU FOR THE NIGHT
Artist: Viva Voce, John Rosser (dir), Michael Bell (piano)
Words/Music: Jenny McLeod
Recording: NZ Hymnbook Trust 941300
Thank you for the night
that will bring us the dawn,
Alleluia, bright is our Redeemer.
Thank you for the light
that reveals where we are,
Alleluia, kindly is our Comforter.
Thank you for the wind
when we open the door,
Alleluia, cleansing breath of God from afar.
Thank you for the sea
that surrounds and enfolds,
Alleluia, God our refuge and mother.
Thank you for the sky
when we lift up our heads,
Alleluia, high and free our Saviour.
Thank you for the earth
giving sweetness to all,
Alleluia, God our life, our sustainer.
SONG: HAIL, QUEEN OF HEAVEN, THE OCEAN STAR
Artist: Choirs of the Diocese of Leeds
Words/Music: Lingard/Trad
Hail, Queen of Heav'n, the ocean Star,
Guide of the wand'rer here below!
Thrown on life's surge we claim thy care,
Save us from peril and from woe.
Mother of Christ, Star of the sea,
Pray for the wanderer, pray for me
O gentle, chaste, and spotless Maid,
We sinners make our prayers through thee
Remind thy Son that He has paid
The price of our iniquity.
Virgin most pure, Star of the sea,
Pray for the sinner, pray for me.
Sojourners in this vale of tears,
O thee, blest Advocate, we cry,
Pity our sorrows, calm our fears,
And soothe with hope our misery.
Refuge in grief, Star of the sea,
Pray for the mourner, pray for me.
And while to Him who reigns above,
In Godhead One, in Persons Three,
The source of life, of grace, of love,
Homage we pay on bended knee;
Do thou, bright Queen, Star of the sea.
Pray for thy children, pray for me.
SONG: FIRMLY I BELIEVE, AND TRULY
Artist: Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, Richard Marlow (dir), Christopher Allsop (organ)
Words/Music: Newman/Trad arr Vaughan Williams
Recording: Priory 723
Firmly I believe and truly
God is three, and God is one;
And I next acknowledge duly
Manhood taken by the son.
And I trust and hope most fully
In that manhood crucified;
And each thought and deed unruly
Do to death, as he has died.
Simply to his grace and wholly
Light and life and strength belong,
And I love supremely, solely,
Him the holy, him the strong.
And I hold in veneration,
For the love of him alone,
Holy church as his creation,
And her teachings are his own.
Adoration aye be given,
With and through the angelic host,
To the God of earth and heaven,
Father, son and Holy Ghost.
SONG: I HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS SAY
Artist: Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, Richard Marlow (dir)
Words/Music: Bonar/Trad arr Vaughan Williams
Recording: Conifer 75605-51249
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto me and rest;
lay down, O weary one, lay down
your head upon my breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
so weary, worn, and sad;
I found him in a resting place,
and he has made me glad.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
the living water, thirsty one;
stoop down and drink and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank
of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
and now I live in him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s light;
look unto me, your morn shall rise,
and all your day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
in him my star, my sun;
and in that light of life I’ll walk
till travelling days are done.
SONG: AMAZING GRACE
Artist: Cambridge Singers, John Rutter (dir)
Words/Music: Newton/Trad
Recording: Kingsway KMCD 599
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound.
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found.
Was blind but now I see.
Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved:
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis grace that brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil
A life of joy and peace.
When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
How sweet the sound.
SONG: IMMACULATE MARY
Artist: Choirs of the Diocese of Leeds
Words/Music: Gaignet/Trad
Recording: Herald HAVPCD 397
Immaculate, Mary! Our hearts are on fire.
That title so wondrous fills all our desire!
Refrain:
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria.
We pray for God’s glory, may His kingdom come.
We pray for his Vicar, our Father, and Rome.
Refrain:
We pray for our Mother, the Church upon earth.
And bless, sweetest Lady, the land of our birth.
Refrain:
In grief and temptation, in joy, or in pain
we’ll seek thee, our Mother, nor seek thee in vain.
Refrain:
In death’s solemn moment, our Mother, be nigh;
as children of Mary, help us when we die.
Refrain:
To God be all glory, and worship for aye,
and to God’s Virgin Mother, an endless Ave.
Refrain:
SONG: O PRAISE YE THE LORD
Artist: Massed choirs, Cathedral of St Paul, Wellington, Richard Apperley (organ)
Words/Music: Baker/Parry
Recording: RNZ 2017
O praise ye the Lord! Praise him in the height;
rejoice in his word, ye angels of light;
ye heavens adore him by whom ye were made,
and worship before him, in brightness arrayed.
O praise ye the Lord! Praise him upon earth,
in tuneful accord, ye sons of new birth;
praise him who hath brought you his grace from above,
praise him who hath taught you to sing of his love.
O praise ye the Lord, all things that give sound;
each jubilant chord re-echo around;
loud organs, his glory forth tell in deep tone,
and, sweet harp, the story of what he hath done.
O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song
to him be outpoured all ages along:
for love in creation, for heaven restored,
for grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord!
Amen, amen.
