at how vast the world and how many things there are to experience. I've been youtubing and enjoying the music of the High Kings. I'd never heard of them before, but they had a beautiful setting of that Wild Mountain Thyme and that led to other pieces of music. Unbelievable. I'd love to attend one of their concerts and see them make this incredible music!
Here's Wild Mountain Thyme - the tune of which we sing Magnificat to here at St. Paul's. What is it about this piece of music that grabs at my throat each time I hear it?
6 comments:
This is really lovely. Reminds me of that scene in the Sound of Music where everyone in the crowd broke out signing Edelweiss.
I hope these ethnic sounds will be safeguarded for future generations. I always worry a bit that globalization will make us more and more alike, merging the cultures and things like this folk tune, folk dancing, authentic ethnic foods and other customs will be lost in the process.
Now the big question at hand for me is how was an Irish tune fitted with words from a German Lutheran service?
This is a lovely tune. I first heard it by Colcannon and is one of my favorites. But please, please tell me you mis-typed and you do not use this tune for the Magnificat.
- Dave
To answer Dixie and Dave's question:
It was brought here by a former fieldworker who heard the Haas setting on vicarage up in Minnesota. They handed me the music, and it seemed to work very well. We tried it one year and that was that. The congregation HOWLS in protest at any other Magnificat. They even insisted on singing it at the banquet for their 150th anniversary service. It's THEIR Magnificat now; though I do make them sing other Magnificats at the Advent midweek.
But folk song and hymnody are kissing cousins and have historically done a bit of bleeding over. It works, and works quite well. I don't think it work nearly as well in a setting where folks KNEW the original words and it was always evoking them. But my folks hear the tune and it evokes: "My soul is filled with joy as I sing to God my Savior; You have looked upon Your servant, You have visited Your people, and Holy is Your name..."
Yes. There's a whole world beyond YOUR LIVING ROOM!!!!!
;-)
- Jeff
(I will never stop trying to infect you with my terminal wanderlust.)
Hey, now, Jeff. I DID drive all the way up to the wilds of Chicago this past labor day, remember!
That is great! I love Irish music. I am a bit Irish myself (my mother's maiden name is Riley). I've already downloaded this song for iPod useage! Thanks for posting such a lovely thing! Many are the gifts of God, especially good music!
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