Earth Awakes From Winter’s Gloom

Easter hymns and songs often incorporate the theme of renewal alongside resurrection, and use the imagery of spring. We see one of these texts today, by Grant Colfax Tullar, but in this case, the tune holds some interest (!) all its own.

The music of our worship encompasses a broad range of types and styles. Here on this blog we have focused on the music of Western Christianity, from plainsong chant through psalm tunes, developing into the standard four-part hymn tunes, from Sunday school songs developing into the gospel song style. We're all familiar with the contemporary style of song that many churches use today, not really covered here, partly because of copyright issues and also because I'd rather focus on things I like than complain about things I don't.

But I think that perhaps there has always been a contemporary strain of worship music that some people liked and some people didn't. Certainly, some tunes over the years have been criticized because they came from secular sources, such as those adapted from opera arias and ensembles. Not too far from these were melodies from the works of composers such as Mendelssohn, Handel, and Haydn (back then, they weren't "classical" yet), but we sing more of those today than we do the opera tunes. Also, one of the most widespread criticisms (or insults) made against some hymn tunes is that they were originally drinking-songs (often said, rightly or wrongly, about German tunes).

This song first appeared in Sunday School Hymns No. 1, published by the Tullar-Meredith company in 1903. The tune is very much of its time, and may sound a little unusual to us . With my uneducated musical ear, I wouldn't exactly call it ragtime, but there does seem to be a hint of Scott Joplin.

Morning light was dawning o’er the distant hills,
Banished was the midnight gloom;
Silently the angels clad in bright array
Came to guard the dear Redeemer’s tomb.
Soldiers were affrighted and in terror fled,
While the angels roll the stone away.
Then with joy proclaiming, “Jesus Christ is ris’n”
“See the place where once the Savior lay.”

Refrain
Joy dispels our sorrow -- pleasures banish pain—
Earth awakes from winter’s gloom;
Easter anthems ringing tell the joyful news
“Christ is risen from the tomb.”

Loving ones who sought him at the break of day,
Found the angels waiting there;
Joy dispelled their sorrow -- fear gave way to faith—
Hope succeeded all their deep despair.
For the angels told them, “Jesus is not here,”
But had surely risen as he said.
Then with eager footsteps joyfully they tell
How that Christ had risen from the dead.
Refrain

Easter tells its gladness all the year around—
Happy birds their tribute bring;
Fragrant flowers blooming after winter days
Speak to us the joys of coming spring.
Earthly pleasures vanish, flowers soon shall fade,
But the joy of Easter shall endure.
Hope of resurrection never shall grow dim
While the Word of God abideth sure.
Refrain

Grant Colfax Tullar, 1903; alt.
Tune: AWAKENING (Irregular with refrain)
Joseph Lerman, 1903

Joseph Lerman was the music editor at Tullar-Meredith and composed many tunes for their hymnals and songbooks, but if much of his music was in this style, it's not surprising that we don't know it today. But it's fun to hear once in a while.

Two Years Ago: Christopher Smart

Love's Treasure Bringing (Day Four)

Many "forgotten" Christmas songs have been written over the years for children. Sunday School hymnals and songbooks were big sellers in the last quarter of the nineteenth century and well into the twentieth, and nearly all of them include sections for Christmas, combining familiar carols and new selections, often written especially for that book. I'd guess that the great majority of those new selections never made it into another collection. Today's song was written by Eliza Hewitt, who wrote and composed dozens, if not hundreds of gospel songs and Sunday School songs, most of which we no longer sing. Composer E.G. Snelling is even more obscure, it seems. It appeared in Sunday School Hymns No. 1 (1903), one of whose editors was Grant Colfax Tullar. Checking a few later Sunday School songbooks published by Tullar's company, this song appears in neither The Bible School Hymnal (1908) nor Sunday School Melodies (1914). Peaceful the wondrous night, Peaceful and holy, Under the silv’ry light, Gleaming afar. Faithfully watching there, Shepherds so lowly, Over the hills so fair, Saw glory’s star. Refrain Hail to the starry night, Sparkling with glory; Angels on wings of light, Thronging the sky. Hail to that starry night! Wondrous its story: Jesus, the Lord of Light, Came from above. Come with that shepherd band, Come to the manger; Join in the chorus grand, Glory to God! Worship the holy Child, Wonderful Stranger, Give to the Undefiled, Glory and laud. Refrain Sweet favor, thus to bow, Love’s treasure bringing, Gratefully yielding now, Life’s joyful praise. Hear from the heav’nly height, Glad echoes ringing, Blessing and pow’r and might, Through endless days. Refrain Eliza E. Hewitt, 1903 Tune: WONDROUS NIGHT (6.5.6.4.D. with refrain) E.G. Snelling, 1903 One Year Ago: The Holy Innocents

Grant Colfax Tullar

Author and composer Grant Colfax Tullar, born on this day in 1869 in Connecticut, was named for the US president and vice president at the time of his birth: Ulysses S. Grant and Schuyler Colfax. His childhood years were difficult; he had to work in a woolen mill and later as a shoe clerk instead of going to school.

He became a Methodist at a camp meeting in 1889, and after that attended the Hackettstown Academy for some time (accounts vary) in Newton, NJ. He was ordained in the Methodist Church, but also spent several years as the music leader for traveling evangelist Major George Hilton. His musical work led to his meeting gospel song composer Isaac Meredith, and the two men opened the Tullar-Meredith Publishing Company in 1893. They edited and published numerous songbooks, especially Sunday School music. Some of these books can be seen online:

Sunday School Hymns No.1 (1903)
The Bible School Hymnal (1907)
Sunday School Melodies (1914)

Meredith apparently stuck to composing tunes, but Tullar wrote both texts and tunes, most of which appeared in the collections they published. They collaborated with many of the most popular gospel song and Sunday School song writers of the period. I' m sure I've seen a Fanny Crosby text or two with a tune by Tullar, but of course I couldn't find one this week. Several years later, Tullar wrote some tunes for texts by Alma White which appeared in the later hymnals of the Pillar of Fire Church.

This hymn for children, text by Tullar and tune by Meredith, was first published in Sunday School Hymns No. 1.

We will follow Jesus,
Though we may be small;
Gladly may we listen
To his loving call.

Refrain
Little ones may follow,
Follow all the way.
Jesus bids us follow
Every passing day.

We will follow Jesus,
Everywhere he leads;
Show him unto others
By our loving deeds.
Refrain

Just to follow Jesus,
Makes the day seem bright,
Fills the heart with singing,
Through the longest night.
Refrain

Grant Colfax Tullar, 1903; alt.
Tune: FOLLOWING (6.5.6.5. with refrain)
Isaac H. Meredith, 1903

Tullar's most long-lived tune, matched with Carrie Breck's text Face to face with Christ my Savior still appears in the 1991 Baptist Hymnal and Worship and Rejoice (2001). In 1946, Tullar sold many of his copyrights to the Hope Publishing Company, which still administers the rights to the post-1923 texts and tunes. After his death in 1950, the Tullar-Meredith company was sold (perhaps also to Hope?).