Saint Mary Magdalene

I have written before about Mary Magdalene on the occasion of her feast day today (as usual, you can check the links below), and about the scholarly confusion that has ensued over the years over just which "Mary" we're reading about at various points in the Gospels.

Not everyone agrees that the woman in Luke 7:36-38 is Mary Magdalene, though she often has been depicted as that woman in art and literature, as well as in today's hymn.  However, I decided to use this hymn text because it does go on to recount her witness to Jesus' crucifixion (when most of the disciples were in hiding).  And then I couldn't resist an addition of my own: a stanza honoring her role as "apostle to the apostles" on Easter morning.  This is an ancient concept which seems to have been (mostly) forgotten for a few centuries but is more often recognized in modern hymnody about Mary Magdalene.

The original Latin text was written by Cardinal Bellamine, probably in the fourteenth century, and used as an office hymn for this day ever since.  It begins:

Pater superni luminis,

Cum Magdalenam respicis, 

Flammas amoris excitas, 

Geluque solvis pectoris.

The English translation, constructed in the same meter by Edward Caswall (whose birthday I missed last week) may have first appeared in Lyra Catholica (1851), a prominent book of ancient Latin texts translated into English.

Creator blest! one glance of thine,

Whose eyes the Universe control,

Fills Magdalene with holy love,

And melts the ice within her soul.

Her precious ointment forth she brings,

Upon Christ's sacred feet to pour;

She washes them with humble tears;

And with her hair she wipes them o'er.

Impassioned to the Cross she clings:

Nor fears beside the tomb to stay;

Nought for its ruffian guard she cares,

For love has cast all fear away.

The morning breaks: He calls her name,

The pow'rs of death could not prevail; 

She hastes to tell the fearful twelve,

First to proclaim the glorious tale.

O Christ, thou very Love itself!

Blest hope of earth, through thee forgiv'n!

So touch our spirits from above,

That we may rise to thee in heav'n.

Riccardo Bellarmine, ca. 14th cent.;

tr: Edward Caswall, 1851; alt. (st. 4 C.W.S.)

Tune: PIXHAM (L.M.)

Horatio W. Parker, 1901

If you don't think that the ancient office hymns should be disturbed, feel free to leave out the fourth stanza, but it seems to me that the Cardinal could have included the idea.  However, for many years the primary educational value of Mary Magdalene was considered to be the story of the reformation of a "fallen woman."

P.S. - The statue above is South German in origin, by an unknown fifteenth-century artist, and currently in the collection of The Cloisters, a renowned museum in New York City.  It caught my eye because one of the stained glass windows in my church (depicting the Presentation) is also from the fifteenth century and was supposedly loaned to and on display at The Cloisters for several years in the 1930s and/or 40s.

Four Years Ago: Saint Mary Magdalene

Three Years Ago: Emily E. S. Elliott

Two Years Ago: Saint Mary Magdalene

Horatio W. Parker

Composer Horatio William Parker, born today in Auburndale, Massachusetts in 1863, is pictured here in his Yale academic robes (he was the first Dean of the Yale School of Music from 1904 to 1919).

In The History of American Music (1915), author Lewis Charles Elson recounts some recollections of Horatio's mother, Isabella, who was a church organist. According to her, the child Horatio showed no interest in music. His interest developed rather suddenly when he was fourteen (she pinpointed it to October, 1877), when he began "to ask all sorts of questions about it, and to spend literally whole days at the piano, beginning at daylight, and stopping only when his father sent him to bed." She began to teach him piano and organ, and within two years he was the organist at St. Paul's Church in Dedham, Massachusetts.

He also started to compose during these years; among his first works was a set of fifty songs with texts by childrens' writer and illustrator Kate Greenaway, described as having "good melody and sufficient accoampaniment."

Of course, as recounted here on his previous birthdays, he went on to become one of the most prominent composers of his day, particularly renowned for his contributions to church music with his oratorios, anthems, service music, and hymn tunes. Since we've already some of his tunes, today I'm directing you to one of his anthems. Perhaps his most lasting one is the Easter anthem Light's glittering morn, sung here at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Columbia, SC during a regional convocation of the American Guild of Organists (text is below). Listen for when the familiar hymn tune VICTORY comes in from the choir, over the soloist - it's my favorite moment in this favorite piece.

Light's glittering morn bedecks the sky;
heaven thunders forth its victor cry;
the glad earth shouts her triumph high,
and groaning hell makes wild reply.

While he, the King, the mighty King,
despoiling death of all its sting,
and, trampling down the powers of night,
brings forth his ransomed saints to light.

[solo]
That Eastertide with joy was bright,
the sun shone out with fairer light,
when, to their longing eyes restored,
the glad apostles saw their Lord.

He bade them see his hands, his side,
where yet the glorious wounds abide;
the tokens true which made it plain
their Lord indeed was risen again.

[quartet]
O Jesus, King of gentleness,
do thou thyself our hearts possess
that we may give thee all our days
the tribute of our grateful praise.

[solo]

O Lord of all, with us abide,

in this our joyful Eastertide;

from every weapon death can wield

Thine own redeemed forever shield.

[Congregation joins:]

The strife is o'er, the battle done,
The victory of life is won,
The song of triumph has begun.

Alleluia, alleluia! (et repetitur)

All praise be thine, O risen Lord,
from death to endless life restored.
All praise to God the Father be,
and Holy Ghost, eternally.
Alleluia, Amen!

Text: Aurora lucis rutilat, formerly attributed to Ambrose of Milan;

tr John Mason Neale, 1851

Two Years Ago: Horatio W. Parker

One Year Ago: Horatio W. Parker

John Knowles Paine

John Knowles Paine, born today in 1839, was the first American composer to be recognized and appreciated by the Europeans (which was important in those times). He was also the first American to write a symphony and the first professor of music at any American university.

He was born in Portland, Maine, where his father operated a music store. He played piano and organ from an early age and after his father's death in 1856, he played a series of recitals to raise the money to travel to Berlin for his musical education. After nearly four years, he returned and was hired as organist at the West Church in Boston. Only six months later he took the position of organist and choirmaster at Harvard University.

His first major choral work, Domine salvum fac, was written for the installation of a new Harvard president in 1863. His organ variations on the Star-Spangled Banner were very popular during the Civil War, and in 1866 his Mass in D had its premiere performance in Berlin. Harvard was impressed; Paine was awarded an honorary degree in 1869 which then made it possible for them to appoint him as an instructor in music. In 1875 he was made a full professor, the first in this country.

Paine continued to compose orchestral, organ, and choral works; he was the first of the Second New England School of composers which included George W. Chadwick, Horatio Parker, and Amy Beach among others. Unlike those colleagues, his major choral works have been recorded, both the Mass in D and his oratorio St. Peter (1872). His other long-lasting composition (at Harvard, at least) is the tune for the Harvard Hymn, which I believe is still sung at commencement ceremonies, and is still in the most recent Harvard University Hymn Book (2007).

Paine also wrote a handful of other hymn tunes which I have come across in recent years, though none that anyone still sings today, and none that are documented at any of the usual hymn websites. However, in the aforementioned St. Peter, he reharmonized three familiar German chorales. This Epiphany hymn by Philipp Nicolai appears in many different hymnals, but you probably have not heard or sung it to this arrangement by John Knowles Paine.

How lovely shines the Morning Star!
The nations see and hail afar
The light in Judah shining.
Thou art my heart’s most beauteous Flower,
And thy blest Gospel’s saving power
For thee my heart is pining.
Thou mine, I thine;
Sing hosanna!
Heav’nly manna
Tasting, eating,
Whilst thy love in songs repeating.

Lift up the voice and strike the string,
Let all glad sounds of music ring
In God’s high praises blended.
Christ will be with me all the way,
Today, tomorrow, every day,
Till traveling days be ended.
Sing out, ring out,
Triumph glorious,
O victorious,
Chosen nation;
Praise the God of thy salvation.

Oh, joy to know that thou, my Friend,
Art Love, beginning without end,
The First and Last, eternal!
And thou at length —- O glorious grace!
Wilt take me to that holy place,
The home of joys supernal.
Amen, Amen!
Come and meet me!
Quickly greet me!
With deep yearning,
Christ, I look for thy returning.

Philipp Nicolai, 1597
translation composite
Tune: WIE SCHON LEUCHTET (8.8.7.8.8.7.4.8.4.8)
Philipp Nicolai, 1599
harm. John Knowles Paine, 1872

The major work of Paine's later life was an opera, Azara, which was scheduled to be performed at the Metropolitan Opera in 1906. However, the performers, at that time used to singing only in Italian (regardless of the original language of any work) refused to learn a piece in English and the premiere never took place. It was performed in concert at Harvard and elsewhere, but has never been presented in a fully staged production.

P.S. The portrait of Paine above (undated) is by Caroline Amelia Cranch (1853-1931), donated to Harvard Universaity by Paine's daighter-in-law in 1920.

George W. Chadwick

Composer George Whitefield Chadwick was born today in 1854 in Lowell, Massachusetts. Though he dropped out of high school in 1871, the following year he was admitted to the New England Conservatory of Music as a special student. He was successful in his musical studies, and taught music at Olivet College in Michigan after graduation. While there, he became one of the founders of the Music Teachers National Association, and also published some of his first compositions.

He then traveled to Leipzig and Munich for two more years of musical studies; at the time European study was considered a necessity for an American composer. After returning to the US, he went back to the New England Conservatory as a teacher, and eventually becoming its director in 1897, serving for 33 years. He was also the organist at Boston's South Congregational Church and conducted annual choral festivals at Springfield and Worcester.

Chadwick composed in many different forms, including choral music, symphonies and chamber music, and opera. His works were popular in his own time both in this country and abroad; he was thought to be one of the best American composers of the day. He became known as one of the Second New England School of composers, with Amy Beach, Horatio Parker, John Knowles Paine, and others. Each of these composed some hymn tunes, and Chadwick added another handful (a few more than you can hear at the Cyber Hymnal site).

I sought thee, Lord, and afterward I knew
Thou mov'dst my soul to seek thee, seeking me.
It was not I that found, O Savior true;
No, I was found of thee.

Thou didst reach forth thy hand and mine enfold;
I walked and sank not on the storm vexed sea.
’Twas not so much that I on thee took hold,
As Thou, dear Lord, on me.

I find, I walk, I love, but oh, the whole
Of love is but my answer, Lord, to thee!
For thou were long beforehand with my soul,
Always thou lovedst me.

Author unknown, c. 1880; alt.
Tune: PEACE (10.10.10.6.)
George W. Chadwick, 1890

This anonymous hymn text may have first appeared in a collection published in Boston titled Holy Songs, Carols, and Sacred Ballads (1880). One subsequent source attributed it to the British poet Jean Ingelow, but apparently there is no consensus on her authorship. Chadwick is said to have written the tune specifically for this text, though other sources say that the text did not appear in an American hymnal until 1903. Of course, it still could have been sung earlier by Chadwick's Boston congregation. The hymn later appeared in several twentieth century hymnals, but nearly always with a different tune. Chadwick's other hymn tunes fared equally badly; I don't believe any of them appear in current collections.

From my own bookshelf, A Book of Choruses for High Schools and Choral Societies (1923) states of Chadwick (admittedly, one of its editors):

Probably no American composer has had a larger influence on the development of music in this country. Mr. Chadwick's works have won a permanent place in the repertoires of orchestras, choruses, choirs, and singers the world over...

Not so permanent, as it turned out. Some of his orchestral and chamber works have been recorded, but almost none of his choral or vocal music.

I've always thought it would be interesting to attend a New England Classical Christmas concert, with choral excerpts from Chadwick's oratorio Noel (1908), Parker's cantata The Holy Child (1893), Paine's cantata The Nativity (1883) and Amy Beach's Christmas pieces Bethlehem (1893) and Constant Christmas (1922). But I've also come to realize that if I ever want to hear it I will probably have to start the choral group myself.

Horatio W. Parker

Horatio William Parker (September 15, 1863–December 18, 1919) is generally considered the finest American composer of his time, though of course there was a definite preference for European composers back then. From a review of one of his chamber music pieces:

Mr. Horatio W. Parker, as our readers may know, is one of the most competent of that much advertised but little heard class, the American composer -- so competent that he is good enough to travel simply as composer, without any stilts of Americanism.

During his long tenure as music professor and later as dean of the music department at Yale University, he continued to compose much church music, and for many of those years he still commuted to Boston on weekends, serving as the organist at Trinity Church, and later to New York City, at the Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas. He edited a hymnal for use at Yale in which he and his fellow professor Harry Jepson arranged all the tunes for men's voices.

Parker's several hymn tunes mostly appeared in the Episcopal hymnals of 1892 and 1916, but a few made their way into other books. This one was composed specifically for this interesting text by Horatius Bonar that deserves to be better known.

Jesus, Sun and Shield art thou;
Sun and Shield forever:
Never canst thou cease to shine,
Cease to guard us never.
Cheer our steps as on we go,
Come between us and the foe.

Jesus, Love and Life art thou,
Life and Love forever:
Ne’er to quicken shalt thou cease,
Or to love us never.
All of life and love we need
Is in thee, in thee indeed.

Jesus, Peace and Joy art thou,
Joy and Peace forever:
Joy that fades not, changes not,
Peace that leaves us never.
Joy and peace we have in thee,
Now and through eternity.

Jesus, Song and Strength art thou,
Strength and Song forever:
Strength that never can decay,
Song that ceaseth never.
Still to us this strength and song
Through eternal days prolong.

Horatius Bonar, 1861
Tune: SUN AND SHIELD (7.6.7.6.7.7.)
Horatio W. Parker, 1895

One Year Ago: Horatio W. Parker

Horatio W. Parker

Horatio William Parker (born September 15, 1863) was a church musician, composer, conductor, and college professor well known in his own time. But like many others I've written about, his fame has not lasted into the present. He spent three years of his musical education in Munich, studying with Josef Rheinberger. He became organist at Trinity Church, Boston in 1893, around the time be was working on a new musical edition of the 1892 Episcopal hymnal (there were eventually to be five different versions with the same hymns, but often different tunes). He later served on the committee that produced the Hymnal of 1916.

He composed chamber and symphonic works , as well as service music, anthems, oratorios and operas. The Easter anthem Light's glittering morn is still sung in many churches. Parker's Mona was the winner of a competition sponsored by the Metropolitan Opera, for which he received $10,000 and the work received four performances. The oratorio Hora Novissima was widely performed in the US and even occasionally in Europe (where they tended to look down on American classical music).

In his later years, until his death in 1919, he was dean of the music department at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, while still holding an organist position in New York City. His most famous Yale pupils were Charles Ives and Roger Sessions, who rejected Parker's conservatism in their own compositions.

This hymn (with its Parker tune and seventeenth-century text) is not really one that anyone would choose to put into a modern-day hymnal. Maybe next year we will hear one of his more serviceable tunes (he wrote more than a dozen), but this (one of his earliest) is a sentimental favorite of mine.

O ’twas a joyful sound to hear
Our tribes devoutly say,
Up, Israel! to the temple haste,
And keep your festal day.
At Salem’s courts we must appear,
With our assembled powers,
In calm and beauteous order ranged,
Like her united towers.

O ever pray for Salem’s peace;
For they shall prosperous be,
Thou holy city of our God,
Who bear true love to thee.
May peace within thy sacred walls
A constant guest be found;
With plenty and prosperity
Thy palaces be crowned.

For my dear kindred’s sake, and friends
No less than kindred dear,
I’ll pray: May peace in Salem’s towers
A constant guest appear.
But most of all I’ll seek thy good,
And ever wish thee well,
For Zion and the temple’s sake,
Where God vouchsafes to dwell.

Nahum Tate & Nicholas Brady, 1698
Tune: MOUNT SION (C.M.D.)
Horatio Parker, 1886

Very much of its time, and that time has passed, but I think a few people out there will be singing along. I still remember my friend Jeff breaking into laughter as we sang this, having misread part of the first verse as "beauteous or deranged." But anyway.

The text is a paraphrase of Psalm 122, from A New Version of the Psalms of David in Metre, published in 1698 by Nahum Tate and Nicholas Brady. Their psalms were sung in many different churches for more than two centuries. There's another verse of this one (originally the second) which is even more obscure:

'Tis thither, by divine command
The tribes of God repair,
Before the ark to celebrate
God's name in praise and prayer.
Tribunals stand erected there;
Where equity takes place;
There stand the courts and palaces
Of royal David's race.

The hymn, put into verse, comes out even longer than the psalm.