tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post3383800685577101962..comments2024-03-23T09:59:53.293+00:00Comments on LINEN ON THE HEDGEROW: Holywell - a step closer to heavenRichard Collinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10826907710570316952noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post-80811725641762522372012-07-03T22:00:18.674+01:002012-07-03T22:00:18.674+01:00Thanks again Richard for your kind comments. I'...Thanks again Richard for your kind comments. I'm glad all the music was well received.<br /><br />Thanks Aparry for your comments.<br /><br />In defence of the organist, choir and congregation on Sunday, we sang the music as it was written down and sent to me.<br /><br />Was that always the tune used for 'Full of Faith'? Sorry about the other hymn 'More fairer than the vernal flowers' and the congregation not having the words - my fault as I wanted to ensure there was as much music as necessary to cover the verneration of the Relic. It was penned by the wonderful Fr Edward Caswall (priest of the Birmingham Oratory and great friend of Blessed John Henry Newman). I gave the choir two options (as the tune in the Westminster Hymn Book was perfectly nice but completely unmemorable). The two options were a good Welsh 18th century hymntune called 'Bangor' and the one they actually chose to sing which was 'St Bernard'. Perhaps if the congregation had had the words they would have joined in lustily - as the hymn 'All ye who seek a comfort sure' should generally be well known by traditional Catholics.<br /><br />Having read the words to 'Full of Faith 'they struck me as being more 'modern' than you indicate. Have they perhaps been modernised over the years? I'm always interestedto hear of the provenance of unusual hymns.<br /><br />It's really interesting to note how music can 'go wrong' over time. One only need to look at the tune 'Stella' better known as Hail! Queen of Heaven to see a fine example of a lovely tune being mauled by well-meaning congregations over the years. Then over-awed music editors fix the tune to fit the congregation's interpretation.<br /><br />Sorry, I'm a bit of an old hymn geek! lol!Anthony Dickinsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post-37565348480336111162012-07-03T19:20:29.369+01:002012-07-03T19:20:29.369+01:00I was born in Holywell over 70 years ago and the h...I was born in Holywell over 70 years ago and the hymn we sang on Sunday 'Full of faith...' was the hymn we always sang including my parents before me. Last time I was at a pilgrimage they sang the other hymn which would have been totally unfamiliar to parishioners of Holywell. Incidently the choir and most of the congregation did not sing the penultimate line of the chorus correctly.Aparrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post-61270066148203571012012-07-03T10:32:17.896+01:002012-07-03T10:32:17.896+01:00Thank you all for your kind comments.
And, especia...Thank you all for your kind comments.<br />And, especially to Anthony who has cleared up many questions regarding the music on the day and with regard to the "old" hymn to St Winefride.<br />I shall practice singing it to "All ye who seek a comfort sure".<br />I don't think that I praised the choir quite enough in my post. The singing was riveting and glorious.Richard Collinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10826907710570316952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post-20410961490990877712012-07-03T10:08:06.688+01:002012-07-03T10:08:06.688+01:00Anthony - the singing was superb. Many thanks.
Th...Anthony - the singing was superb. Many thanks.<br /><br />Thanks, too, for the information about the hymn tune. It sounded very familiar to me on Sunday (except the last 2 lines - couldn't quite work them out). However, having dug out my old SND Hymn Book, I can now see the original verison -though I still can't quite work out the last two lines. It was good, however, to look again at that lovely old hymnal.Joenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post-26013414410377065202012-07-03T01:03:22.386+01:002012-07-03T01:03:22.386+01:00St. Winefride, ora pro nos!
- Mack in TexasSt. Winefride, ora pro nos!<br /><br />- Mack in TexasAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post-5915715691560410162012-07-02T23:45:27.607+01:002012-07-02T23:45:27.607+01:00I was working on Saturday and my wife went to the ...I was working on Saturday and my wife went to the Mass in Leeds and thought it was excellent despite the six hour round trip. We set off for the Holywell Mass but had to turn back as I felt unwell. I am delighted it was such a success. Bishop Rifan is a fine and humble man.<br />Patrick CannonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post-42170402523969129992012-07-02T22:25:06.846+01:002012-07-02T22:25:06.846+01:00Richard, I'm a regular reader of your blog so ...Richard, I'm a regular reader of your blog so many thanks for your very kind comments. I was in charge of the Schola that sang from the organ loft. <br /><br />Christopher - thanks for clarifying the the authorship of the first hymn we sang at the Shrine.<br /><br />Here's a bit hymn-tune trivia for anyone who's interested.<br /><br />The tune to 'Full of Faith' is a corruption (in the nicest possible sense) of the hymn tune 'My God I love Thee, not because I hope for Heaven thereby' found in the old Convent Hymn Book of the Sisters of Notre Dame.<br /><br />The second hymn at the Shrine, which sadly people didn't have the words for as it was a bit of an afterthought on my part, was 'More fairer than the vernal flowers'. I was reminded of this hymn by Richard's posting last week. We sang it to the tune called St Bernard ('All ye who seek a comfort sure') by John Richardson a one time organist of the Pro-Cathedral in Liverpool.Anthony Dickinsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post-48090987370363311672012-07-02T20:51:40.364+01:002012-07-02T20:51:40.364+01:00Good old Canon Lordan and his hymn to St. Winifrid...Good old Canon Lordan and his hymn to St. Winifride!! It was a wonderful afternoon, and "mellifluous" is just the word I was looking for to describe Bishop Rifan's voice, thank you!Christopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05705761696437705220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post-47110826271030847932012-07-02T15:06:00.525+01:002012-07-02T15:06:00.525+01:00Thank you for this interesting account, and for re...Thank you for this interesting account, and for remembering your readers in your prayers while at the shrine. <br /><br />Your post has brought back memories of a pilgrimage we made with a deanery group from the Liverpool archdiocese, back in the mid-1980s. As we processed down the road to the well we were flanked by a line of people holding placards and voicing their opposition to what they saw as idolatry. We were all very nice to them.Dorothy Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00858061638961520926noreply@blogger.com