Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem

Last updated
"Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem"
Easter hymn
The English hymnal (1906).djvu
"Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem" in The English Hymnal (1906)
Textby Robert Campbell
LanguageEnglish
Based on"Chorus novae Ierusalem" by Fulbert of Chartres
Meter Common metre
Melody"St. Fulbert"
Published1850 (1850)

"Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem" or "Sing, Choirs of New Jerusalem" is an English Easter hymn by Robert Campbell. It is a 19th-century translation of the medieval Chorus novae Ierusalem, attributed to Fulbert of Chartres. The text's primary focus is the Resurrection of Jesus, taking the theme of Jesus as triumphant victor over death and deliverer of the prisoners from Hell.

Contents

The text was first published by Robert Campbell in 1850, and partially rewritten by the compilers of the first edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern . The hymn remains popular in modern compilations, notably appearing in the Carols for Choirs collection. It is normally paired with the tune "St. Fulbert" by Henry John Gauntlett. It has also been set to music as an anthem by Charles Villiers Stanford, and this version is equally in common use in Anglican churches.

History

The hymn first appears in multiple 11th-century manuscripts, so if the attribution to St. Fulbert (who died c. 1029) is correct, "it must have become popular very quickly". [1] The hymn was widely used on the British Isles. In the Sarum Breviary, it is listed for the Vespers of the Easter Octave and for all Sundays from then until the Feast of the Ascension. It also appears in the York, Hereford and Aberdeen breviaries, [2] [3] and remains present in late medieval manuscripts. [4]

The modern text first appeared in Campbell's Hymns and Anthems for Use in the Holy Services of the Church within the United Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld, and Dunblane (Edinburgh, 1850). [5] The editors of Hymns Ancient and Modern altered Campbell's text in various places, replaced the final stanza with a doxology, and added "Alleluia! Amen" to the hymn's end. [6] Other translations of the hymn by J. M. Neale, R. F. Littledale, R. S. Singleton and others were also in common use at the end of the 19th century. [2]

Further changes to Campbell's setting include alterations to the fifth stanza, sometimes omitted entirely, due to its references to "soldiers" and "palace". [7]

Text

The original Latin hymn is written in iambic dimeter, with lines of 8 syllables each in quatrains with an a-a-b-b rhyme scheme. [8] [9] The most common version nowadays is based on the translation of Robert Campbell, which is in the shorter common metre. The version by John Mason Neale is in the original long metre and thus unsingable to the same modern tune as Campbell’s. Neale’s version better reflects the original and shows that Campbell's version, as retouched in Hymns Ancient and Modern and later hymnals, is a "Victorian creation". [7]

The first stanza begins with an invitation to sing. It refers to the "New Jerusalem" of Revelation 21:2 and uses "Paschal victory" instead of the more frequent "paschal victim" (victimae paschali). [10] The second stanza describes Jesus as the Lion of Judah of the Old Testament and the fulfillment of the promise of Genesis 3:15, [6] although the medieval text more probably had the idea of the harrowing of Hell in mind, an idea also present in stanza three. The fourth and fifth stanza incite the believer to worship the triumphant Christ. The final stanza was added by the editors of Hymns Ancient and Modern [2] and is a doxology, a common metre setting of the Gloria Patri. [10]

Original Latin text [11] Translation by J. M. Neale [12] Translation by Robert Campbell [13]

Chorus novae Ierusalem
hymni novam dulcedinem
promat, colens cum sobriis
paschale festum gaudiis.

Quo Christus invictus leo,
dracone surgens obruto,
dum voce viva personat,
a morte functos excitat.

Quam devorarat improbus,
praedam refundit tartarus;
captivitate libera
Iesum sequuntur agmina.

Triumphat ille splendide
ex dignus amplitudine,
soli polique patriam
unam facit rem publicam.

Ipsum canendo supplices
Regem precemur milites,
ut in suo clarissimo
nos ordinet palatio.

Iesu, tibi sit gloria,
qui morte victa praenites,
cum Patre et almo Spiritu,
in sempiterna saecula.

Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem!
To sweet new strains attune your theme;
The while we keep, from care releas'd,
With sober joy our Paschal Feast:

When Christ, Who spake the Dragon's doom,
Rose, Victor-Lion, from the Tomb:
That while with living voice He cries,
The dead of other years might rise.

Engorg'd in former years, their prey
Must Death and Hell restore to-day:
And many a captive soul, set free,
With Jesus leaves captivity.

Right gloriously He triumphs now,
Worthy to Whom should all things bow;
And, joining heaven and earth again,
Links in one commonweal the twain.

And we, as these His deeds we sing,
His suppliant soldiers, pray our King,
That in His Palace, bright and vast,
We may keep watch and ward at last.

Long as unending ages run,
To God the Father laud be done;
To God the Son our equal praise,
And God the Holy Ghost, we raise.

Ye choirs of new Jerusalem,
your sweetest notes employ,
the Paschal victory to hymn
in strains of holy joy.

For Judah's Lion burst his chains,
and crushed the serpent's head;
and brought with him, from death's domains,
the long-imprisoned dead.

From hell's devouring jaws the prey
alone our leader bore;
his ransomed hosts pursue their way
where he hath gone before.

Triumphant in his glory now
his sceptre ruleth all:
earth, heav'n and hell before him bow
and at his footstool fall.

While joyful thus his praise we sing,
his mercy we implore,
into his palace bright to bring,
and keep us evermore.

All glory to the Father be,
all glory to the Son,
all glory, Holy Ghost, to thee,
while endless ages run.

Musical settings

"Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem" has been described as the "only medieval resurrection hymn still widely sung", but it owes more of its enduring popularity to the vigour of Campbell's translation and to the hymn's cheerful tune than the original text. [7] The original chant melody, in the 3rd mode, [4] [14] is not associated with the modern text, although it appears as a setting for Neale's translation in the 1906 English Hymnal, [15] and for one of Neale's other texts in the 1916 Hymnal of the American Episcopal Church. [16]

The hymn is most commonly set to [17] and was made famous by [18] the tune "St Fulbert" by Henry John Gauntlett, which first appeared in The Church Hymn and Tune Book (London, 1852). There it was used for the hymn "Now Christ, our Passover, is slain" and was known as "St Leofred". The editors of Hymns Ancient and Modern set Campbell's altered text to it and renamed it according to the original Latin author, adding a concluding "Alleluia! Amen". [6] A setting appears in the 1987 collection 100 Carols for Choirs , with the harmonisation from the English Hymnal (transcribed below) [13] and a last verse descant by David Willcocks. [19] An alternative tune is "Lyngham", a fuguing tune by Englishman Thomas Jarman, [17] whose "astonishing and invigorating" choral-style polyphony echoes the first stanza instruction for "choirs" to employ their "sweetest notes". [10]

Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem

Settings as an anthem

A notable setting of the hymn to music is in the form of an anthem for Eastertide by Charles Villiers Stanford. Completed in December 1910 and published as the composer's Op. 123 by Stainer & Bell the next year, this setting of all six stanzas of the hymn uses completely new musical material, [18] with two main musical ideas, the first in major mode in triple metre ('Ye choirs of New Jerusalem') and the second in minor quadruple metre ('Devouring depths of hell their prey'). The piece begins in G major and modulates through various keys, alternating between the two main themes before concluding in a fanfare-like fashion on "Alleluia! Amen". [20]

Other settings in the form of an anthem include works by Ivor R. Davies, Archie Fairbairn Barnes and Hugh Blair. [21] [22] [23] The hymn has also been set, to a new melody, by contemporary composer Kile Smith. [24]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hymnal</span> Collection or book of religious hymns

A hymnal or hymnary is a collection of hymns, usually in the form of a book, called a hymnbook. They are used in congregational singing. A hymnal may contain only hymn texts ; written melodies are extra, and more recently harmony parts have also been provided.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When I Survey the Wondrous Cross</span> English Christian hymn

The hymn "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" was written by Isaac Watts, and published in Hymns and Spiritual Songs in 1707. It is significant for being an innovative departure from the early English hymn style of only using paraphrased biblical texts, although the first couplet of the second verse paraphrases Galatians 6:14a and the second couplet of the fourth verse paraphrases Gal. 6:14b. The poetry of "When I survey…" may be seen as English literary baroque.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hark! The Herald Angels Sing</span> Christmas carol

"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is an English Christmas carol that first appeared in 1739 in the collection Hymns and Sacred Poems. The carol, based on Luke 2:14, tells of an angelic chorus singing praises to God. As it is known in the modern era, it features lyrical contributions from Charles Wesley and George Whitefield, two of the founding ministers of Methodism, with music adapted from "Vaterland, in deinen Gauen" of Felix Mendelssohn's cantata Festgesang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">For All the Saints</span> Song

"For All the Saints" was written as a processional hymn by William Walsham How, who was ultimately the Anglican Bishop of Wakefield. The hymn was first printed in Hymns for Saints' Days, and Other Hymns, by Earl Nelson, 1864.

Vexilla regis prodeunt is a Latin hymn in long metre by the Christian poet and saint Venantius Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers. It takes its title from its incipit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christ the Lord Is Risen Today</span> Christian hymn, Easter song by Charles Wesley

"Christ the Lord Is Risen Today" is a Christian hymn associated with Easter. Most of the stanzas were written by Charles Wesley, and the hymn appeared under the title "Hymn for Easter Day" in Hymns and Sacred Poems by Charles and John Wesley in 1739. The hymn eventually became well known for the "Alleluia" sung as a melisma after each line, which was added by an unknown author, probably to fit the commonly used hymn tune, "Easter Hymn". It remains a traditional processional hymn on Easter Sunday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Es ist ein Ros entsprungen</span> Christmas carol and Marian Hymn of German origin

"Es ist ein Ros entsprungen" is a Christmas carol and Marian hymn of German origin. It is most commonly translated into English as "Lo, how a rose e'er blooming" and is also called "A Spotless Rose" and "Behold a Rose of Judah". The rose in the German text is a symbolic reference to the Virgin Mary. The hymn makes reference to the Old Testament prophecies of Isaiah, which in Christian interpretation foretell the Incarnation of Christ, and to the Tree of Jesse, a traditional symbol of the lineage of Jesus. Because of its prophetic theme, the hymn is popular during the Christian season of Advent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty</span> Christian hymn written by Reginald Heber

"Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!" is a Christian hymn written by the Anglican bishop Reginald Heber (1783–1826).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name</span>

"All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name" is a Christian hymn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones</span> 1906 hymn

"Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones" is a popular Christian hymn with text by Athelstan Riley, first published in the English Hymnal (1906). It is sung to the German tune Lasst uns erfreuen (1623). Its uplifting melody and repeated "Alleluias" make this a favourite Anglo-Catholic hymn during the Easter season, the Feast of All Saints, and other times of great rejoicing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Our God, Our Help in Ages Past</span> Christian hymn by Isaac Watts

"Our God, Our Help in Ages Past" is a hymn by Isaac Watts in 1708 that paraphrases the 90th Psalm of the Book of Psalms. It originally consisted of nine stanzas; however, in present usage the fourth, sixth, and eighth stanzas are commonly omitted to leave a total of six. In 1738, John Wesley in his hymnal, Psalms and Hymns, changed the first line of the text from "Our God" to "O God". Both Watts' original text and Wesley's rewording remain in current use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Of the Father's Heart Begotten</span> Christmas carol

"Of the Father's heart begotten" alternatively known as "Of the Father's love begotten" is a doctrinal hymn based on the Latin poem "Corde natus" by the Roman poet Aurelius Prudentius, from his Liber Cathemerinon beginning "Da puer plectrum" which includes the Latin stanzas listed below.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">O filii et filiae</span> Christian hymn

O filii et filiae is a Christian hymn celebrating Easter. It is attributed to Jean Tisserand, a Franciscan friar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Glory, Laud and Honour</span>

"All Glory, Laud and Honour" is an English translation by the Anglican clergyman John Mason Neale of the Latin hymn "Gloria, laus et honor", which was written by Theodulf of Orléans in 820. It is a Palm Sunday hymn, based on Matthew 21:1–11 and the occasion of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Praise, my soul, the King of heaven</span> 19th century Christian hymn

"Praise, my soul, the King of heaven" is a Christian hymn. Its text, which draws from Psalm 103, was written by Anglican divine Henry Francis Lyte. First published in 1834, it endures in modern hymnals to a setting written by John Goss in 1868, and remains one of the most popular hymns in English-speaking denominations.

"Jerusalem the Golden" is a nineteenth-century Christian hymn by John Mason Neale. The text is from Neale's translation of a section of Bernard of Cluny's Latin verse satire De Contemptu Mundi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lasst uns erfreuen</span> 1623 hymn tune

"Lasst uns erfreuen herzlich sehr" is a hymn tune that originated from Germany in 1623, and which found widespread popularity after The English Hymnal published a 1906 version in strong triple meter with new lyrics. The triumphant melody and repeated "Alleluia" phrases have supported the tune's widespread usage during the Easter season and other festive occasions, especially with the English texts "Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones" and "All Creatures of Our God and King".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Die güldne Sonne voll Freud und Wonne</span> Lutheran hymn by Paul Gerhardt

"Die güldne Sonne voll Freud und Wonne" is a Lutheran hymn by Paul Gerhardt. It is a morning hymn which was first published in 1666, with a four-part setting by Johann Georg Ebeling. Gerhardt created an unusual hymn metre for its 12 stanzas.

"For the beauty of the earth" is a sacred choral composition by John Rutter, a setting of the hymn of the same name by Folliott S. Pierpoint. The work was published by Oxford University Press in 1980. Recorded several times, it has been described as "one of Rutter's more popular, enduring anthems".

<i>Lucis creator optime</i> Christian hymn attributed to Pope Gregory I

Lucis Creator Optime is a 5th-century Latin Christian hymn variously attributed to St Gregory the Great or Saint Ambrose. It takes its title from its incipit.

References

  1. ↑ Milfull, Inge B. (1996). The Hymns of the Anglo-Saxon Church: A Study and Edition of the 'Durham Hymnal'. Cambridge University Press. p. 452. ISBN   978-0-521-46252-5.
  2. 1 2 3 Arderne Shoults, William (1892). "Chorus novae Hierusalem". In Julian, John (ed.). A Dictionary of Hymnology (1957 ed.). New York: Dover Publications.
  3. ↑ Moorsom, Robert Maude (1903). A Historical Companion to Hymns Ancient and Modern. CUP Archive.
  4. 1 2 "Chorus novae Jerusalem novam". Cantus Manuscript Database. cantus.uwaterloo.ca. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  5. ↑ For a reproduction of the text as it appears in the poet's manuscript, see Shipley, Orby (1884). Annus Sanctus: Hymns of the Church for the Ecclesiastical Year. Burns and Oates. p. 142.
  6. 1 2 3 Day, Nigel (1997). "Ye choirs of New Jerusalem". Claves Regni. St Peter's Church, Nottingham. Archived from the original on 31 August 2009. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 Adey, Lionel (2011). Hymns and the Christian Myth. UBC Press. pp. 65–66. ISBN   978-0-7748-4490-1.
  8. ↑ "Chorus novae Ierusalem" . The Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology. Canterbury Press. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  9. ↑ This is equivalent to modern long metre
  10. 1 2 3 Munson, P.; Drake, J. F. "Sing, Choirs of New Jerusalem | Congregational Singing". www.congsing.org.
  11. ↑ "Chorus novae Ierusalem". gregorien.info. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  12. ↑ Neale, J.M. (1867). "Chorus Novae Jerusalem". Mediæval Hymns and Sequences. pp. 48–49.
  13. 1 2 "754. Ye choirs of new Jerusalem". hymnary.org. Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  14. ↑ "Chorus novae Jerusalem". Global Chant Database. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  15. ↑ "Hymn 122. Ye choirs of new Jerusalem". The English Hymnal. 1906. p. 166.
  16. ↑ "The Hymnal: as authorized and approved by the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America in the year of our Lord 1916 page 788". hymnary.org.
  17. 1 2 "Sing, Choirs of New Jerusalem". Hymnary.org. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  18. 1 2 Dibble, Jeremy (1998). "Ye choirs of New Jerusalem, Op 123 (Stanford)". www.hyperion-records.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  19. ↑ Willcocks, David; Rutter, John, eds. (1987). 100 Carols for Choirs. Oxford University Press. pp. 380–381. ISBN   978-0-19-353227-4.
  20. ↑ "January 2018". St Michael and All Angels Church, Mount Dinham, Exeter . Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  21. ↑ Campbell, R.; Davies, Ivor R. (March 1935). "Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem". The Musical Times . 76 (1105): 241. doi:10.2307/919238. JSTOR   919238.
  22. ↑ Campbell, R.; Barnes, Fairbairn (February 1938). "Extra Supplement: Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem". The Musical Times . 79 (1140): 24. doi:10.2307/923228. JSTOR   923228.
  23. ↑ St. Fulbert of Chartres; Campbell, R.; Blair, Hugh (1 February 1925). "Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem. Anthem for Eastertide". The Musical Times . 66 (984): 145. doi:10.2307/913531. JSTOR   913531.
  24. ↑ "Sing, Choirs of New Jerusalem". Kile Smith, composer. 20 April 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.