Hymns, Hymnody, Translations and a few assorted
Exegetical and Historical Thoughts thrown in
Exegetical and Historical Thoughts thrown in
Christmas; Henry Bramley; Incarnation; regularThis is a favorite of mine. I wrote this tune in 2001 when I was on vicarage in California, after finding the public domain text online. Since then, it has become a standard hymn we sing at Christmas in my churches. In 2002, I submitted this hymn in for consideration to the Lutheran Service Book hymnal. It did not make the final list, but it was on the cusp, so I was told by a friend on the hymn committee. (Coincidentally, there are some hymns I see in LSB sometimes that are of lesser quality than this, and I just shake my head at how those got in and this one didn't).
Here is a fine Christmas hymn, "The Great God of Heaven," text by Henry R. Bramley (1833-1917). My original tune, INCARNATION, is also attached beneath the text as an embedded PDF.
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Translation: "O God, Great God, We Praise You Most" - Johann Rist, trans. Robert J. H. Mayes10/25/2021 translation; Rist; Johann Rist; communion; Lord's Supper The Lutheran hymn writer Johann Rist (1607-1667) was a pastor who lived during the 30 years war (1618-1648) and saw some of the hazards of the fighting and pestilence that spread around Germany at that time as well. While studying at the University of Rinteln, Rist became interested in writing hymns due to some influence by the Lutheran pastor Josua Stegmann. Throughout his lifetime, Rist wrote 680 hymns, 200 of which were widely used in churches. It is said that even Roman Catholics appreciated Rist's hymns.
2nd Sun. after Christmas; Lk. 2:41-49; Baue; temple; Pastor Fred Baue is an emeritus pastor, and is also a published hymn writer and author. Pastor Baue is the author of the familiar communion hymn, "What Is This Bread" (LSB 629). So several years ago, when Fred contacted me to work on a collaboration with him, I was excited.
The following is Fred's text, "In The Temple" and begins with the account of Jesus as a boy who went to the temple (Lk. 2:41-49). However, it also traces all the times where Jesus interacts with the Temple either in fact or in prediction. The text has a unique meter (9999) that matches no tune in Lutheran Service Book. I'm always up for the challenge, though. It is wed to my tune TEMPLO CORPORUM (which means "Temple of the Body" in Latin). Cross and Comfort; Tentatio; Anfechtung; Kornacki; I Kings 19; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 11:28 Since 2014, I have gotten more acquainted with Lutheran hymn writers across the country (and a few from other countries too). Pastor Alan Kornacki, Jr. is one text-writer I have collaborated with over the years. This is a text he wrote originally after a Doxology conference he attended, Sep. 28-20, 2020. "Promised Rest Awaits the Weary."
By the time I came to the text and decided to write a tune to it, I sent it to Pastor Kornacki, who at the time was undergoing hospitalization for Covid-19. He said it sustained him, and he also thinks it is the best tune I have written for him. All I can say is God be praised. The tune name is called REQUIEM PROMISERAT, which means Promised Rest in Latin. Advent; Gabriel; Mary; Zacharias; Daniel; original text; original tuneHere is a hymn I wrote for Advent a few years ago. Also made an Advent sermon series out of the idea. The basis came after realizing that the first appearance of the angel Gabriel was not in Luke 1, but in Daniel 8. This hymn incorporates the Old Testament history and words of Gabriel to Daniel, as well as highlighting the differences between Zacharias' reaction to Gabriel vs. Mary's reaction.
(I did put a PDF of the hymn tune at the bottom. Sadly, I am not able to put up an audio file on my plan to let you know how the song goes.) Translation: "Now Christ Has Ascended the Heavenly Sky" by Magnus Felix Ennodius (473-521 A.D.)10/14/2021 Ascension; Medieval; Latin; translation; Ennodius; Magnus Felix Ennodius; Ennodius hymnI translated this hymn text years ago in seminary, in the spring of 2000 as I recall. I have set it to a tune. Eventually I'll learn how to drive this thing and put the music up as well.
This site is dedicated to the glory of the Triune God and in thanksgiving for the 1580 Lutheran Book of Concord. This is a place where I will put original hymns, original hymn tunes, original translations of hymns and other things. I may also throw in a few exegetical and historically theological insights from time to time.
I have a profound interest in hymns. I am a member of the St. Ambrose Society, a group dedicated to the promotion of solid Lutheran hymns. It consists of musicians and theologians who either write hymn texts, hymn tunes, or do translation work of untranslated hymns. Currently, I have composed 62 hymn tunes, along with writing some texts here and there. My current project is working on translations of the hymns of Lutheran writer Johann Rist (1607-1667), many of which have never been translated as far as I can tell. I can't promise how often I will update this. But I wanted at least a place to put them and so others can benefit from my efforts. If you wish to use anything on this site, feel free to do so as long as you credit me at your church. (Putting my name as an announcement in a bulletin is fine). |
AuthorRev. Robert J. H. Mayes is a justified sinner through faith in Christ. He is a husband, father, an LCMS pastor, musician, and has a strong interest in Lutheranism, Christ-centered Scriptural exegesis and the hymns of the Church. In his spare time, he likes to watch the Kansas City Chiefs. Archives
May 2022
CategoriesImportant Links- - LCMS website - Nebraska dist. - CPH - Issues, Etc. - Lutheran Public Radio - PRDL (Post Reformation Digital Library) Other Hymn sites - What you need to know about hymns - Public domain Lutheran hymns - Mark Preus - Matthew Carver - Walther's Hymnal (ed. Carver) - Stephen Starke - Starke hymns vol. 1 & vol. 2 - Alan Kornacki Jr. - Kathryn Ann Hill - Robin Fish, Jr. - Kurt E. Reinhardt - Center for Church Music (Concordia Chicago) |