I feel so blessed that I attended many worship services there. in 1997 my Episcopal church's whole choir attended the All Saints' Day service. The Cathedral Choir was not singing that day, so my choir was invited into the choir loft to sing the entire service. I was over the moon about having been able to do that.
Mr. Black, you have accomplished what EVERY organist strives for...the organ is allowed to show its magnificence..the choir can sing in concert with the different voices..AND the congregation can sing the hymn without being swallowed up by the sheer volume...
Just received word from my Dad in Iowa that by working until 2 AM starting again at 6:45 this morning, they were able to finally finish the harvest about 2 hours before the snow started to fall. "All is safely gathered in ere the winter storms begin." Again God has watched over a year of hard work and kept them safe through a busy and stressful harvest season. I had to find a good setting of this hymn to listen to (though the hymn is actually more about the second coming than earthly bounty)!
I had the same impression listening to the regular weekly broadcasts until I attended in person and finding that organ and voices are more balanced when one is sitting in the congregation.
I am an ELCA Lutheran from South Carolina. I play the piano and organ. Today (July 20, Pentecost 6), we sang this as our Opening Hymn. It is #693 in Evangelical Lutheran Worship.
Congregations want to sing when two conditions are both met: A. They can hear themselves singing as a congregation (that is - they can hear the many voices as an assembly). B. They feel supported by the organ/choir/rest of congregation. They can't feel as though they are singing alone - they can't feel exposed. Volume of the organ certainly is a factor, but one of many.
I attended a few services at the cathedral while living in Washington back in the 1980s. Often, there would be a guest organist and choir, sometimes as part of a "salute" to a particular state or diocese. On several occasions, I could hardly even hear the organ at all! It was almost as though the congregation was singing a capella. Not that many were making much of an attempt at singing. It seemed to me that the vast majority were non-Anglicans there to discuss the building.
If you watch the live stream of their Sunday services you will know that the audio comes from microphones located where the choir sit in front of the screen. So on the opening hymn you don't hear much of the choir until they reach their seats and that takes some time as it's quite a distance from the back. On the final hymn there is very little signing to be heard by the last verse as the choir have essentially left the building. The sound is a pretty good compromise; given the location of the organ and the acoustic delay it would be close to impossible to hear the organ and the choir or congregation in time/ together during the whole procession. That said the organists don't hold back; rarely a service goes by without some trompette-en-chamade or tuba mirabilis being deployed along with the heavy artillery on the pedal. It's fascinating/amusing to watch the Director of Music McCarthy look towards the camera, make a beckoning gesture with his hand, point to one of the triforium bays and punch the air with his fist to encourage Assistant Ben Straley to deploy some more stops and make more noise.
As the Rev. Benjamin Straley became more and more "his own person" at the Organ, he was stellar in his hymn intros & accompaniments - as well as choral and solo organ pieces. He is a superb musician, now ordained Deacon, soon to be a Priest, and has given up his post as Cathedral Organist and sadly, moved on. His former assistant, George Fergus, MM, appears and sounds to be holding his own with ever increasing assertiveness in all his Organ playing. Kudos to both Gents!
Perhaps noise wasn't the best word to use! But you know what I mean. Wonderful though it is that Mr Straley is now Rev and doing great work in Essex CT, it's also a heartbreaking loss from the console. Mr Fergus is making good progress but has a way to go to reach Straley's brilliance in improv and accuracy of playing.
@@dalerider3124 Hmmm - my Bible has King David calling for: "..make a joyful noise..." He was a harp musician. I think the comment, though, was in jest.
1 Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home; all is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin. God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied; come to God's own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home. 2 All the world is God's own field, fruit as praise to God we yield; wheat and tares together sown are to joy or sorrow grown; first the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear; Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be. 3 For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take the harvest home; from the field shall in that day all offenses purge away, giving angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast; but the fruitful ears to store in the garner evermore. 4 Even so, Lord, quickly come, bring thy final harvest home; gather thou thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin, there, forever purified, in thy presence to abide; come, with all thine angels, come, raise the glorious harvest home.
Actually, regardless of whether this recording represents the balance accurately or not, it would only be appropriate for the organ to overpower the voices. It's a congregational hymn, so the organ is LEADING, not accompanying. If it cannot be heard above the voices, the congregation will not sing boldly and heartily.
I was raised in what is now an ELCA Lutheran Church. It was part of the ALC when I was a kid. Come Ye Thankful People Come is one of my all time favorite Hymns. When I was a kid we sang this every Thanksgiving. Recently I attended Thanksgiving services again in that church and this is still being sung. When I was a kid, I thought of this as a "we are grateful for the harvest" hymn. As an adult, I paid more attention to the last few verses and realized that while this is about being thankful for the fall harvest it is also about the "Rapture" of the Church. See 1 Thess 4:13 and then read thru til the end of the book! This is the topic of the "Left Behind" book series and the "Left Behind" movies. What breaks my heart is that this Cathedral in Washington, DC, which I have visited several times, was recently turned over to those who follow the god of the Quran instead of the God of the Bible.
So sad then! Beyond the lovely rhythm lie the deep spiritual truth of the final harvest as explained in the parable of the wheat and tares in Mathew 13:20. So, your understanding of the rapture of the Church is very correct!
@nonezoner Sorry, but if you are not there live, you cannot tell if the organ is truly overpowering the voices. You are hearing a too closely placed microphone.
That's a ridiculous over-simplification. The organ should lead by supporting the congregational singing - this doesn't mean it should be louder or softer than the singing. It simply must support the sung prayer of the congregation. In the case of this organ, it does not carry into the nave very well, so it is essential for the organ to played very loudly enable for the sound to carry throughout the building.
Being able to hear the organ over the singing v. the organ overpowering the voices. Those two are not even remotely the same thing. The organ should always be easily heard, but it should rarely if ever truly overpower the singing. The sung prayer (words) are more important than the music. The organ can lead without obliterating the prayer. Also, a good choir should lead a congregation more than the organ anyway.
As an Irish Anglican/Episcopalian, this is beautiful. Thank you!
The descant was also very nice!
I feel so blessed that I attended many worship services there. in 1997 my Episcopal church's whole choir attended the All Saints' Day service. The Cathedral Choir was not singing that day, so my choir was invited into the choir loft to sing the entire service. I was over the moon about having been able to do that.
Mr. Black, you have accomplished what EVERY organist strives for...the organ is allowed to show its magnificence..the choir can sing in concert with the different voices..AND the congregation can sing the hymn without being swallowed up by the sheer volume...
whoever invented the organ, deserves a medal.
Just received word from my Dad in Iowa that by working until 2 AM starting again at 6:45 this morning, they were able to finally finish the harvest about 2 hours before the snow started to fall. "All is safely gathered in ere the winter storms begin." Again God has watched over a year of hard work and kept them safe through a busy and stressful harvest season. I had to find a good setting of this hymn to listen to (though the hymn is actually more about the second coming than earthly bounty)!
What a beautiful response, I was truly touched
I was raised Episcopal, and I remember this hymn. Although I'm not religious anymore, I still love those old hymns.
I’m so sorry you were raised episcopal!
@@TheJakeman789 What's wrong with being raised Episcopal? You make it sound like some kind of misfortune.
I had the same impression listening to the regular weekly broadcasts until I attended in person and finding that organ and voices are more balanced when one is sitting in the congregation.
I think your Tradiaonal Eucharist services are very uplifting and soothing, exceptionally on a sunday afternoon.
I am an ELCA Lutheran from South Carolina. I play the piano and organ. Today (July 20, Pentecost 6), we sang this as our Opening Hymn. It is #693 in Evangelical Lutheran Worship.
Thanks for posting this masterpiece, you blessed me greatly today.
Magnificent!!
lost for words. one of my fav hymns. well done!
Tom Pauls to tom,I play @ my cathedral here in the Caribbean,am almost to lost for words👍👍
Congregations want to sing when two conditions are both met:
A. They can hear themselves singing as a congregation (that is - they can hear the many voices as an assembly).
B. They feel supported by the organ/choir/rest of congregation. They can't feel as though they are singing alone - they can't feel exposed. Volume of the organ certainly is a factor, but one of many.
As a little boy I called this beautiful hymn "Harvest Hum".
Cute. I used say "my country tisal tee, instead of my country tis of thee'
As a boy chorister I did not what Cherubim and Seraphim were. But mysterious words were wonderful in their own right!
@@robertpettengill2883 That is part of the mystery of religion and faith - there wouldn't be much without that sense of mystery.
Always a beautiful service
I attended a few services at the cathedral while living in Washington back in the 1980s. Often, there would be a guest organist and choir, sometimes as part of a "salute" to a particular state or diocese. On several occasions, I could hardly even hear the organ at all! It was almost as though the congregation was singing a capella. Not that many were making much of an attempt at singing. It seemed to me that the vast majority were non-Anglicans there to discuss the building.
😃 " Is this issue worth arguing over? Are not the organ, the choir, and congregation together honoring The Lord? Therefore, let us ALL rejoice! "
Who's arguing, Christopher?
If you watch the live stream of their Sunday services you will know that the audio comes from microphones located where the choir sit in front of the screen. So on the opening hymn you don't hear much of the choir until they reach their seats and that takes some time as it's quite a distance from the back. On the final hymn there is very little signing to be heard by the last verse as the choir have essentially left the building. The sound is a pretty good compromise; given the location of the organ and the acoustic delay it would be close to impossible to hear the organ and the choir or congregation in time/ together during the whole procession. That said the organists don't hold back; rarely a service goes by without some trompette-en-chamade or tuba mirabilis being deployed along with the heavy artillery on the pedal. It's fascinating/amusing to watch the Director of Music McCarthy look towards the camera, make a beckoning gesture with his hand, point to one of the triforium bays and punch the air with his fist to encourage Assistant Ben Straley to deploy some more stops and make more noise.
As the Rev. Benjamin Straley became more and more "his own person" at the Organ, he was stellar in his hymn intros & accompaniments - as well as choral and solo organ pieces. He is a superb musician, now ordained Deacon, soon to be a Priest, and has given up his post as Cathedral Organist and sadly, moved on. His former assistant, George Fergus, MM, appears and sounds to be holding his own with ever increasing assertiveness in all his Organ playing. Kudos to both Gents!
Noise? - Music!
Referring to Kennnnn Tucky's comment, above.
Perhaps noise wasn't the best word to use! But you know what I mean. Wonderful though it is that Mr Straley is now Rev and doing great work in Essex CT, it's also a heartbreaking loss from the console. Mr Fergus is making good progress but has a way to go to reach Straley's brilliance in improv and accuracy of playing.
@@dalerider3124 Hmmm - my Bible has King David calling for: "..make a joyful noise..." He was a harp musician. I think the comment, though, was in jest.
Exactly. Thanks. And if the organist is weak and dragging it, then the congregational singing will not be strong either.
Absolutely breathtaking.
1 Come, ye thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home;
all is safely gathered in,
ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide
for our wants to be supplied;
come to God's own temple, come,
raise the song of harvest home.
2 All the world is God's own field,
fruit as praise to God we yield;
wheat and tares together sown
are to joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.
3 For the Lord our God shall come,
and shall take the harvest home;
from the field shall in that day
all offenses purge away,
giving angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast;
but the fruitful ears to store
in the garner evermore.
4 Even so, Lord, quickly come,
bring thy final harvest home;
gather thou thy people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin,
there, forever purified,
in thy presence to abide;
come, with all thine angels, come,
raise the glorious harvest home.
Actually, regardless of whether this recording represents the balance accurately or not, it would only be appropriate for the organ to overpower the voices. It's a congregational hymn, so the organ is LEADING, not accompanying. If it cannot be heard above the voices, the congregation will not sing boldly and heartily.
absolutely !
Does anyone know what Introit or Scripture reading this is? I love it!
I was raised in what is now an ELCA Lutheran Church. It was part of the ALC when I was a kid. Come Ye Thankful People Come is one of my all time favorite Hymns. When I was a kid we sang this every Thanksgiving. Recently I attended Thanksgiving services again in that church and this is still being sung. When I was a kid, I thought of this as a "we are grateful for the harvest" hymn. As an adult, I paid more attention to the last few verses and realized that while this is about being thankful for the fall harvest it is also about the "Rapture" of the Church. See 1 Thess 4:13 and then read thru til the end of the book!
This is the topic of the "Left Behind" book series and the "Left Behind" movies.
What breaks my heart is that this Cathedral in Washington, DC, which I have visited several times, was recently turned over to those who follow the god of the Quran instead of the God of the Bible.
So sad then! Beyond the lovely rhythm lie the deep spiritual truth of the final harvest as explained in the parable of the wheat and tares in Mathew 13:20. So, your understanding of the rapture of the Church is very correct!
Loved it all except for the descant.
Harvest Home.
@nonezoner Sorry, but if you are not there live, you cannot tell if the organ is truly overpowering the voices. You are hearing a too closely placed microphone.
Do they keep an Organist more than six months?
That's a ridiculous over-simplification. The organ should lead by supporting the congregational singing - this doesn't mean it should be louder or softer than the singing. It simply must support the sung prayer of the congregation. In the case of this organ, it does not carry into the nave very well, so it is essential for the organ to played very loudly enable for the sound to carry throughout the building.
Being able to hear the organ over the singing v. the organ overpowering the voices. Those two are not even remotely the same thing. The organ should always be easily heard, but it should rarely if ever truly overpower the singing. The sung prayer (words) are more important than the music. The organ can lead without obliterating the prayer. Also, a good choir should lead a congregation more than the organ anyway.
love the organ, but it is totally overpowering the voices.
it's the mic placement...in person it's fine