I am pleased to say that we celebrate an Anglican High Mass to this Merbecke setting the first Sunday of each month at 11am at Wimborne St Giles, Dorset, UK, all welcome
Brings memories of singing , and later playing the organ in my local church for 23 years at St Peter's Church, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. We had no choir, the congregation sang the whole setting of the Eucharist by Merbecke every Sunday.
We sing this at our church every Sunday. I’ve been obsessed with this since we began attending. At the beginning of this video, it said that this recording was from a disc or set of discs? How would one get a copy of the whole collection?
Sorry for the confusion: it's the only part of Merbecke's setting that was sung at that concert. This video outperforms all others on my channel. Others have expressed an interest in hearing other parts of Merbecke's settings. Our director of music is seriously considering recording more in the future: we're presently sidelined by physical distancing due to COVID19.
The setting we sang was published in Common Praise (Canada), which was published in 2000. It's an arrangement with organ accompaniment by Healey Willan, but was sung a cappella. You can easily find Merbecke's Booke of Common Praier noted online.
Thank you, Alexander. Merbecke's setting was published in The book of Common Praier Noted in 1550, which he wrote because Archbishop Thomas Cranmer asked him to provide service music "containing so much of the [1549] Order of Common Prayer as is to be sung in churches." You can find it online or I could point you to it. His settings saw limited use because the Book of Common Prayer was revised in 1552. Interest in liturgical music and plainsong was renewed by the Oxford Movement. John Jebb drew attention to Merbecke's settings in 1841 and they have been reproduced and adapted several times since 1843, but were not widely used until the 20th century and take-up was slow, to say the least. I looked yesterday at a thesis which studies service music used at Canterbury Cathedral between 1873 and 1988. Over much of that period Holy Communion was celebrated only monthly, weekly or a few times each week (and at times only a few times per year). Most services were matins or evening prayer at which the Apostles Creed would be used, but they did use some of Merbecke's settings throughout all or most of that period. I've seen references to arrangements by Sir Joseph Barnby (1838-1896) and Sir John Stainer (1840-1891), but have not found copies. Early work may also have been published by The Plainsong and Medieval Music Society, but their interest was in rediscovering early music and not resetting it. The creed is usually either said or chanted in unison, either without accompaniment or with a harmonized organ accompaniment. It's possible that such accompaniments were written by Barnby and/or Stainer, but I have no specific information to suggest that they did so. Both wrote or edited many hymn tunes and Barnby composed many Anglican chants that continue to be used, but they would not be well-suited to the irregular rhythm of the creed. Widely used accompaniments for Merbecke's setting of the Nicene Creed were written by the Rev. Canon Winfred Douglas (U.S.) and by Healey Willan (Canada) and continue to be used. While I suppose that they could be sung SATB, that was certainly not the intent. There is limited movement in the harmony, so your altos, tenors and basses would probably not find those settings very interesting to sing although they have certainly withstood the test of time! With apologies for a lengthy response that does not point to an SATB setting, I hope this information is of some help.
+Leonard Surges Many thanks Leonard for the comprehensive information. I grew up in the city of Chennai, India where I heard this version being beautifully sung every time the holy communion was served in the Church named Christ Church. However, years later, the conductor of the Choir expired and the music was lost. Hearing this version brought me great comfort. My best wishes to the singers and the organizers.
Alexander, thanks for telling us of your connection to the music and your comfort on hearing it. Our choir sings plenty of plainsong and other styles. The Great Thanksgiving begins with a traditional Sursum corda that is chanted by the celebrant with the choir and congregation, but only the Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus dei are regularly sung (by the choir) and the Creed is said. A Kyrie or Gloria may be sung or said prior to the psalm and readings. We seldom sing Merbecke, but it fit the theme of the concert and our men have certainly not forgotten it. Our younger singers don't have the same recollections that you or I do, but would have no difficulty singing it with minimal rehearsal. To my surprise, it's the most viewed and liked video on this channel.
No, it's not the 1662 text. The original text was from the 1549 BCP. Merbecke's settings were little used, because a new BCP came into effect during the short reign of Edward VI. It was rediscovered well over two centuries later, but only became more widely used in England as a result of the Oxford movement, more than three centuries after it was written.
@@leonardsurges9531 I don't think 'through whom all things were made' is either 1549 or 1662. 'By whom' is what they both say. I suspect much more recent theologians have been at work ...
Beautiful EXCEPT the gaping black hole of caused by politically correct inclusive speech, "who for us *** and for our salvation". You hear very clearly the omitted "men". That is sad, since it spoils this. One hears something has been taken out, and the music seems briefly not connected to the musical work it is a part of.
+organisten Thanks for your kind comment and observation. The setting is No. 681 in the Canadian version of Common Praise (1998). The text is closely aligned with a more traditional form in the 1985 Book of Alternative Services in the language of the Book of Common Prayer 1962. That form differs greatly from the version in the BAS produced by the International Consultation on English Texts (ICET), but excludes the word "men" that is found in the BCP 1962, exactly as you note. The arrangement and organ accompaniment is copyrighted by the Estate of Healey Willan. I can't imagine Willan dropping "men", but there's nothing to indicate that the text was edited or adapted. I, too, can hear "men" and a whole note on F where it deviates from a plainsong setting (almost certainly by Willan) sung by the choir and congregation when I was a growing up in Vancouver about 50 years ago, because it fits much more naturally with the rhythm and flow of the melody.
+Leonard Surges At least they didn't go so far as to correct "and was made man" to "and was made a person." I'll leave that to the next generation of BAS-ers to rectify.
Boris Spacek To be fair, the BAS text includes "man" but it was omitted in Common Praise. I'm not sure I want to contemplate all the future possibilities or what could happen when someone "rectifies" the Trinity.
Yes, very beautiful. Thanks for sharing, Leonard. I, uh, first sang this in 2010ish, in the Cathedral choir at Toronto's St. James and - not ever knowing that 'men' was omitted (until reading the above comment at this very moment), have always found the line to be quite natural in its flow. I don't mean this insultingly, but just to offer an honest perspective that, truly & earnestly, from my point of view, I notice no gaping black hole. ...Everything is relative, though, I guess. :)
I am pleased to say that we celebrate an Anglican High Mass to this Merbecke setting the first Sunday of each month at 11am at Wimborne St Giles, Dorset, UK, all welcome
Brings memories of singing , and later playing the organ in my local church for 23 years at St Peter's Church, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. We had no choir, the congregation sang the whole setting of the Eucharist by Merbecke every Sunday.
Thanks for sharing the memories that this video recalls.
Very beautiful. Thank you for this. And thank you for the history in the description. God bless. +
Beautiful
I served mass for an anglican priest (I am rc but "the wind bloweth where it listeth") we always used this
Thanks for uploading. I have sung this tune in church but had no idea who the composer was. I find the line 'who spake by the prophets' very moving.
This is what we use at our church.
Thanks for posting this!
We sing this at our church every Sunday. I’ve been obsessed with this since we began attending. At the beginning of this video, it said that this recording was from a disc or set of discs? How would one get a copy of the whole collection?
Sorry for the confusion: it's the only part of Merbecke's setting that was sung at that concert. This video outperforms all others on my channel. Others have expressed an interest in hearing other parts of Merbecke's settings. Our director of music is seriously considering recording more in the future: we're presently sidelined by physical distancing due to COVID19.
Can I please have a copy of the sheet music for the creed
The setting we sang was published in Common Praise (Canada), which was published in 2000. It's an arrangement with organ accompaniment by Healey Willan, but was sung a cappella. You can easily find Merbecke's Booke of Common Praier noted online.
Thank you for this excellent rendition - Is there a SATB version that you know of where I may refer to?
Thank you, Alexander. Merbecke's setting was published in The book of Common Praier Noted in 1550, which he wrote because Archbishop Thomas Cranmer asked him to provide service music "containing so much of the [1549] Order of Common Prayer as is to be sung in churches." You can find it online or I could point you to it. His settings saw limited use because the Book of Common Prayer was revised in 1552.
Interest in liturgical music and plainsong was renewed by the Oxford Movement. John Jebb drew attention to Merbecke's settings in 1841 and they have been reproduced and adapted several times since 1843, but were not widely used until the 20th century and take-up was slow, to say the least. I looked yesterday at a thesis which studies service music used at Canterbury Cathedral between 1873 and 1988. Over much of that period Holy Communion was celebrated only monthly, weekly or a few times each week (and at times only a few times per year). Most services were matins or evening prayer at which the Apostles Creed would be used, but they did use some of Merbecke's settings throughout all or most of that period.
I've seen references to arrangements by Sir Joseph Barnby (1838-1896) and Sir John Stainer (1840-1891), but have not found copies. Early work may also have been published by The Plainsong and Medieval Music Society, but their interest was in rediscovering early music and not resetting it. The creed is usually either said or chanted in unison, either without accompaniment or with a harmonized organ accompaniment. It's possible that such accompaniments were written by Barnby and/or Stainer, but I have no specific information to suggest that they did so. Both wrote or edited many hymn tunes and Barnby composed many Anglican chants that continue to be used, but they would not be well-suited to the irregular rhythm of the creed.
Widely used accompaniments for Merbecke's setting of the Nicene Creed were written by the Rev. Canon Winfred Douglas (U.S.) and by Healey Willan (Canada) and continue to be used. While I suppose that they could be sung SATB, that was certainly not the intent. There is limited movement in the harmony, so your altos, tenors and basses would probably not find those settings very interesting to sing although they have certainly withstood the test of time! With apologies for a lengthy response that does not point to an SATB setting, I hope this information is of some help.
+Leonard Surges Many thanks Leonard for the comprehensive information. I grew up in the city of Chennai, India where I heard this version being beautifully sung every time the holy communion was served in the Church named Christ Church. However, years later, the conductor of the Choir expired and the music was lost. Hearing this version brought me great comfort. My best wishes to the singers and the organizers.
Alexander, thanks for telling us of your connection to the music and your comfort on hearing it. Our choir sings plenty of plainsong and other styles. The Great Thanksgiving begins with a traditional Sursum corda that is chanted by the celebrant with the choir and congregation, but only the Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus dei are regularly sung (by the choir) and the Creed is said. A Kyrie or Gloria may be sung or said prior to the psalm and readings. We seldom sing Merbecke, but it fit the theme of the concert and our men have certainly not forgotten it. Our younger singers don't have the same recollections that you or I do, but would have no difficulty singing it with minimal rehearsal. To my surprise, it's the most viewed and liked video on this channel.
Thank you sharing such wonderful information. Wish you and all those with your choir a lifetime of blissful music. I'll stay tuned to your channel.
Thank you so much, best wishes and blessings to you also!
Very nice but this isn't the 1662 text, similar though it is.
No, it's not the 1662 text. The original text was from the 1549 BCP. Merbecke's settings were little used, because a new BCP came into effect during the short reign of Edward VI. It was rediscovered well over two centuries later, but only became more widely used in England as a result of the Oxford movement, more than three centuries after it was written.
@@leonardsurges9531 I don't think 'through whom all things were made' is either 1549 or 1662. 'By whom' is what they both say. I suspect much more recent theologians have been at work ...
Beautiful EXCEPT the gaping black hole of caused by politically correct inclusive speech, "who for us *** and for our salvation". You hear very clearly the omitted "men". That is sad, since it spoils this. One hears something has been taken out, and the music seems briefly not connected to the musical work it is a part of.
+organisten Thanks for your kind comment and observation. The setting is No. 681 in the Canadian version of Common Praise (1998). The text is closely aligned with a more traditional form in the 1985 Book of Alternative Services in the language of the Book of Common Prayer 1962. That form differs greatly from the version in the BAS produced by the International Consultation on English Texts (ICET), but excludes the word "men" that is found in the BCP 1962, exactly as you note. The arrangement and organ accompaniment is copyrighted by the Estate of Healey Willan. I can't imagine Willan dropping "men", but there's nothing to indicate that the text was edited or adapted. I, too, can hear "men" and a whole note on F where it deviates from a plainsong setting (almost certainly by Willan) sung by the choir and congregation when I was a growing up in Vancouver about 50 years ago, because it fits much more naturally with the rhythm and flow of the melody.
+Leonard Surges At least they didn't go so far as to correct "and was made man" to "and was made a person." I'll leave that to the next generation of BAS-ers to rectify.
Boris Spacek To be fair, the BAS text includes "man" but it was omitted in Common Praise. I'm not sure I want to contemplate all the future possibilities or what could happen when someone "rectifies" the Trinity.
"Admit no change" seems to be the only sure policy.
Yes, very beautiful. Thanks for sharing, Leonard.
I, uh, first sang this in 2010ish, in the Cathedral choir at Toronto's St. James and - not ever knowing that 'men' was omitted (until reading the above comment at this very moment), have always found the line to be quite natural in its flow.
I don't mean this insultingly, but just to offer an honest perspective that, truly & earnestly, from my point of view, I notice no gaping black hole. ...Everything is relative, though, I guess. :)