The Story of the Hymns and Tunes | Page 6

of Anjou while confined there is not seriously disputed.
Gloria, laus et honor Tibi sit, Rex Christe Redemptor, Cui puerile decus prompsit Hosanna pium. Israel Tu Rex, Davidis et inclyta proles, Nomine qui in Domini Rex benedicte venis Gloria, laus et honor.
Theodulph was born in Spain, but of Gothic pedigree, a child of the race of conquerors who, in the 5th century, overran Southern Europe. He died in 821, but whether a free man or still a prisoner at the time of his death is uncertain. Some accounts allege that he was poisoned in the cloister. The Roman church canonized him, and his hymn is still sung as a processional in Protestant as well as Catholic churches. The above Latin lines are the first four of the original seventy-eight. The following is J.M. Neale's translation of the portion now in use:
All glory, laud, and honor, To Thee, Redeemer, King: To whom the lips of children Made sweet Hosannas ring.
Thou are the King of Israel, Thou David's royal Son, Who in the Lord's name comest, The King and Blessed One. All glory, etc.
The company of angels Are praising Thee on high; And mortal men, and all things Created, make reply. All glory, etc.
The people of the Hebrews With palms before Thee went; Our praise and prayer and anthems Before Thee we present. All glory, etc.
To Thee before Thy Passion They sang their hymns of praise; To Thee, now high exalted Our melody we raise. All glory, etc.
Thou didst accept their praises; Accept the prayers we bring, Who in all good delightest, Thou good and gracious King. All glory, etc.
The translator, Rev. John Mason Neale, D.D., was born in London, Jan. 24, 1818, and graduated at Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1840. He was a prolific writer, and after taking holy orders he held the office of Warden of Sackville College, East Grimstead, Sussex. Best known among his published works are Medi?val Hymns and Sequences, Hymns for Children, Hymns of the Eastern Church and The Rhythms of Morlaix. He died Aug. 6, 1866.
THE TUNE.
There is no certainty as to the original tune of Theodulph's Hymn, or how long it survived, but various modern composers have given it music in more or less keeping with its character, notably Melchior Teschner, whose harmony, "St. Theodulph," appears in the new Methodist Hymnal. It well represents the march of the bishop's Latin.
Melchior Teschner, a Prussian musician, was Precentor at Frauenstadt, Silesia, about 1613.
"ALL PRAISE TO THEE, ETERNAL LORD." Gelobet Seist du Jesu Christ.
This introductory hymn of worship, a favorite Christmas hymn in Germany, is ancient, and appears to be a versification of a Latin prose "Sequence" variously ascribed to a 9th century author, and to Gregory the Great in the 6th century. Its German form is still credited to Luther in most hymnals. Julian gives an earlier German form (1370) of the "Gelobet," but attributes all but the first stanza to Luther, as the hymn now stands. The following translation, printed first in the Sabbath Hymn Book, Andover, 1858, is the one adopted by Schaff in his Christ in Song:
All praise to Thee, eternal Lord, Clothed in the garb of flesh and blood; Choosing a manger for Thy throne, While worlds on worlds are Thine alone!
Once did the skies before Thee bow; A virgin's arms contain Thee now; Angels, who did in Thee rejoice, Now listen for Thine infant voice.
A little child, Thou art our guest, That weary ones in Thee may rest; Forlorn and lowly in Thy birth, That we may rise to heaven from earth.
Thou comest in the darksome night, To make us children of the light; To make us, in the realms divine, Like Thine own angels round Thee shine.
All this for us Thy love hath done: By this to Thee our love is won; For this we tune our cheerful lays, And shout our thanks in endless praise.
THE TUNE.
The 18th century tune of "Weimar" (Evangelical Hymnal), by Emanuel Bach, suits the spiritual tone of the hymn, and suggests the Gregorian dignity of its origin.
Karl Philip Emanuel Bach, called "the Berlin Bach" to distinguish him from his father, the great Sebastian Bach of Saxe Weimar, was born in Weimar, March 14, 1714. He early devoted himself to music, and coming to Berlin when twenty-four years old was appointed Chamber musician (Kammer Musicus) in the Royal Chapel, where he often accompanied Frederick the Great (who was an accomplished flutist) on the harpsichord. His most numerous compositions were piano music but he wrote a celebrated "Sanctus," and two oratorios, besides a number of chorals, of which "Weimar" is one. He died in Hamburg, Dec. 14, 1788.
THE MAGNIFICAT. [Greek: Megalunei h�� psuch�� mou ton Kurion.]
Magnificat anima mea Dominum, Et exultavit Spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo. Luke 1:46-55.
We can date with some certainty the hymn itself composed by