Thursday, November 27, 2008

Top Ten Hymns-Part II-Advent

As a promised regular feature - and with Advent I hitting the calendar on Sunday, here are my top ten Advent Hymns, in no particular order.

1. On Jordan's Bank (New Westminster)

2. There's a Voice in the Wilderness (Ascension)
(Composed by Hugh Bancroft - yay Canada!)

3. Lo, He Comes With Clouds Descending (Helmsley)

4. Hark, a Herald Voice is Sounding (Merton)

5. O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Veni Emmanuel)
Provided the pronunciation of Israel is correct

6. Sleepers Wake (Wachet Auf)

7. Hail to the Lord's Anointed (Cruger)

8. Come Thou Long Expected Jesus (Stuttgart)

9. Herald Sound the Note of Judgment (Neander)
(Who was the Herald guy anyway - and why is he so prominent in Advent and Christmas?)

10. Your Kingdom Come on Bended Knee (Irish)

I won't bother with a list of least favourite Advent Hymns, that would be like choosing a least favourite list of Lenten Hymns ... not sure there are any.
 

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

O Come, O Come Emmanuel also has to be sung with the correct rhythm and with no extra rests.

John Brough said...

agreed!

Kate Mc said...

Veni Emmanuel is probably my favourite... And out of sheer curiosity about whether I've been pronouncing things wrong for the last 20-odd years, what would you consider the correct pronunciation of Israel?

-Kate

John Brough said...

Thanks Kate,

Well, if you are singing it in Latin - Iz-rah-el is correct (note, no diphthong) but if you are singing it in English it's "Iz-ray-el".

Opinions will differ on this - but that is the "english" school. It is also one of the reasons why I don't like "The First Noel" as that word is so often pronounced "Iz-r-eye-el" with the horrid diphthong, that I just can't listen to it anymore.

I'm such a typical Anglican - a little too set in my ways.

Anonymous said...

Isn't Herald the guy who knows how to fix the furnace? *grins and runs away*

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised to not see E'en So, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come (Manz) on your otherwise excellent list.