One of the most mis-mated hymn texts and hymn tunes in the 1985 LDS Hymnal must be "Come All Ye Saints Who Dwell on Earth." The very cheerful upbeat text by William W. Phelps 1792-1872 has been matched with a slow plodding tune by William B. Bradbury 1816-1868. These do not fit together for various reasons.
1. The words and the music have little in common. If you speak Phelp's words and pay attention to the stresses, you clearly feel that the meter should be in 3/4 not 4/4.
Come, all ye Saints who dwell on earth, your cheerful voices raise,
Our great Redeemer’s love to sing, and celebrate his praise,
Our great Redeemer’s love to sing, and celebrate his praise.
2. Bradford's 4/4 hymn tune emphasizes nearly every beat equally. It leaves little room for soaring with lilting cheerful emotion.
His love is great; he died for us. Shall we ungrateful be,
Since he has marked a path to bliss and said, “Come, follow me?”
Since he has marked a path to bliss and said, “Come, follow me?”
3. Most of the notes in the Bradford tune stay on monotonous repetitions or move very little and in mostly downward motions. It invokes sadness not joy.
The straight and narrow way we’ve found! Then let us travel on,
Until we, in the celestial world, shall meet where Christ is gone.
Until we, in the celestial world, shall meet where Christ is gone.
4. Phelp's lyrics suggest hopefulness and joy which calls for a melody with plenty of sweeping rising notes and an arching climatic curve. Who could think of singing praises in a heavenly choir to a slow plodding tune?
And there we’ll join the heavenly choir and sing his praise above,
While endless ages roll around, perfected by his love.
While endless ages roll around, perfected by his love.
1. The words and the music have little in common. If you speak Phelp's words and pay attention to the stresses, you clearly feel that the meter should be in 3/4 not 4/4.
Come, all ye Saints who dwell on earth, your cheerful voices raise,
Our great Redeemer’s love to sing, and celebrate his praise,
Our great Redeemer’s love to sing, and celebrate his praise.
2. Bradford's 4/4 hymn tune emphasizes nearly every beat equally. It leaves little room for soaring with lilting cheerful emotion.
His love is great; he died for us. Shall we ungrateful be,
Since he has marked a path to bliss and said, “Come, follow me?”
Since he has marked a path to bliss and said, “Come, follow me?”
3. Most of the notes in the Bradford tune stay on monotonous repetitions or move very little and in mostly downward motions. It invokes sadness not joy.
The straight and narrow way we’ve found! Then let us travel on,
Until we, in the celestial world, shall meet where Christ is gone.
Until we, in the celestial world, shall meet where Christ is gone.
4. Phelp's lyrics suggest hopefulness and joy which calls for a melody with plenty of sweeping rising notes and an arching climatic curve. Who could think of singing praises in a heavenly choir to a slow plodding tune?
And there we’ll join the heavenly choir and sing his praise above,
While endless ages roll around, perfected by his love.
While endless ages roll around, perfected by his love.
So, one day, after singing Hymn 65 in church, I decided to try my hand at giving it a new tune. This is more what I would sing if I was singing in the heavenly choir!
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