Author: Hilton Kean Jones

This morning’s Earth Day hymn is this famous Native American hymn. #3 in the New Century Hymnal, both verses are given in the original Dakota language as well as in an English translation. Hymnary.org gives just the English translation.

The NCH suggests the 4 quarter note drum throughout. I debated using that since I don’t want to err in the direction of tasteless cultural approbation any more than I already have by using this hymn. But…it seemed to work if done very softly and it gives a sense of forward motion.

The footnotes in the NCH give Joseph Renville, 1842, as having adapted the tune and James Murry, 1877, as having provided the harmonization. Renville helped establish the Lac qui Parle mission in Minnesota and Frazier, a Native American, was a Congregational minister.

This week, and the coming Corona Sabbath, is Earth Week at Lakewood UCC. So in celebration there’ll be a daily hymn about the beauties of creation. There can’t be any hymn more arch-typical of the topic than this first one, All Things Bright and Beautiful, the melody of which is ROYAL OAK, a traditional English Melody, adapted by Martin Shaw, 1915. That link gives 5 verses plus the refrain, but I’ve stuck with the 3 versus and refrain of the New Century Hymnal.

This is another one of those hymns that ought to be in every hymnal but isn’t. It’s in only one, a magnificent hymnal: the African American Heritage Hymnal. I recommend it very, very highly. It should be on every church musician’s bookshelf.

Can’t give the words because of copyright, but I can tell you that the text is built on John 14:18 — I will not leave you orphaned. I am coming to you.

Here it is featuring piano but with some traditional B3 organ and cheezy strings. Absolutely love that “N” in Magnolia. That’s the Magnolia Cemetery in Hurley Mississippi. It used to be the Jones cemetery (our family cemetery and in fact most of the graves–everyone in town???–are relatives).

There’s scarce little on the Internet about this song and much of what is there is conflicting. Some sources cite an author, some not. Some a composer, some not. Only one site had the lyrics but I didn’t feel comfortable linking to it. Some list 2 verses, some 4; the New Century Hymnal has only 2 with the first in both Spanish and English.

Since, the ownership of the song is in doubt I don’t feel comfortable citing the lyrics myself. So…just enjoy it and sing along if you have the New Century Hymnal, #499, or the United Methodist Hymnal, #346 or Mil Voces Para Celebrar, #337.

The footnote in the New Century Hymnal says, “This anonymous Mexican folk hymn was transcribed by hymnologist Gertrude Suppe after she first heard it sung by two church women visiting California from Mexico. It was published in Celebremos II (1983).” And it gives the following information for the tune: “PUES SI VIVIMOS, Anon; arr. B.C.M. 1988.”

Just a reminder that the complete collection of these hymn recordings is available for free listening (streaming) at https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/hymns-at-lakewood. When each new recording is posted on the church website, it is also added to this album.

The choir often sings this arrangement of mine of New Century Hymnal #111 at Easter. Here is that same arrangement performed on organ. You’re welcome to follow along. The exact words as found in our hymnal aren’t found online, but a common text found in other hymnals is at https://hymnary.org/text/creator_of_the_stars_of_night. Those words have 6 versus. The New Century Hymnal version, however, has only 5 verses.

The picture to the left is of a door at the Salzburg Cathedral.

Just a reminder that the complete collection of these hymn recordings is available for free listening (streaming) at https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/hymns-at-lakewood. When each new recording is posted on the church website, it is also added to this album.