Descants

For Advent, 'On Jordan's bank the baptist's cry' is a perfect complement to Lledrod, which initially appeared in Wales bearing the name Langollen. The setting incorporates a lilting, dance-like rhythm that conceals the metric nature of the text underlay. To my ear, it sounds very much like a fiddle tune you might hear (and dance to) at a country fair, possessing a hauntingly beautiful melodic element. Little is known of its origins, and it seemingly arrived full-born as Llangollen in 1839 and Lledrod in 1859, in different hymnals by different editors with the same name, John Roberts, the latter of whom was also known as the bard Ieuan Gwyllt, who traveled throughout Wales promoting congregational singing and is credited with creating a revival of the form.

The text Kingly beyond all earthly kings was written for Christ Church of Hamilton and Wenham, Hamilton, Mass., by Timothy Dudley-Smith, and was set to Lledrod by Daniel McKinley. The text is under copyright to Hope Publishing Company, and you will need to obtain a license from the publisher to reproduce all or part of this text. (Christ hath a garden and On Jordan's bank are in the public domain.)

audio demo in the colum at right.
Click the arrow in the green bar to play.

Verse 5 to 'Where cross the crowded ways of life'

 till all the world shall learn thy love, and follow where thy feet have trod;
till glorious from thy heaven above, shall come the city of our God.

  –(The Hymnal 1982, #609)

Scores

Organ, tune and descant
Lledrod 3.7.1
(audio demo mp3 at bottom of column)

Kingly beyond all
earthly kings

Congregational score with tune, both full and bulletin size, and descant score with harmonization.

Includes both congregational score with tune and descant, and descant score with harmonization.

Where cross the crowded ways of life

This set includes the descant, full hymn letter-size hymn setting, and two-up bulletin-insert sizes in both Ab and G.

note: strong pedal.

-hymnal verse
-descant verse

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