Studies of the Dutch hymn tune VASTE ROTS VAN MIJN BEHOUD (Irish Melody).
{jb_dropcap}T{/jb_dropcap}he Dutch sing 'Rock of Ages' to a tune they call IRISH MELODY, but which English-language hymnals name as SPANISH CHANT, SPANISH HYMN, and now more commonly, MADRID (the tune was attributed by Benjamin Carr, its 19th C arranger, to a supposed Spanish origin on the basis of nothing whatsoever). Of course, it can't be both Irish and Spanish - some scholars have even pronounced it Welsh - save for the likelihood that this memorable tune has an earlier common 'Q' source that traveled widely in Europe. For this variant, I've opted to use the Dutch incipit to the hymn instead. It is rendered in a triple time signature with the hymn text of 77 77 77 meter, versus the duple 77 77 D and 66 66 D versions found in English-language versions. DEMO: three harmonizations - 1) adapted from Hymnal 1940 Spanish Chant 2) adapted from music provided by Adrian Vermeulen-Miller (New Hope Music) marked "17th C," uncertain provenance 3) my own ©David Maurand.
Hymn texts (click to view):
{slider title="Rock of ages (Hymnal 1982)" open="false" class="icon"}
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure;
cleanse me from its guilt and power.
should my zeal no languor know,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone;
in my hand no price I bring,
simply to thy cross I cling.
when mine eyelids close in death,
when I rise to worlds unknown,
and behold thee on thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee.
{slider title="Christ, whose glory"open="false" class="icon"}
Christ, the true, the only light,
Sun of Righteousness, arise!
Triumph over shades of night;
Dayspring from on high, be near;
Day-star, in my heart appear!
unaccompanied by thee;
joyless is the day’s return
till thy mercy’s beams I see;
as they inward light impart,
glad my eyes, and warm my heart.
Pierce the gloom of sin and grief!
Fill me, radiancy divine;
scatter all my unbelief;
more and more thyself display,
shining to the perfect day.
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THREE HARMONIZATIONS
v 6.3.4
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