hymn; and how the delighted king released the singer, and restored him to his bishopric. This tale, told after seven hundred years, is not the only legend that grew around the hymn and its author, but the fact that he composed it in the cloister of Anjou while confined there is not seriously disputed. Gloria, laus et honor Tibi sit, Rex Christe Redemptor, Gloria, laus et honor. Theodulph was born in Spain, but of Gothic pedigree, a child of the race of conquerors who, in the 5th century, overran Southern Europe. He died in 821, but whether a free man or still a prisoner at the time of his death is uncertain. Some accounts allege that he was poisoned in the cloister. The Roman church canonized him, and his hymn is still sung as a processional in Protestant as well as Catholic churches. The above Latin lines are the first four of the original seventy-eight. The following is J. M. Neale's translation of the portion now in use: All glory, laud, and honor, To Thee, Redeemer, King, Thou are the King of Israel, Thou David's royal Son, Who in the Lord's name comest, The King and Blessed One. All glory, etc Accept the prayers we bring, Who in all good delightest, Thou good and gracious King. All glory, etc. The translator, Rev. John Mason Neale, D.D., was born in London, Jan. 24, 1818, and graduated at Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1840. He was a prolific writer, and after taking holy orders he held the office of Warden of Sackville College, East Grimstead, Sussex. Best known among his published works are Medieval Hymns and Sequences, Hymns for Children, Hymns of the Eastern Church, and The Rhythms of Morlaix. He died Aug. 6, 1866. THE TUNE. There is no certainty as to the original tune of Theodulph's Hymn, or how long it survived, but various modern composers have given it music in more or less keeping with its character, notably Melchior Teschner, whose harmony, "St. Theodulph," appears in the new Methodist Hymnal. It well represents the march of the bishop's Latin. Melchior Teschner, a Prussian musician, was Precentor at Frauenstadt, Silesia, about 1613. "ALL PRAISE TO THEE, ETERNAL LORD." Gelobet Seist du Jesu Christ. This introductory hymn of worship, a favorite Christmas hymn in Germany, is ancient, and appears to be a versification of a Latin prose "Sequence" variously ascribed to a 9th century author, and to Gregory the Great in the 6th century. Its German form is still credited to Luther in most hymnals. Julian gives an earlier German form (1370) of the "Gelobet," but attributes all but the first stanza to Luther, as the hymn now stands. The following translation, printed first in the Sabbath Hymn Book, Andover, 1858, is the one adopted by Scharff in his Christian in Song: All praise to Thee, eternal Lord, Clothed in the garb of flesh and blood; Once did the skies before Thee bow; A little child, Thou art our guest, That we may rise to heaven from earth. Thou comest in the darksome night. Like Thine own angels round Thee shine. All this for us Thy love hath done: For this we tune our cheerful lays, THE TUNE. The 18th century tune of "Weimar” (Evangelical Hymnal), by Emanuel Bach, suits the spiritual tone of the hymn, and suggests the Gregorian dignity of its origin. Karl Philip Emanuel Bach, called "the Berlin Bach" to distinguish to distinguish him from his father, the great Sebastian Bach of Saxe Weimar, was born in Weimar, March 14, 1714. He early devoted himself to music, and coming to Berlin when twentyfour years old was appointed Chamber musician (Kammer Musicus) in the Royal Chapel, where he often accompanied Frederick the Great (who was an accomplished flutist) on the harpsichord. His most numerous compositions were piano music but he wrote a celebrated "Sanctus," and two oratorios, besides a number of chorals, of which "Weimar" is one. He died in Hamburg, Dec. 14, 1788. THE MAGNIFICAT. Μεγαλύνει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον. Magnificat anima mea Dominum, Et exultavit Spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo. We can date with some certainty the hymn itself composed by the Virgin Mary, but when it first became a song of the Christian Church no one can tell. Its thanksgiving may have found tone among the earliest martyrs, who, as Pliny tells us, sang hymns in their secret worship. We can only trace it back to the oldest chant music, when it was doubtless sung by both the Eastern and Western Churches. In the rude liturgies of the 4th and 5th centuries it must have begun to assume ritual form; but it remained for the more modern school of composers hundreds of years later to illustrate the "Magnificat" with the melody of art and genius. Superseding the primitive unisonous plain-song, the old parallel concords, and the simple faburden (faux bourdon) counterpoint that succeeded Gregory, they taught how musical tones can better assist worship with the beauty of harmony and the precision of scientific taste. Musicians in Italy, France, Germany and England have contributed their scores to this inspired hymn. Some of them still have place in the hymnals, a noble one especially by the blind English tone-master, Henry Smart, author of the oratorio of "Jacob." None, however, have equaled |
