Teaching the chant of the Byzantine Catholic Church
The text for Tam hde v nebi, the Slavonic original of this hymn, was printed in 1974 in a small booklet from the Sisters of Saint Basil the Great, Uniontown, PA, titled Pisňi vo čest’ Materi Božoj Neustajuščoj Pomošči – in other words, hymns for services to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
One verse was printed (with an English translation) by Fr. William Levkulic in 1978. This hymn was NOT included in the 1985 Marian Hymnal, so I have had to rely on an unattributed manuscript for music.
This hymn, whose first verse describes the Annunciation, is an enduring favorite in our church, and appears on some of our earliest recordings of the Divine Liturgy – in spite of the fact that it doesn’t seem to have been included in any of the usual collections of hymns from Europe.
This hymn as 26 verses in the Užhorod Pisennik (1913). Is anyone willing to summarize them for us?
This is one of the best-known of our Marian hymns, and since there’s little reason to make any substantive changes, I’d like to take a look at notation, and when to use (or not use) time signatures in the new hymnal.
This is a hymn which perhaps deserves to be more widely known. I am also including a SECOND melody, from the Uzhorod Seminary Choir.
Occasionally we run into hymns with VERY similar titles. The Slavonic original of this hymn is Prosime T’a, D’ivo, šlem do Tebe hlas, while the hymn we know in English as From our hearts we sinners is Prosime T’a, D’ivo, hrišňiji userdno.
Here is another feast-day hymn for the Mother of God – this one for the feast of her Protection (Patronage), on October 1. It can also be sung throughout the year.
Most hymns to the Mother of God are “general purpose”, usable throughout the year, while some have verses for a variety of occasions. This spiritual song is intended for singing in connection with a particular feast of the Theotokos: her entry into the Temple in Jerusalem, which we celebrate on November 21.
Last year, we looked at the hymn, O Father Nicholas, which is sung to the same tune as the Marian hymn, Rejoice, O purest Queen (Radujsja Carice). At that time, we made some changes to the melody based on the oral tradition, and the English accents in our text. This blog entry continues that discussion.
Most of our hymns to the Mother of God are supplications – requests for her aid and protection. This song, on the other hand, is an extended praise of Mary the Theotokos in her heavenly glory; it is most frequently sung in connection with the feast of her Dormition on August 15.