14 thoughts on “The Ancient Prophecies Foretold”

  1. I did not realize the refrain was very close to a Roman Catholic hymn that makes me sad because I do enjoy singing it. My biggest issue with the newly proposed refrain is that it lacks some of the ‘bounciness’ (for lack of a better word) of the original refrain melody, but I understand the need to change it. In trying to think of alternative options I keep thinking back to the original melody, so I don’t think I would be of any help at this time for other suggestions.

  2. I was asked last year if I knew of this hymn. Now I do, and I know at least our Pani likes it. Maybe others do, too.

    I like the refrain melody solution presented.

    I tried some (weak) solutions for the following:

    A. For “in the Judean hills,” how about “found in Judea’s hills”?

    B. For “Proclaiming glory in heaven” how about “Hosannah in the hi-igh-est”

    C. For the Magi verse: “Gold, frankincense and myrrh you bring, O Magi from the East; and searching for the newborn King, these gifts you give in peace.”

  3. As for the refrain, there are melodies that work and are singable that aren’t the RC hymn. I sent a pdf to Jeff, of a melody my wife Christine came up with, (though the PDF wasn’t the best copy i could get since i had scanner issues on my computer). The melody is more “bouncy” and bright. But I guess that the refrain melody issue has been decided since the discussion dropped off the radar so any further work goes nowhere?

    1. 1. I haven’t received a PDF from you yet.

      2. I have gotten one vote calling for the RC melody to be kept, and one person saying they understood changing it.

      I don’t understand the “since the discussion dropped off the radar”, since I’ve approved every comment that’s been submitted. It’s a moderated group, so it may take an hour or two to be approved. I’m working 18 hour days and took a nap at 10:30 for an hour.

  4. I have a refrain version that we came up with last weekend. It sings well, is easy to harmonize. We may just use it at our parish regardless what decision comes of the discussion.

  5. I have updated the article with Christine Petach’s proposed refrain, and another version of it by yours truly. Please take a look and comment here! I think it now has a little of the “bounciness” of the original back.

  6. Actually, it can be made metered quite easily by making the first two notes of the measure 1/8 notes (Note/ 1/Time) D/8 D/8 c/4 b/2 for the first measure then a/4 c/4 b/2 for the second measure.
    for the third measure “and God will be |with us” to b/8 b/8/ a/4 g/2
    to fourth measure e/4 g/4/f#/2
    resolving back to melody “and we shall find” g/8/d/8 c/4/b/2 into the original ending phrase as posted.

  7. Deacon Jeff,
    As this hymn is new to me (our old cantor never sang it and we don’t have a choir) I have played all the versions and feel that of all the versions the one from Christine Petach and your “tweeked” version are the best. I actually prefer the tweaked version because it moves without repeating part of the refrain melody. (as the whole refrain is repeated anyway) I hope this helps.
    Yours truly
    Ed Matusiewicz
    St. Andrew’s Westbury NY

  8. Fr, Deacon Jeff: As you mentioned of the Ancient Prophecies Foretold. Yes, we did this while I lived in Anchorage, Alaska (33 yrs) and attended St Nicholas Byzantine as a cantor,under 7 priests. I have a completed Musical ( notes) of this. On Thanksgiving evening, Bishop Milan Lach visited our parish, and after I gave him a copy of the Christmas Compline and carol booklet(that I had 150 copies printed for Sacred Heart Byzantine (Livonia, Mi) and sang the first verse for him( he stated they used it in his country, in his language). The booklet also has– “Come, O Jesus, Our Savior”–complete with words and music. The Ancient Prophecies has not caught on with our other cantor;s–I know it well, but can t get others to do it–takes time. I can send you the musical notes of this one, if you want. I also had printed the Hymnal of 2007, for use in our church( yellow cover). Just my two cents. John Michalski, Cantor,.

    1. John – the problem is that the refrain uses copyrighted music from a well-known Roman Catholic “reformed folk” song. It’s just not music I can distributed unchanged, for all kinds of reasons. That’s why we worked up the new refrain – out of necessity.

      1. Fr. Deacon Jeff,, So is it against copyright to sing this of the 150 copies__ Christmas Compline booklet, I had printed for my church,Sacred Heart, Livonia, Mich.???

        1. I don’t think it was intentional, and I certainly don’t think you are damaging the rights of the copyholder by using what you’ve already printed this year. I leave that decision up to individuals.
          There are TWO reasons I’m not using the old refrain melody in any hymnal coming from the MCI. The first is the copyright issue, and the second is that for some people coming to our churches, either “native” Byzantine Catholics or people who had bad liturgical experiences in Roman Catholic parishes, the sort of song that the chorus came from can leave a bad taste in SOME peoplke’s mouths, and that I would like to avoid.
          So my one request is that when a new hymnal comes out, and it has a different melody for the refrain, people not complain or get exercised over it. Make sense?

  9. Good morning Jeff. We have been singing this hymn in Phoenix for at least 15 years. The children really love this hymn and the church gets overpowered every time we sing the refrain. I understand copyright issues and I would be able with some heavy rotation to adjust the refrain in mention. However the first few times I sing it I may get overpowered by the children singing this at the top of their lungs. Let me know what decision is made as I was getting ready to start this on Sunday. I also believe we should all make an effort to use one version and not have several versions of the same hymn sung at our various churches. This should be the biggest concern for all of our hymns. I may not be a fan of all of the versions in the green book but I do sing them as they are written and approved. Thanks, Basil

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