The original of this morning hymn is attributed to Gregory the Great, Pope Gregory I, a sincere man, devoted to missions and reforms within the church, and one of the greatest of the line of Popes. The date of his election to the papacy, A.D. 590, is usually given by church historians as the end of the period of the Ancient Church and the beginning of the period of the Middle Ages—a witness to the importance of Gregory. A man of unblemished character and statesmanlike wisdom, he had a noble vision and ambition for Christianity and took a keen interest in the ritual and music of the church. Though not original or scholarly, he was a voluminous writer and had much influence in his time. He sent out missionaries, such as Augustine to England, and labored incessantly to purify and strengthen the church, care for its poor, and bring Christianity to the heathen. Gregory was particularly interested in the music of the church; and the “Gregorian Chants,” many of them composed by him, became the basis of cathedral music for a thousand years. He did away with certain embellishments which had crept in through the influence of Ambrose, and inaugurated the use of the solemn, stately chants which bear his name.
The translation of this hymn is by Percy Dearmer, an English hymnologist and clergyman who became Canon of Westminster, London, in 1931. He edited Songs of Praise, adopted widely in England for use in churches and public schools.
MUSIC. CHRISTI SANCTORUM is a tune of uncertain origin taken from a book by Francois de la Feillée, entitled Methode du Plain Chant, published in 1782. The melody, easily within range of all voices, is well adapted for unison singing. It is most effective when sung somewhat slowly. Though the tune appears in a book of plainsong, the melody has rhythm and is measured, and has none of the characteristics of a plainsong.
25. Awake, my soul, and with the sun
Thomas Ken, 1637-1711
Taken from a Manual of Prayers, which Bishop Ken wrote for Winchester College students in 1674. It appeared as the “Morning Hymn.” The preface of the book admonished the boys “to be sure to sing the Morning and Evening Hymn in your chamber devoutly.” Both the Morning and Evening Hymn ([33]) had for the closing stanza the famous doxology, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow,” now sung by the whole Christian church. The original poem had fourteen stanzas. According to Julian, this hymn is one of four at the head of all hymns in the English language.
Thomas Ken was an English poet and clergyman and had considerable musical talent. He was a man unafraid to declare his convictions. He once refused to read, at the king’s command, a certain document to his parishioners, and was imprisoned for his defiance. He finally lost his bishopric because he refused to swear allegiance to Mary and William of Orange when they became rulers of England. Ken was known for his saintly character, his great ability and eloquence as a preacher, and his pioneering in the art of hymn writing.
That all hymns must be written in the third person, as is sometimes asserted, is disproved by this great hymn in its use of “I” and “my.”
MUSIC. For comments on Francois H. Barthélémon, composer of the tune, MORNING HYMN, see [Hymn 2].