O Valiant Hearts

O Valiant Hearts

'"O Valiant Hearts" is a hymn remembering the fallen of the First World War. Words were taken from a poem by Sir John Stanhope Arkwright (1872–1954), published in 'The Supreme Sacrifice, and other Poems in Time of War (1919).[1] It was set to music by the Rev. Dr. Charles Harris, Vicar of Colwall, Herefordshire 1909-1929.[2] The poem was later included as a hymn in both editions of the hymn book Songs of Praise. For the first edition, published in 1925, the music was set to a traditional tune, 'Valour', arranged by Vaughan Williams.[3] In the second, larger edition of Songs of Praise, published in 1931, Gustav Holst composed the tune 'Valiant Hearts' especially for the hymn.[1] In Songs of Praise Discussed, Valiant Hearts is described as 'a good bold tune, in triple time, with a suggestion of bell-chimes in the repeated first phrase, an effect which is enhanced by the nature of the accompaniment to the alternative unison version'. The alternative unison version referred to is written for verses 3 and 7.[4]' However, it is to the Harris tune that the hymn is now always sung. In fact there is no evidence to suggest that the later tunes mentioned above ever gained any popularity. A very early recording (to Harris's beloved tune) by the boy soprano Harold Langston was played at the Aldershot Tattoo in 1930 to vast crowds. http://www.boysoloist.com/artist.asp?VID=1130

Lyrics

O valiant hearts who to your glory came
Through dust of conflict and through battle flame;
Tranquil you lie, your knightly virtue proved,
Your memory hallowed in the land you loved.

Proudly you gathered, rank on rank, to war
As who had heard God’s message from afar;
All you had hoped for, all you had, you gave,
To save mankind—yourselves you scorned to save.

Splendid you passed, the great surrender made;
Into the light that nevermore shall fade;
Deep your contentment in that blest abode,
Who wait the last clear trumpet call of God.

Long years ago, as earth lay dark and still,
Rose a loud cry upon a lonely hill,
While in the frailty of our human clay,
Christ, our Redeemer, passed the self same way.

Still stands His Cross from that dread hour to this,
Like some bright star above the dark abyss;
Still, through the veil, the Victor’s pitying eyes
Look down to bless our lesser Calvaries.

These were His servants, in His steps they trod,
Following through death the martyred Son of God:
Victor, He rose; victorious too shall rise
They who have drunk His cup of sacrifice.

O risen Lord, O Shepherd of our dead,
Whose cross has bought them and Whose staff has led,
In glorious hope their proud and sorrowing land
Commits her children to Thy gracious hand.

References

  1. ^ a b Songs of Praise Discussed, published 1933,1950, page 167
  2. ^ O Valiant Hearts [1]
  3. ^ Songs of Praise Discussed, published 1931,1950, page 167
  4. ^ Songs of Praise Enlarged Edition, with tunes, 1950, page 349

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • The Maple Leaf Forever — Music of Canada General topics Portal Genres …   Wikipedia

  • Remembrance Day — Infobox Holiday holiday name = Remembrance Day official name = Remembrance Day (Veterans Day For U.S.) caption = Poppy worn on lapel nickname = Poppy Day, Armistice Day observedby = Commonwealth of Nations date = November 11 observances = Parades …   Wikipedia

  • Franco-Belgian comics — Bande dessinée redirects here. For Bande dessinée québécoise, see Quebec comics. Franco Belgian comics Earliest publications 1800s 1920s Languages French Dutch Related articles …   Wikipedia

  • Land of Black Gold — Graphicnovelbox| englishtitle=Land of Black Gold foreigntitle=Tintin au pays de l or noir caption=Cover of the English edition publisher=Casterman date=1950 series= The Adventures of Tintin (Les aventures de Tintin) origlanguage=French… …   Wikipedia

  • Claude Congreve Dobson — Born 1 January 1885 Barton, Gloucestershire …   Wikipedia

  • Jo, Zette and Jocko — Publication information Publication date 1935 1958 Main character(s) Jo Zette Jocko Creative team Writer(s) …   Wikipedia

  • Knockagh Monument — The Knockagh Monument is a war memorial in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located on top of Knockagh Hill, above the village of Greenisland with a panoramic view of the city of Belfast.FeaturesThe site is 935ft (300m) above sea level… …   Wikipedia

  • Kinsham — infobox UK place country = England latitude= 52.2729 longitude= 2.9411 population= 71 [cite web | author= | title=Herefordshire County Council Bus|url=http://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/docs/2001 Parish Populations.pdf| accessdaymonth=01 February|… …   Wikipedia

  • Linda Chaikin — (born 1943) is a Christian fiction author with a focus on historical fiction. She sometimes publishes using the name L. L. Chaikin.Linda was the youngest of 10 children and her father died shortly after she was born. She wrote her first full… …   Wikipedia

  • St Leonards Church Sandridge — St Leonard s Church Sandridge= St Leonard s Church is the Parish church of Sandridge a small village in Hertfordshire in the UK.HistorySome sort of simple wooden church was probably made necessary in 796 when the Abbey of St Albans took… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”