The Scenic Route

 
Today in History:

1575--English queen Elizabeth I grants Thomas Tallis & William Byrd music press monopoly

(more on that, later)

It will come as no shock to hear my mind doesn't work the same way as people who are good with computers and math.

Oh, and also those with a 'Y' chromosome.

I've often wished it did, if for no other reason than to spare me the labor of keeping my eyes from glazing over while 'someone' animately points out how he plugged a light into an extension cord to decrease the load of something else...from...somewhere. ("You know, you remind me of 'Red Green,' except your stuff doesn't blow up as much.")

One of these days I'm going to read up on math again, particularly if I can find a book that explains concepts in a readable way, without 30 practice problems in-between each new concept.

And after that I'll tackle electronics, computer science and....oh, I don't know...maybe even quantum physics. But I'd like to master Chaos Theory, first.

In the meantime, I often succumb to my 'association' brain, which leads me amongst the most interesting rabbit trails.

Funny, how odd bits and pieces can spur our thoughts on a quest, discovering in the end that those seemingly unrelated morsels in fact, add up to a very full meal.

Now, what connections can be found in:

--the movies Master and Commander and Godzilla
--a Hoyt family reunion, and
--three composers ranging from 1505 to 1958 ?

You get a beautiful hymn rendition, which unfortunately no one has recorded for YouTube.

One of the activities alway enjoyed at our Hoyt reunions (which occur roughly every 2 years) is an informal hymn sing.

We sit around in someone's living room and pick favorites from the Trinity Hymnal. This puts the Iowa part of the clan at a distinct disadvantage since we're not familiar with this hymnal.

(and I will have to say here, that the Trinity Hymnal contains real hymns, as opposed to most modern day hymnals which are chock full of gospel songs and increasingly, the type of "praise and worship" items that are pretty much "me and You, God" instead of corporately oriented....but I digress)

Loren and I are good sports though, and we can be seen flipping forlornly through the unfamiliar material in a vain attempt to find ANYTHING recognizable before the rellies pick out another of their favorite dirges.

(Ha ha! Just kidding you guys :-)

We do know a few and there was one gem that made a particular impression this past June.

Simply entitled, General Hymns, it is the musical setting which infuses special grandeur into the words, "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say."

Sometime in the 1500's, Thomas Tallis wrote the music. He was a prominent English church musician who wrote for the likes of Henry VIII, Edward the VI, Queen Mary and Elizabeth I. Queen Liz made things more comfy by giving both Tallis and his contemporary, William Byrd, a 21 year monopoly to write and print music. Not to take away anything from the Tallis composing abilities, but hey, ye olde monopolye couldn't have hurt.

"Third Mode Melody" being the hymn tune, along came Scottish minister and hymn writer Horatius Bonar in the 1800's to write the words. Mr. Bonar set these words to different music and all was quiet until...

Ralph Vaughan Williams came on the scene, finding the Tallis hymn tune and using it as the basis for his Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis.

The Fantasia is for orchestra, but I'm assuming it was 'Rafe,' (you don't pronounce it 'Ralph') who also put Bonar's words with Tallis' music. I had to stop searching for irrefutable proof after a coupla hours....though I'm open to an official pronouncement from someone who knows.

The orchestral music is also used quite poignantly in Master and Commander, as well as two other movies which I have not seen. Ma votes for M & C as "Best Movie Utilizing a Ship and RVW Music."

But the most extraordinary revelation came this afternoon, when Melinda heard the selection and exclaimed, "Hey, that's from Godzilla!"

Yes, wonders never cease. The one saving grace in the King of Lame Cinematography.

Much as I would like to share this haunting melody wedded to a giant Japanese monster, I've picked out an orchestral rendition of Ralph Vaughn William's Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, Part 1. When the time stamp hits 1:08, the melodic theme starts and the words under the embed can be put to the music...




I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Come unto me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one,
Lay down thy head upon my breast."
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary, and worn, and sad;
I found in him a resting place,
And he has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down and drink and live."
I came to Jesus and I drank
Of that life giving stream;
My thirst was quench'd, my soul revived,
And now I live in him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"I am this dark world's light;
Look unto me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright."
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I'll walk
'Till trav'ling days are done.

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And to think...this all started 438 years ago in the Renaissance.
 

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