Dear Tune, That Text Just Isn't That Into You

There are some things that go great together:

chocolate and peanut butter

cotton candy and the circus

macaroni and cheese

ice cream and meatloaf. . .

Those don't go together!

Wait a second! Ice cream and meat loaf? Of course not.

As in this culinary example, sometimes the marriage of a text and tune is equally less than ideal.

Stirring Tune, Inspiring Text, but Together?
One of my favorite hymntunes is Mit Freuden zart.  The first time I heard it was with Johann Jacob Schütz’s text “Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above.”  Most Christians have sung this hymn at one time or another.  A pleasing tune to sing that is suitable to the range of most singers, it gives a sense of joy, even triumph.  It’s not hard to imagine it sung as a great procession with a grand organ, large choir, massive assembly, and Samuel Metzger’s bold arrangement - all coming together to make this hymn suitable for any of the church’s festive occasions. See what I mean in the following link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL0fIgaVZfY

Perhaps it’s the sense of joy that has often left me feeling ill at ease when I sing it with Walter Russell Bowie’s hymn text “Lord Christ, When First You Came to Earth.”  Since the text is copyrighted, I can’t fully reproduce it in this blog, but it talks about how Christ was treated on earth.  It tells how “they” bound and mocked Jesus, crowned him with thorns and put a robe on him, a “robe of sorrow.”

Caravaggio "The Crowning With Thorns" via Wikipedia

The text tells how Christ’s power will eventually triumph against the nations, then asks the question if we will treat Christ the same way he was treated in the first stanza, or if we will instead seek the kingdom of his peace.

As the hymn closes, we opt for peace as “we bring our hearts before your cross” and ask Jesus to “come, finish your salvation.”

For me the pairing of Mit Freuden zart (an ice cream hymntune) with Lord Christ, When First You Came (a meatloaf text) has never made for a hearty meal. That said, the text is a perfect one for Year B’s third Sunday in Lent.

So. . .I’m allowing these two to have a musical divorce.

A Better Pairing?
Generally, texts are not written to go with particular tunes anyway.  So, now I have to find a tune with the same meter (87, 87, 887) that is more sobering musically.

I’ve found that quality in Kirken den er et gammelt hus – more commonly sung with the text “Built on a Rock the Church Shall Stand.”

Can't wait to sing Mit Freuden zart!

If you want to stick with the food metaphor, imagine Lord Christ, When First You Came to Earth as meatloaf and Kirken as gravy.

If you really enjoy the tune Mit Freuden zart, don’t worry.  I promise it will show up during the Easter Season with a very suitable text – With High Delight Let Us Unite.

Is there a text and tune whose marriage seems less than desirable to you? Name them in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks to my friends Marcy and Lynne for their photos!