Comments on: “Jerusalem”

By: Vader

Vader — Thu, 21 May 2009 21:59:08 +0000

Mack Wilberg’s arrangement of “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” is brilliant. It deserves to be much better known in the LDS community than it is.

By: Justmeherenow

Justmeherenow — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:49:29 +0000

Many Brits today no doubt relate ironically to “Jerusalem’s” religious meanings and imagery. As, I image, many Yanks relate but ironically to the religious meanings and imagery in the Battle Hymn of the Republic.

Here is a youtube moviemaker’s montage of American cinematic martial scenes matched to this States-side anthem-and-hymn, sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (of course!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFh0oy6vIt4

By: Hans Hansen in California

Hans Hansen in California — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:22:38 +0000

This Norwegian considers “Jerusalem” to be one of his favorite hymns. I played organ for a Seventh-day Adventist congregation back in the ’80s. They had it in their hymnal but with a different text: “O World of God”, text by R.B.Y. Scott, 3 verses; tune by C.H.H. Parry, arr. by Gordon P.S. Jacob. “Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal” (1985), #80.

By: Dan Ellsworth

Dan Ellsworth — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:34:58 +0000

I was introduced to Jerusalem by ELP; knowing that there are other ELP fans out there warms my geeky heart.

By: MikeInWeHo

MikeInWeHo — Tue, 19 May 2009 05:10:57 +0000

This hymn will forever be associated in my mind with the delightful British movie “Calendars Girls.” For anyone here who’s seen the film: Is that what RS is like? :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi8b57p1dE0

By: Bill

Bill — Tue, 19 May 2009 04:56:11 +0000

Thanks for the correction, woodboy. Now that I look more closely, I’m pretty sure I’ve played that version a few times too, but as you say, it is done pretty rarely.

By: Justmeherenow

Justmeherenow — Tue, 19 May 2009 04:51:48 +0000

WPædia ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_did_those_feet_in_ancient_time#Popularisation_of_the_hymn ):

“The poem, which was little known during the century which followed its writing, was included in a patriotic anthology of verse published in 1916, a time when morale had begun to decline due to the high number of casualties in the First World War and the perception that there was no end in sight.

“Under these circumstances, it seemed to many to define what England was fighting for. Therefore, Robert Bridges, the Poet Laureate asked Parry to put it to music at a Fight for Right campaign meeting in London’s Queen’s Hall. The aims of this organisation were ‘to brace the spirit of the nation that the people of Great Britain, knowing that they are fighting for the best interests of humanity, may refuse any temptation, however insidious, to conclude a premature peace, and may accept with cheerfulness all the sacrifices necessary to bring the war to a satisfactory conclusion’.[13] Bridges asked Parry to supply the verse with ‘suitable, simple music that an audience could take up and join in’.”[...]”

“Since Jerusalem is considered to be England’s most popular patriotic song, it has been used as an alternative national anthem, and there have even been calls to give it official status[15]. This is because England has no official anthem and so uses the British National Anthem”[...]”. Critics of the song have said that its reference to a foreign city, its non-secular basis make it unsuitable.”

By: woodboy

woodboy — Tue, 19 May 2009 04:22:13 +0000

The Jerusalem tune is in the Hymnal 1982, but with different words. I believe it’s “O day of peace that dimly shines,” at least that’s what it’s paired with in most American hymnals. The Blake text and the Parry tune go together so well, it’s almost sacrilege to sing it with different words though. It’s a shame we don’t get to sing it more often…

By: Jim F.

Jim F. — Tue, 19 May 2009 04:19:37 +0000

I’m anything but an Anglophile, though I do like those Angles and Saxons, but this is also, mysteriously, one of my favorite hymns.

By: Jones

Jones — Tue, 19 May 2009 03:58:03 +0000

Count me as another big fan of both the melody and text of this gorgeous hymn. I was reminded that I had first heard it in Chariots of Fire when I saw the movie Calendar Girls. I know some of you may not have seen that movie since it involved some unclothed skin. I just recently searched with Google’s help to find the hymn — I wasn’t even sure of the name of it. But I did find it and have been carrying the printed text around with me in my daily planner. Thank you for providing even more depth of understanding and enjoyment of the hymn with this thread.