Harris - "The Holy Eucharist"

[DHM]

Please forgive the slightly off-topic post, as the piece in question is unaccompanied, and therefore not strictly organ-related.

 

I'm trying to get my head round the (to me, at least) weird text of this piece which we sang today ("Him holy, in him abide...").

I must confess that "Him holy" reminds me of "Me Tarzan, you Jane", or the sort of speech attributed to Red Indians (sorry - Native Americans) in our childhood comic strips.

 

Does anyone have a translation (into compehensible English) of this text?

[Malcolm Kemp]

According to Paul Trepte's notes for the Priory recording "The Holy Eucharist" which he made with the St Edmundsbury choir some years ago now the words are by Douglas J L Bean and, perhaps predictably, Harris wrote it for the Windsor choir. Sorry I can't help further.

[Barry Oakley]

Please forgive the slightly off-topic post, as the piece in question is unaccompanied, and therefore not strictly organ-related.

 

I'm trying to get my head round the (to me, at least) weird text of this piece which we sang today ("Him holy, in him abide...").

I must confess that "Him holy" reminds me of "Me Tarzan, you Jane", or the sort of speech attributed to Red Indians (sorry - Native Americans) in our childhood comic strips.

 

Does anyone have a translation (into compehensible English) of this text?

 

Sounds typical of modern stuff written for CofE liturgy. Seeing that it's apparently written by Mr Bean then perhaps you're not supposed to get your head round it. It's almost akin to text-speak.

[Martin Cooke]

Sounds typical of modern stuff written for CofE liturgy. Seeing that it's apparently written by Mr Bean then perhaps you're not supposed to get your head round it. It's almost akin to text-speak.

 

This is Douglas Jeyes Lendrum Bean. He was a Minor Canon of St Paul's Cathedral when I was a chorister there - probably around 1967-72/73 and I believe he had been a Minor Canon at St George's, Windsor Castle, at some point prior to his appointment at St Paul's - hence the connection with Wm Harris. Not sure if he is still alive - he would be well over 80 if he were.

Martin.

[Martin Cooke]

Please forgive the slightly off-topic post, as the piece in question is unaccompanied, and therefore not strictly organ-related.

 

I'm trying to get my head round the (to me, at least) weird text of this piece which we sang today ("Him holy, in him abide...").

I must confess that "Him holy" reminds me of "Me Tarzan, you Jane", or the sort of speech attributed to Red Indians (sorry - Native Americans) in our childhood comic strips.

 

Does anyone have a translation (into compehensible English) of this text?

 

Sorry - not a reply but aren't there some words that go, "Him the holy, Him the strong." What do they come from, then?

[Malcolm Kemp]

The words "Him the holy, Him the strong" are from "Firmly I believe and truly" (Newman - Gerontius).

 

Malcolm

[DHM]

According to Paul Trepte's notes… the words are by Douglas J L Bean and, perhaps predictably, Harris wrote it for the Windsor choir.

Thank you, Malcolm. That much, at least, I knew.

 

…aren't there some words that go, "Him the holy, Him the strong."

Thank you, Martin. Yes, there are indeed. But at least they make sense. They are obviously the object of "And I love…"