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Use: General, Transfiguration
Required Resources: SATB choir, Violin or other treble instrument, organ
Language: English
The Welsh hymn tune Rhosymedre was written by Anglican priest John David Edwards in 1840.
It is named after the village of Rhosymedre, in Wrexham, Wales, where Edwards served as vicar from 1843-1885.
Often sung with the hymn text, "Our Father, By Whose Name," it is here set to a refreshing new text by the composer.
The first verse reads:
Upon the mountain peak our cares can fall away.
Where earth and heaven meet we pause with you to pray.
And as God's Spirit shelters us,
We cry, "Tis good to be here, Lord,
Basking in your wondrous light!"
Two further verses continue this meditation on the Transfiguration.
The organ accompaniment is not difficult, and the violin part can easily be played by any treble instrument (flute, oboe, or clarinet-transposed).
After an introduction for violin and organ (using a flute solo stop over strings), Verse 1 is set for unison choir, breaking into four-part harmony for the second half of the verse.
Rhythmic motion is all quarter notes and half notes.
After an interlude involving a duet between the violin and a trumpet stop on the organ, Verse 2 is set with a new SATB harmonization.
A short interlude leads to Verse 3, with soprano descant over ATB voices in unison.
The congregation is invited to sing on Verses 1 and 3.
An interesting feature of the piece, written in the key of G Major, are the last seven measures, which end Verse 3 in e minor and continue in that key for choir alone, ending in E Major.
Perfect around the Feast of the Transfiguration (August 6), this also could be used on the Second Sunday of Lent each year, with its Gospel of the Transfiguration (and yes, there are no "Alleluias" in the text!).
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