Two Preludes on British Hymns

- arr. John Ignatowski

Use: General
Required Resources: organ

Two of the most beloved British hymn tunes in the United States are Jerusalem (C.H.H. Parry) and Thaxted (Gustav Holst).

The first was sung with the text "O Love of God, How Strong and True" at the funeral of President Ronald Reagan at Washington National Cathedral in 2004. It is also sung as "O Day of Peace That Dimly Shines," "And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time" and "O World of God, So Vast and Strange," and was heard at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011 and in the film, Chariots of Fire.

John Ignatoski's setting begins as a trio, with the hymn tune in the left hand (tenor range). The texture expands to four voices for the second half of the tune, with two voices in the right hand, before closing as a trio on the accompaniment manual.

The tune Thaxted is even more familiar, owing to its orchestral origin in Holst's The Planets and use at the funeral of Princess Diana in 1997. Many texts use this tune:

1. I Vow to Thee, My Country
2. Let Streams of Living Justice
3. Mighty God, Come Build Your Mighty Church
4. O God beyond All Praising
5. O God of All Creation
6. O Merciful Redeemer
7. O Spirit All-Embracing

The setting here, too, has the hymn tune in the tenor voice, above which flows an accompaniment pattern in eighths and sixteenths, reminiscent of the work of Paul Manz.

The music is not overly difficult, and this volume makes a useful addition to the hymn prelude repertoire.