Comments on: A Temple Hymn

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 03:15:36 +0000

Ha! I’m sure Bro. Manwaring appreciates that his legacy is appreciated!

By: Steve C

Steve C — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 02:22:26 +0000

RE: #15: We sang “Sing We Now At Parting” as our closing hymn today. Quick and it got us out of sacrament meeting. I think all closing hymns should be about two short verses.

By: Hunter

Hunter — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 05:55:34 +0000

Re: No. 28. Your transcription was so well done, I was compelled to sing it aloud! Vehr nahss, Ardis.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 17:04:05 +0000

Pffffft! You’re the one with high school choral training, at least, Ray. I’m the one who can’t figure out how pianists can read two lines of printed music at the same time!

By: Ray

Ray — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:47:12 +0000

It might take me a little time, Ardis. I misplaced my Urim & Thummim the other day.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 15:50:54 +0000

Eric, experiment a little with holding onto some of the vowels over two notes (usually two different notes, gliding up or down as needed) — it fits quite nicely. For “If you could hie,” it’s:

I-i want to see the tem-ple
Wi-ith tow-ers ri-i-sing high
I-its spires ma-jes-tic point-ing
U-un-to the cle-ear blue sky.
A-a house where Sa-aints may ga-ther,
A-and rich-est ble-es-sings gain,
Whe-ere Je-sus, ou-our Re-e-dee-mer,
A-a dwel-ling ma-ay ob-tain.

That’s according to the soprano line. Each of the four parts is a little different — where the soprano line has a quarter note in some places, other parts split into eighth notes, which means that in your part you might need to glide other syllables up/down over two notes in order to fit.

(See how limited my technical knowledge of music is? If someone can explain it more clearly, please do.)

By: Eric Boysen

Eric Boysen — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:58:48 +0000

I can’t seem to get the words to fit to “I Love to See the Temple” or “If you could hie to Kolob” Ihave to add extra words to make it come out right.

By: Bill

Bill — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 05:53:45 +0000

Yes, I’m guessing that this 19th-century source printed only half of the hymn.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 03:44:45 +0000

Bill (#21) — This piece of printed music was all that was published in the source (a 19th century stories-of-the-hymns book).

So if I understand your last paragraph, combined with some of the other comments (Hunter’s #10 and Maurine’s #18) about resolution, we could sing “A Temple Hymn” to the entire tune of “Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise.” The words would fit the music, and we’d have a more satisfactory experience because there wouldn’t be the uncomfortable feeling of starting in the middle of something?

I guess I’ll know when I try singing it; I’m just trying to be sure I understand.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 03:30:11 +0000

I’ve heard it, Ray. You sure it wasn’t in “Especially for Mormons”? (ugh)