Sound the trumpet!

As they used to say on Monty Python: "And now for something completely different!"

This is the 11th entry in the Advent-Hymn-of-the-Day Project. This is a hymn that I used to look at and say, "Well, I will NEVER do that thing!" However, as I knew I'd be running short of hymns, I figured that I'd play around with it, and almost immediately decided what I would do with it.

The composer, Robert J. Powell (b. 1932) is quite well-known as a composer of organ and church music. His setting of the texts for Holy Eucharist Rite II (modern language) was, and probably still is the most common setting sung in many Episcopal churches.

This hymn always looked "silly" to me, and I think if I just played it straight, it would leave me flat. Based on the title and text you can imagine that is going to have "fanfares" in it, but you really can't imagine just how that will sound until you listen. The idea of improvising a "bridge" between the next to the last refrain and the last verse just came to me while I was playing, and what you hear is what just came out.

The name of the tune is: "Herald, sound" and it's found in the Hymnal 1982. The interesting words were written by Philip Doddridge (1702-1751).

So, climb on board and let's cross that "Untitled Bridge" in our ongoing Advent journey!

Herald, sound the note of judgment,
Warning us of right and wrong.
Turning us from sin and sadness
Till once more we sing the song.
Sound the trumpet! Tell the message!
Christ the, Savior King, has come!

Herald, sound the note of gladness;
Tell the news that Christ is here;
Make a pathway through the desert
For the one who brings God near.
Sound the trumpet! etc.

Herald. sound the note of pardon-
Those repenting are forgiven;
God receives his wayward children,
And to them new life is given.
Sound the trumpet! etc.

Herald, sound the note of triumph;
Christ has come to share our life.
Bringing God's own love and power,
Granting victory in our strife.
Sound the trumpet! etc.