| Description: | Today is the Feast of Christ the King. It celebrates the Kingship of Christ, and is the final Sunday in the Church Year, with Advent beginning next Sunday.
The hymn, "Crown Him with many crowns" is almost always sung to George J. Elvey's splendid tune, "Diademata", but there are some very fine alternatives, such as this one by Charles Hylton Stewart (1884-1934).
He was the son Charles Henry Hylton Stewart (a minor canon of Chester Cathedral and previously Organist and Master of the Choristers of Chichester Cathedral).
He was a chorister at Magdalen College, Oxford and organ scholar of Peterhouse, Cambridge.
He was music master at Sedbergh School from 1907 - 1908.
He held a number of prestigious posts as Organist:
St. Martin's Church, Scarborough 1908 - 1914
Blackburn Parish Church 1914 - 1916
Rochester Cathedral 1916 - 1930
Chester Cathedral 1930 - 1932
St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle 1932
The tune "Corona" is a splendid tune, and an excellent example of "modern" English hymn-writing. The melody is strong and compelling, and the harmonies compelling and invigorating.
The text is by Matthew Bridges. He was born at Malden, Essex, on July 14, 1800. He began his literary career with the publication of a poem, "Jerusalem Regained." As a result of the influence of John Henry Newman and the Oxford Movement, Bridges became a Roman Catholic in 1848, and spent the latter part of his life in Canada. He died in Quebec on October 6, 1894.
It's pretty obvious that this tune, fine as it is, isn't going to dethrone "Diademata" anytime soon, but it does show their are many "unknown" tunes worth hearing and doing.
The score is attached below, as well as a memorial to C. Hylton Stewart in Chester Cathedral, and a photo of the chapel at Peterhouse, Cambrige, where he was Organ Scholar.
The full text is given in the FIRST COMMENT.
There is one full verse for an Introduction. |
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