playtime

Ok, I've done several hours of reading tonight already, and since my own classes haven't actually started, I declare it to be play time.

I've been looking for a recording of "Welcome, Happy Morning" - my very favorite Easter hymn and one of my overall favorites as well, since commenting on Tripp's blog about it. I can't seem to find one anywhere (if you know of one, please share!), so I'm indulging in one of my favorite daydreams: if I could commission recordings of hymns, what would they be? I've often bemoaned the fact that most fairly straightforward choral recordings of carols and hymns leave out verses; as I've begun to search for good cds of hymns, I've also discovered that many of my favorite hymns don't seem to be out there at all.

It occurred to me that there might somewhere be a church who could pull off some sort of fundraiser around this - calculate the cost of having the choir record, say, 25 songs, and start the bidding there to auction off the opportunity to pick which 25 hymns they'd record. You could limit it to the Hymnal 1982 or not, whatever you preferred, and you could reserve the right for the organist/choirmaster/musical director to set the order. They'd make money off the raffle itself and then off selling the cds once they were produced.

Anyway, if in my fantasy world I were to have such an opportunity, here's what I think I'd pick, from the Hymnal 1982:

1. All hail the power of Jesus' Name! (450)
2. Not here for high and holy things (9)
3. Alleluia, song of gladness (123)
4. Alleluia! sing to Jesus! (460)
5. Lord of all hopefulness (482)
6. The Church's one foundation (525)
7. Come down, O Love divine (516)
8. Crown him with many crowns (494)
9. For all the saints (287)
10. We know that Christ is raised and dies no more (296)
11. I come with joy to meet my Lord (304)
12. How firm a foundation (637)
13. Let all mortal flesh keep silence (324)
14. Christ is made the sure foundation (518)
15. The King of love my shepherd is (645)
16. God of grace and God of glory (594)
17. The God of Abraham praise (401)
18. Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve (546)
19. O worship the King (388)
20. Praise to the Lord (390)
21. Christ for the world we sing! (537)
22. When morning gilds the skies (427)
23. O praise ye the Lord! (432)
24. At the name of Jesus (435)
25. Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates (436)


Ok, I couldn't do it. Even that was tough. I had to make a separate list just for Easter (and could do likewise for Advent and Christmas songs, but those get recorded a lot anyway).

1. Welcome, happy morning! (179)
2. He is risen, he is risen! (180)
3. Christ is alive! Let Christians sing. (182)
4. Alleluia, alleluia! Hearts and voices heavenward raise (191)
5. That Easter day with joy was bright (193)
6. Come, ye faithful, raise the strain (199)
7. Now the green blade riseth (204)
8. The day of resurrection (210)
9. Awake, arise, lift up your voice (212)
10. Come away to the skies (213)
11. At the Lamb's high feast we sing (174)
12. Hail thee, festival day! (175)
13. Alleluia, alleluia! Give thanks to the risen Lord. (178)
14. Jesus Christ is risen today (207)
15. The strife is o'er, the battle done (208)
16. We walk by faith, and not by sight (209)
17. Hail the day that sees him rise (214)

Yeah. Should probably go to bed now.