Welcome! If you are a first-time visitor, click here to find out the story behind "Notes of Glory" (helping you to SING and worship musically wherever you are)!
Here's an alphabetical list of all "Notes of Glory" music with links so that you can revisit your favorite hymns/songs.
Complete "Notes of Glory" Song List
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This is our third and final week of gratitude-themed music, just in time for your Thanksgiving celebration!
PRELUDE
(to help you enter into a spirit of worship)
Chorale Prelude on "Nun Danket Alle Gott" (Now Thank We All Our God)
Music by Georg Friedrich Kauffmann, based on the chorale by Johann Crüger
Psalm 136:26
Give thanks to the God of heaven,for his steadfast love endures forever.
___________________________
Words by Martin Rinkart, Translation by Catherine Winkworth, "Nun Danket" hymn tune by Johann Crüger
Isaiah 12:4-6
And you will say in that day:
“Give thanks to the Lord,
call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples,
proclaim that his name is exalted.
“Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
let this be made known in all the earth.
Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”
During the Reformation era in church history, congregational singing in the vernacular was very important, and many new German chorales (hymns) were composed for this purpose. Another new type of composition during this period was the chorale prelude, a work written for organ that was based on a chorale melody. One possible purpose for these chorale preludes was to help the congregation get used to the melody of a new chorale before actually singing it, so that when it was introduced during the church service, worshippers would think to themselves, "I've heard that before" and would sing more confidently.
In that spirit, here is a prelude on Johann Crüger's chorale "Nun danket Alle Gott" ("Now Thank We All Our God") which was originally composed for organ but is played here on piano. This chorale prelude was composed by George Friedrich Kaufmann (1679-1735), a Germany Baroque-era composer and organist who wrote primarily sacred music and was a contemporary of Johann Sebastian Bach. Kauffmann, in fact, was the primary contender for the position of Kapellmeister (musical director) of Leipzig, Germany until Bach applied for the same position in 1723 and was given the job.
May this jubilant chorale prelude prepare your ears so that you are ready to sing along with "Now Thank We All Our God," our first Thanksgiving hymn for this week.
HYMNS FOR YOU TO SING ANYWHERE
(transposed to easily singable keys!)
Now Thank We All Our God
Words by Martin Rinkart, Translation by Catherine Winkworth, "Nun Danket" hymn tune by Johann Crüger
And you will say in that day:
“Give thanks to the Lord,
call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples,
proclaim that his name is exalted.
“Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
let this be made known in all the earth.
Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”
____________________
Now thank we all our God
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mothers' arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us,
to keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
of this world in the next.
All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son and Spirit blest,
who reign in highest heaven
the one eternal God,
whom heaven and earth adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
Words by Henry Alford, Music by George J. Elvey
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
Come, ye thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home;
all is safely gathered in,
ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide
for our wants to be supplied;
come to God's own temple, come,
raise the song of harvest home.
All the world is God's own field,
fruit as praise to God we yield;
wheat and tares together sown
are to joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.
For the Lord our God shall come,
and shall take the harvest home;
from the field shall in that day
all offenses purge away,
giving angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast;
but the fruitful ears to store
in the garner evermore.
Even so, Lord, quickly come,
bring thy final harvest home;
gather thou thy people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin,
there, forever purified,
in thy presence to abide;
come, with all thine angels, come,
raise the glorious harvest home.
Words: Traditional Netherlands folk hymn, translated by Theodore Baker. Music: Nederlandtsch Gedenckclanck, arr. Edward Kremser
1 Corinthians 15:57-58
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Giving thanks in a time of disease and political turmoil...sound familiar?
German Lutheran pastor Martin Rinkart (1586-1649) could be considered an expert on the subject. Ministering in the provincial town of Eilenberg, Saxony during the Thirty Years' War, Rinkart experienced his fair share of hard times, and then some, according to the One Year Book of Hymns.
Martin Rinkart was the only remaining pastor in the walled city of Eilenberg. Many refugees fled there, hoping the walls would protect them, only to see the city overrun by Swedes, Austrians, and Swedes again. In the crowded conditions, hunger and plague were chronic problems. In 1637, Rinkart conducted funerals for five thousand residents--including his wife. So when he prays, "Guide us when perplexed" (in the second stanza of "Now Thank We All Our God"), he is not talking about minor inconveniences.
It was during this overwhelmingly difficult period that Rinkart penned "Now Thank We All Our God," a hymn which not only reminds us to give thanks in the first stanza, but lists specific reasons why we should do so. The second stanza is a prayer, asking God to bless us with a sense of His presence and His peace every day. The final stanza is a version of the Gloria Patri, praising God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The melody for "Now Thank We All Our God" was written by Johann Crüger (1598-1662), a German composer with West Slavic heritage who included the hymn in the most widely used German hymnal of the 17th century, Praxis pietatis melica (Practice of Piety in Song). English scholar Catherine Winkworth translated "Now Thank We All Our God" into English, as she did for many other Reformation-era hymns.
You can read a transcript of a delightful discussion of this history of "Now Thank We All Our God" featuring Dr. Ligon Duncan, Dr. Derek Thomas, and Dr. Bill Wymond here. Here's a magnificent arrangement of this hymn by John Rutter featuring choir, orchestra, and organ.
 |
| Public domain. Courtesy of hymnary.org |
Now thank we all our God
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mothers' arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us,
to keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
of this world in the next.
All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son and Spirit blest,
who reign in highest heaven
the one eternal God,
whom heaven and earth adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
Come, Ye Thankful People, Come
Words by Henry Alford, Music by George J. Elvey
Psalm 95:1-3
Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
Matthew 13:24-30
He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds[a] among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’____________________
England has a long history of regional autumn festivals in which local residents celebrate a successful harvest together. Singing and praying was often a part of these events, and Anglican clergyman Henry Alford (1810-1871) who served a number of rural communities during his years of ministry, wrote "Come Ye Thankful People, Come" in 1844 as a reflection of this spirit of gratitude to God for another year of provision.
The first stanza refers to the literal harvest, the bringing in of crops, and of thankful people raising "the song of harvest home." (Harvest Home was one of the names given to autumn festivals in England). The second, third and fourth stanzas shift focus, emphasizing the idea of the harvest of souls, and anticipating the second coming of Christ. Alford borrows language from the parable of the tares (Matthew 13:24-30, and 36-43) and in the final stanza, the phrase "free from sorrow, free from sin" brings to mind Revelation 21:4, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."
The tune for "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come" titled "St. George's Windsor" was written in 1856 by George J Elvey (1816-1892), an English organist and composer. Elvey was appointed organist at St. George's Chapel, Windsor in 1835 (hence the title of the tune) and continued in that post until 1882. Elvey wrote many sacred musical works, and also is the composer of "Diademata," the majestic tune written for Matthew Bridges' hymn text "Crown Him with Many Crowns."
Here's a video showing a congregation (presumably in the UK), accompanied by organ, singing "Come. Ye Thankful People, Come" with great joy. And here's another upbeat version from the Abilene Christian University Alumni Chorus.
 |
| Public domain. Courtesy of PDhymns.com |
Come, ye thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home;
all is safely gathered in,
ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide
for our wants to be supplied;
come to God's own temple, come,
raise the song of harvest home.
All the world is God's own field,
fruit as praise to God we yield;
wheat and tares together sown
are to joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.
For the Lord our God shall come,
and shall take the harvest home;
from the field shall in that day
all offenses purge away,
giving angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast;
but the fruitful ears to store
in the garner evermore.
Even so, Lord, quickly come,
bring thy final harvest home;
gather thou thy people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin,
there, forever purified,
in thy presence to abide;
come, with all thine angels, come,
raise the glorious harvest home.
We Gather Together
Words: Traditional Netherlands folk hymn, translated by Theodore Baker. Music: Nederlandtsch Gedenckclanck, arr. Edward Kremser
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
____________________
"We Gather Together" is well known to many as a lovely hymn traditionally sung at Thanksgiving, particularly in the United States. However, it actually originated in the Netherlands during the late 16th century as a song celebrating a decisive military victory and a statement of religious freedom. Today it reminds us of God's protection and his victory over evil and death.
We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
He chastens and hastens his will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to his name; he forgets not his own.
Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, wast at our side; all glory be thine!
We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
And pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!
POSTLUDE
Words by Robert Robinson, Nettleton hymn tune, solo piano arrangement by Jan Sanborn
1 Samuel 7:12
Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the Lord has helped us.”
"We Gather Together" is well known to many as a lovely hymn traditionally sung at Thanksgiving, particularly in the United States. However, it actually originated in the Netherlands during the late 16th century as a song celebrating a decisive military victory and a statement of religious freedom. Today it reminds us of God's protection and his victory over evil and death.
The long and complex Eighty Years' War (or Dutch War of Independence, 1568-1648) was primarily fought between Dutch forces and Spanish occupiers under Philip II of Spain, In 1597, at the Battle of Turnhout, English and Dutch soldiers under the leadership of Prince Maurice of Orange defeated the Spanish military in a decisive victory. Dutch Protestants had been unable to "gather together" to worship freely under Spanish Catholic rule, so the theme of the hymn "We Gather Together" created soon after this battle had a special poignancy. Although the authorship of the text is uncertain, many scholars suggest it may have been written by Adrianus Valerious (c. 1575-1625), a poet who was known for his poems on the theme of Dutch Independence.
The hymn text, paired with a traditional Dutch folk tune originally known as "Ey, wilder den wilt" was first published in a 1626 collection by Valerius titled Nederlandtsch Gedenckclanck. In 1877, Viennese composer Eduard Kremser (1838-1914) arranged the song for men's chorus, and this arrangement helped bring the hymn, well-loved in the Netherlands for centuries by this time, to a wider audience. In 1894, American musicologist Theodore Baker (1851-1934) translated the hymn into English and titled it "Prayer for Thanksgiving," which led to its inclusion in many hymnals as a Thanksgiving song.
Here's a stunningly beautiful arrangement by contemporary composer Stephen Paulus of "We Gather Together," as recorded by the Dale Warland Singers. Also, here's a lovely rendition by the London Festival Orchestra and Chorus.
Also, you might enjoy reading this recent piece by writer Madelyn Canada which contemplates this hymn in the light of this challenging season in which our ability to gather together is limited. The author provides encouragement as we move forward with hope in Christ alone.
 |
| Public domain. Courtesy of hymnary.org |
We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
He chastens and hastens his will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to his name; he forgets not his own.
Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, wast at our side; all glory be thine!
We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
And pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!
POSTLUDE
(to send you forth with joy!)
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Words by Robert Robinson, Nettleton hymn tune, solo piano arrangement by Jan Sanborn
1 Samuel 7:12
Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the Lord has helped us.”
_____________________
Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount I'm fixed upon it
mount of God's redeeming love.
We sang "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing" during the weekend of June 14 (click on the link to read more about this hymn). Here it is again as we give thanks to God, the fount of every blessing...this time ""Come, Thou Fount" is presented as a piano solo (with a slightly Copland-esque feel) arranged by Jan Sanborn.
Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount I'm fixed upon it
mount of God's redeeming love.
Here I find my greatest treasure;
hither by thy help I've come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
bought me with his precious blood.
Oh, to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee:
prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart, O take and seal it;
seal it for thy courts above.
hither by thy help I've come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
bought me with his precious blood.
Oh, to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee:
prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart, O take and seal it;
seal it for thy courts above.
BONUS: Here is a playlist of all the music from today's post.
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