# George Frederick Handel: Identification of a piece used as a hymn



## Aleksej Karamazov

Hello everyone.

I stumbled upon a very beautiful hymn from an old Swedish books of hymns. The melody is a wonderful piece written by George Frederick Handel. Unfortunately, it is not stated what the original piece by Handel is called, and I would really like to identify it.

Does anyone have any idea based on the notes below (referring to psalm 107) what the original piece is called?

https://hymnary.org/hymn/NPSA1903/107

Any help would be highly appreciated!

Kind regards


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## Josquin13

Handel’s hymns are all set to works by B.H. Brockes (“Irdisches Vergnügen in Gott”) and words by Charles Wesley. There is no setting to David’s Psalm 107.

He also wrote Latin church music, and many of these are based on Psalms. However, as far as I can tell he didn’t compose any Psalm setting to 107 (only 109, 110, 112, 113, 126, 127).

Handel also wrote Anthems in which he set Psalms to music. But here again there is no setting to Psalm 107—the closest is an anthem set to 106, which he composed for the Wedding of Prince Frederick of Wales, and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Coburg, and later revised for the wedding of Princess Mary. Could the old Swedish prayer book have mistakenly attributed a hymn set to Psalm 106 (or 109) to 107?

If not, it would appear that either someone else has transposed music by Handel to Psalm 107 (which could be almost anything in Handel's opus, including instrumental works); or, perhaps this music has some connection to the now lost seven German church cantatas that Handel composed in Halle, around 1700-03? (a remote possibility, I know--but how old is the Swedish prayer book?)


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## Aleksej Karamazov

Thank you very much for your extensive answer. However, I am afraid that the number 107 is simply the number attributed to the hymn in this particular book of hymns and does not relate to the psalm book of the old testament. The text actually refers to Pentecost. The book itself was published in 1903.

I suspect it might be hard to identitfy the piece based on this information alone. I do however truly appreciate your effort!


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## Josquin13

Sorry, I misunderstood. I don't understand Swedish? and the note on the page you provided read "Psalmisten" & "107", plus, you mentioned the note as "referring to Psalm 107", so I assumed--incorrectly--that it was a setting of 107. Oh well... However, the good news is that it may actually narrow down your possibilities quite a bit (by not being a setting to a Psalm), as Handel only composed 12 hymns--9 in German, to words by Barthold Heinrich Brockes, and 3 in English to words by Charles Wesley (as I mentioned above). So, it's most likely a translation of the one of those 9 German or 3 English hymns that is in your Swedish prayer book. As you may already know, the "9 German Hymns" are better known as Handel's "Nine German Arias" for soprano, and they've received many recordings over the years (I prefer sopranos Arleen Auger and Monika Mauch in this music myself), although I don't recall ever having heard Handel's 3 hymns to words by Charles Wesley. Of course, if the words in your book don't match up to Brockes' German, then the hymn is most likely a translation of one of Wesley's three English hymns. Here's a list of the 12 hymns from Wikipedia (which you might use as reference, as the page also lists all of Handel's settings to Anthems, Psalms, etc., too):

12 Hymns by G.F. Handel:

HMV 202
"Künft'ger Zeiten eitler Kummer"
Soprano
London, c. 1724-26
by B.H. Brockes from "Irdisches Vergnügen in Gott." [translated, "Contentment on Earth through God"]

HMV 203
"Das zitternde Glänzen der spielenden Wellen"
Soprano
London, c. 1724-26
by B.H. Brockes from "Irdisches Vergnügen in Gott."

HMV 204
"Süsser Blumen Ambraflocken"
Soprano
London, c. 1724-26
by B.H. Brockes from "Irdisches Vergnügen in Gott."

HMV 205
"Süsse Stille, sanfte Quelle ruhiger Gelassenheit"
Soprano
London, c. 1724-26
by B.H. Brockes from "Irdisches Vergnügen in Gott."

HMV 206
"Singe, Seele, Gott zum Preise"
Soprano
London, c. 1724-26
by B.H. Brockes from "Irdisches Vergnügen in Gott."

HMV 207
"Meine Seele hört im Sehen"
Soprano
London, c. 1724-26
by B.H. Brockes from "Irdisches Vergnügen in Gott."

HMV 208
Die ihr aus dunkeln Grüften
Soprano
London, c. 1724-26
by B.H. Brockes from "Irdisches Vergnügen in Gott."

HMV 209
"In den angenehmen Büschen"
Soprano
London, c. 1724-26
by B.H. Brockes from "Irdisches Vergnügen in Gott."

HMV 210
"Flammende Rose, Zierde der Erden"
Soprano
London, c. 1724-26
by B.H. Brockes from "Irdisches Vergnügen in Gott."

HMV 284
"Sinners obey the Gospel word (The Invitation)"
Soprano
c. 1747
Probably at the request of Priscilla Rich.
by Charles Wesley.

HMV 285
"O Love divine, how sweet thou art (Desiring to Love)"
Soprano
c. 1747
Probably at the request of Priscilla Rich.
by Charles Wesley.

HMV 286
"Rejoice, the Lord is King (On the Resurrection)"
Soprano
c. 1747
Probably at the request of Priscilla Rich.
by Charles Wesley.

If that doesn't give you an answer, then I suspect you have a long search ahead of you! But I hope that solves it.


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## Larkenfield

Here's the Handel processional hymn you're looking for, called "Awake, My Soul!"... I found it by hearing the melody on the sheet music and then comparing it with performances of his known hymns. Enjoy.


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## Josquin13

Thanks Lark!--though I wouldn't say that I exactly "enjoyed" that congregation's (terrible) singing... :-0. Okay, so it is an adaptation, and not an original hymn by Handel (one of his 12), which I suspected. The music that was applied to Doddridge's words (in 1755) is from Handel's opera, "Ciroe" or today, often "Siroe": here is soprano Julianne Baird singing it:






and Patrizia Ciofi:






https://www.amazon.com/Handel-Siroe...8&qid=1517253501&sr=1-1&keywords=handel+siroe

The following book excerpt from "The Story of the hymns and tunes" by Hezekiah Butterworth and Theron Brown on the hymn, explains:

"Awake my soul, stretch every nerve!

This most popular of Dr. Doddridge's hymns is also the richest one of all in lyrical and spiritual life. It is a stadium song that sounds the starting notes for every young Christian at the outset of his career, and the slogan for every faint Christian on the way.

A heavenly race demands thy zeal, 
And an immortal crown.

Like the 'Coronation' hymn, it transports the devout singer till he feels only the momentum of the words and forgets whether it is common or hallelujah metre that carries him along.

A cloud of witnesses around
Hold thee in full survey;
Forget the steps already trod,
And onward urge thy way!

'Tis God's all-animating voice
That calls thee from on high,
'Tis His own hand presents the prize
To thine aspiring eye.

In all persuasive hymnology there is no more kindling lyric that this. As a field-hymn it is indispensable.

The Tune.

Whenever and by whomsoever the brave processional known as "Christmas" was picked among the great Handel's Songs and mated with Doddridge's lines, the act gave both hymn and tune new reason to endure, and all posterity rejoices in the blend. Old "Christmas" was originally one of the melodies in the great Composer's Opera of "Ciroe" (Cyrus) 1738. It was written to Latin words (Non vi piacque), and afterwards adapted to an English versification of Job 29:15, "I was eyes to the blind."

Handel, himself became blind at the age of sixty eight (1753)."

However, I don't know what later adaptation the author is referring to? Did Handel set this same music to Job 29:15 "I was eyes to the blind", after he become blind due to a botched eye surgery?


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## Larkenfield

Yes, the singing could have been better, but that wasn’t my concern. It was hard enough finding even an adaption. Some of these searches can be time-consuming with few thanks.


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## beginner2

Hello
Can someone please help me with this music piece, it might be Handel but I am not sure











http://imgur.com/65E4B


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## Larkenfield

beginner2 said:


> Hello
> Can someone please help me with this music piece, it might be Handel but I am not sure
> 
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> http://imgur.com/65E4B


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## Aleksej Karamazov

Thank you so much, both of you! That is exactly what I was looking for. I had no idea it was an adaptation from Ciroe. Thanks also for all the additional information. This really made my day.


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## Larkenfield

Aleksej Karamazov said:


> Thank you so much, both of you! That is exactly what I was looking for. I had no idea it was an adaptation from Ciroe. Thanks also for all the additional information. This really made my day.


When it's an adaption, it's a little harder to find because it could be from anywhere, and unless one is familiar with Handel's entire output, it's like hunting for a needle in a haystack. In this case, the search was made easier when the sheet music was provided and a community effort. Good luck with it.


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## Josquin13

It was my pleasure. Aleksej. Yes, two heads are better than one. We made a good tag team, Lark.

(But now it's got me wondering whether Handel set this music to Job 29:15, after he went blind (in his final years)? If anyone wishes to pursue the thread further, let me know if you find an answer to that question...)


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