Advent 2024: Sun 15 Dec
John Rutter
John Rutter has wowed Carol Services with melodies both syrupy-sweet and offbeat/upbeat. He has a knack of composing memorable tunes in his choral works. From the whistling obbligato introduction to his rendition of the Sans Day Carol, through the syncopated Star Carol to the smooth Nativity Carol he can spin a tune.
However, I would dare to call the words that he writes to accompany the tunes (I’m sorry) theology lite. Rutter has described himself thus:
I am friend, fellow traveller, and agnostic supporter of the Christian faith; in my early days, people described themselves by default as Church of England if they didn't really have any religious affiliation… I sang in the chapel choir and was always interested in religious studies, but somehow being a non-joiner became a habit.
This raises a question: can a non-Christian be inspired to write Christian verse? Examine for yourself the text (don’t just sing it!) of his Nativity Carol:
Born in a stable so bare,
Born so long ago;
Born ’neath light of star
He who loved us so.
Chorus:
Far away, silent he lay,
Born today, your homage pay,
Christ is born for aye,
Born on Christmas Day.
Cradled by mother so fair,
Tender her lullaby;
Over her son so dear
Angel hosts fill the sky.
Wise men from distant far land,
Shepherds from starry hills
Worship this babe so rare,
Hearts with his warmth he fills.
Love in that stable was born
Into our hearts to flow;
Innocent dreaming babe,
Make me thy love to know.
I’m not convinced that it is quality Christian verse. When I first learnt it as a boy chorister it was a new carol with a pleasant melody, and that was good enough for me. However, our faith, our joy, our expectations and hopes do deserve to be expressed on our behalf by those whose words reveal and reflect deep truths of our faith and help to unfold its mysteries.
https://youtu.be/aVWcg0iRSns?si=QssmtAm1HxkKwPMs
Here’s a little diversion. There are only so many Nativity-related words that writers can use for rhyming at the ends of lines. So, can you bring carols to mind that use the following words, and what they use as rhymes for them?
Night, sing, sky, manger, birth, born, Emmanuel, child, bed, sadness. There’s nothing that seems to rhyme with angel – or is there?
Stretched rhymes – one, two, buckle my shoe:
Paul