On 18-Dec-2009, snowy <snowy@weather.net> wrote:
> There was a recent post regarding a hymn (Non nobis Domine).
> While I know nothing about the English public schools and their
> customs, or
> about hymns, I can look at the different versions I have of Non nobis
> Domine.
> Two versions by Quilter, one by Haydn and two by Byrd, not including
> the
> version by the Toronto St Bart's choir posted by nene which is said to
> be
> by Byrd. I'm no musicologist or whatever but it is the only one with a
> solo
> part. Maybe it was composed by Byrd when he was at school...
> At first sight none of these versions seem to be a hymn.
> Strangely enough, none of the six versions are performed by English
> choirs:
> two are from Canada, two from the USA, one from Sweden and one from
> Germany
Thank you Snowy for this information. After I posted about the big
Speech Day singing at the English grammar school I attended and then
read your message about "Non nobis Domine" here, I have contacted
another ex-pupil from the same school and she tells me there may be more
to this story. She recognizes my recollection of the words of the hymn
we sung that day as being word perfect, *but* then she explains the
senior music mistress at the school at the time had maybe composed those
words herself! When I said I find this difficult to believe, apparently
this music tutor was not only famous in the local vicinity for her
renditions of all the Proms type of music performances, she also took
other stirring works and wrote words to fit which her pupils might then
sing. I do remember well Miss S******'s music classes where even the
most unmusical of us joined in with gusto. She had a way of
communicating her love of stirring music to all.
(BTW, we were in a English State school, not a Public school - though of
course to those who do not know the system, the schools open to all of
the public are the state schools, and the schools such as Eton open to
fee-paying and scholarship pupils are the "Public schools". Like a lot
of England it does not make a lot of sense! LOL! Please forgive me
English readers!)
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