My little Gnudren,
The appearance of GNU 008 Psalms from Christ Church Clifton Volume VIII on this website reminds Old Gnu of more past sins. When Old Gnu wrote this album, he was obsessed with the idea of setting as much of the psalms to music as possible. (He attempted 86 in all). He decided that omitting bits about cursing our enemies or bashing their children’s brains out was a good idea. But he also decided against picking nice individual oojie poojie comforting verses and making them into warship song. By that time (the 1990s) many church congregations were into exalting the Almighty big time. So Gnu set to work with his Hebrew Bible and many English translations alongside to try and distil the spirit of each psalm, and to set a substantial portion of each, if not the whole text (where possible). And here is the sin. Becoming a bit more confident about job security – after all he hadn’t slapped anyone round the face or sworn at or assaulted anyone in public or disgraced himself for 14 years in a row – he quite frankly didn’t care what people thought of his efforts. (This is the sin of arrogance and pride.) The important thing was to take up the mantle of Mr. Nahum Tate (1652-1715) – Nahum is not to be confused with the Scottish word for a dead bee (Nay-hum) – and Mr. Nicholas Brady.
Nahum Tate
They, in the 17th Century, endeavoured to put the words of the psalms in a singable form while capturing the essence of their content. Taking up this mantle balanced the lots of lovely warship songs that old Gnu spent hours arranging. (Many were here today and gone tomorrow.) How he loved them. Besides, these efforts expended on the Psalms could be used for a recording day.
The aim of making our ‘grotty little albums’ (as one encouraging person called them – well, we’re all entitled to our opinions) of Psalms and the like was primarily to give the singers and some of the instrumentalists an annual focus to work hard on a project together. This Old Gnu believed, rightly or wrongly, created bonhomie and helped maintain the momentum of providing music regularly Sunday after Sunday across 3 services. The highlight of these recording days was undoubtedly the food and catering which was provided by miraculous Louise Adams – God bless her. The congregation too, were kind and always bailed us out, i.e. they kindly purchased our efforts and gave them to some unsuspecting relatives at Christmas. One kind person for example sent me a cheque with a note saying that he hoped this would cover our expenses for a recording, and all my other personal needs for the rest of my life. He told me not to cash it until Monday because he was expecting a postal order. Alas I put it aside and forgot to cash it.
But thank you Mr. Timothy Thornborough, wherever you are.
It’s the thought that counts.
The emergence of Anglican Chant from the Reformation onwards eventually kicked congregational psalm singing into the long grass for many churches. It is a marvellous form for a trained choir to perform, while the congregation meditate on the words. But it is impossible for a congregation to sing without being discouraged. In these days when corporate worship for many has to be a participation sport, it’s a no no. But at the time, and for a century or more afterwards, Nahum Tate and Nicholas Brady provided a treasury of metrical Psalms that enriched church services. We still sing his version of Psalm 34 today: Through all the changing scenes of life. (He also wrote While shepherds watched, and Jesus Christ is risen today).
Despite his great service to psalmody Mr. Tate is looked on with less respect these days. His ‘improvement’ of Shakespeare plays – giving King Lear a happy ending and the like – make us look down on him. He provided the libretto to what some consider to be the first English Opera, Dido and Aeneas by the great Henry Purcell – an absolute masterpiece. He became poet Laureate despite the fact that he was born in Ireland. His father was a puritan minister by the name of Faithful Teate. Nahum however preferred to be known as a Tate and not a Teate, so he changed his surname. Understandable; Tate does sound as if it has more gravitas. Despite his rising to great heights he does not seem to have lived up to his father’s name. The indications are that he was not Faithful or prudent in financial matters. He seems to have been slightly lacking in adherence to the protestant work ethic especially when it came to fiscal matters. He died in poverty, or at least in great debt, seeking refuge from his creditors. In the unlikely possibility of Sir Henry Tate of Tate & Lyle being his descendant, Sir Henry, who also was the son of a clergyperson, would have been heartily ashamed of him. He could have taught him a thing or two about managing finances.
But what can be said in Nahum’s favour is that Tate & Lyle were distinctly lacking in the Psalm writing department – in this respect Tate & Brady score highly. Whose legacy is the greatest Gnu asks himself? But Tate & Brady were distinctly lacking the department of providing the British people with a National Art Gallery.
In conclusion two things need to be said.
- Firstly Nahum really should have paid into a Church of England Pension scheme.
- Secondly isn’t it time that we honoured Sir Henry Tate with a blue plaque on his most significant contribution to the nations cultural life?…. comme ça:
Vetus Pater Gnu
Academiae Musicorum et Theologia
Turris, [LA]
V Martius MMXVIII
P.S. The scores for the GNU008 Psalms will probably appear… before you can say Mahershalalhashbaz.