Aberystwyth (hymn tune)

"Aberystwyth" is a hymn tune composed by Joseph Parry, written in 1876 and first published in 1879 in Edward Stephen's Ail Lyfr Tonau ac Emynau (Welsh for Second Book of Tunes and Hymns).^[1]^[2] Parry was at the time the first professor and head of the new department of music at the recently founded University College Wales, Aberystwyth, now called Aberystwyth University.

History[edit]

The tune "Aberystwyth" has been the most popular setting for Charles Wesley's hymn "Jesus, Lover of My Soul".^[3]

Legacy[edit]

Some claim the melody of South Africa's former anthem, Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika, is derived from this hymn,^[4] while others have called the connection far fetched. ^[5]

Music[edit]

$\relative d' {\set Staff.midiInstrument = #"church organ" \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 4 = 75 \key d \minor \time 4/4 d4 d8 e f g a4 f e d2 f4 e d cis d8 e f4 e2 d4 d8 e f g a4 f e d2 e4 f8 g a4 g f e d2 d4 c d e f a8 g f2 f4 e f g a c8 b a2 d4 d c a f g a2 d,4 d8 e f g a4 f e d2 \bar "|." }$

Gallery[edit]

Plaque to commemorate the 1st performance of the hymn tune "Aberystwyth" on Aberystwyth town's former English Congregational church, now a medical surgery
Church Surgery, Aberystwyth, formerly the English Congregationalist Church

References[edit]

^ The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music
^ Let the People Sing: Hymn Tunes in Perspective, Paul Westermeyer, page 217
^ Hymnary.org
^ "An Anthem To Ignorance – The Case of 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika'". The Anton Mostert Chair of Intellectual Property [Stellenbosch University]. 18 June 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^ "How many national athems are plagiarised?". BBC News. 25 August 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2020.

[1] The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music

[2] Let the People Sing: Hymn Tunes in Perspective, Paul Westermeyer, page 217

[3] Hymnary.org

[4] "An Anthem To Ignorance – The Case of 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika'". The Anton Mostert Chair of Intellectual Property [Stellenbosch University]. 18 June 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

[BBC-5] "How many national athems are plagiarised?". BBC News. 25 August 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2020.

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