Loved it/hated it!

[organist]

On another thread it was commented that our personal preferences shouldn't come into it but of course they do!
My pet hates; If I were a butterfly; Kumbaya; O love that wilt not let me go; Colours of day; verse 2 of Hail Queen of heaven, Silent night
Reasons - the naff texts, ghastly tune, slushy harmonies, often badly and inaccurately sung (some of these do have redeeming features)

[docmattc]

Go the Mass is ended has to be on the hate list!
God's Spirit is in my heart and walk in the light are up there too.

Big fan of David Haas "Jesus be with us now" and John Heneghan's Banquet Gloria (sadly unpublished),

[organist]

I used to dislike "Peace perfect peace" until I played it a big school funeral and it came into its own!!
I love "Gather us in" and Alstott's "O holy Mary" - haven't introduced that in the C of E yet although we did sing "For Mary mother of the Lord" to that gorgeous tune by Gordon Slater "St Botolph". One Mass setting to avoid is Appleford - in fact most of his music doesn't stand the test of time. Trying to be trendy and in fact years out of date even when it ws written! "The old rugged cross" makes me want to puke. "Bring forth the kingdom" makes me smile which is a good thing! Rachmaninov Vespers now you're talking!

[Merseysider]

"The old rugged cross" makes me want to puke.

Same here – until, one August evening, sometime in the 1990s, I sat on the shingle, under the bandstand and listened to the brass accompanying the (presumably, mostly) unchurched singing along as the sun set on the horizon – and I wept.

Rachmaninov Vespers now you're talking!

Heaven on a plate, with a bag to put it in and a slow languorous orgasm to boot!

[Merseysider]

Now I really did expect my orgasm to be bleeped!

[oopsorganist]

Mersysider
Aww, you were just having a Bernini Moment!

[gwyn]

LUVVITT
Credo III.

All hail the power (sung preferably to Diadem)

Star Carol (Rutter) Just a pure delight.

Gloria (Vivaldi) We use it often at Easter and Christmas.

At the name of Jesus (Caroline M. Noel). Leaving aside which tune and Mr. Walker's distrust of it, it is one of the few hymns that is drenched in scriptural wisdom. It serves as a walk-u-through from Our Lord's eternal Being from creation to His return at the end of time. It even names a choir of angels or two, few other hymns do this, least of all catholic ones, though I'm up for correction on this point .

Tydi a wnaeth y wyrth, O Grist, Fab Duw (sung of course to Pantyfedwen) It's all but impossible to fully translate the sentiment of one language into another, this one http://www.musicanet.org/robokopp/welsh/tydiawna.htm isn't at all bad.

HATE IT
Any hymn or song where only one word changes verse by verse.

The Israeli Mass (and its clones)

Responsorial psalms where the response melody is so complicated that the psalm would require at least fifteen verses before the punter-in-the-pew gets the drop on it.

The Lord's my Shepherd (but only when sung to Crimmond).

The Old Rugged Cross (one whiff of that at my funeral and I'm outta there!) It's numbered among about a dozen or so that are suggested, I suspect by funeral directors, when families ask them what hymns would be nice at a funeral.

Included here too are: that awful "Footprints", the other emetic poem "Do not stand at my grave . . .", and let's not forget that "Speak of me in that old familiar way. . ." jobbie.

Just a small sample there, it's by no means an exhaustive list.

[organist]

Gwyn I'm intrigued How do you fit Vivaldi Gloria into Mass? Do you do highlights?
I too will revolve in the coffin if Crimond, How great thou art or The old rugged cross are played at my passing. I want Faure or Durufle Requiem with lots of incense and "Jesus lives!" and "O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness" ("mornings of joy give for evenings of tearfulness"). It's just right!
Must have Bach Dorian Toccata and Fugue and Piece in G and please can people be encouraged to listen to the organ? The angel's farewell from "Dream of Gerontius" - I love it. John Donne's wonderful prayer "Bring us O Lord God".
And I too don't want those drippy poems. And everyone is to have a good spread in the hall! Well that's the funeral planned at last!

[gwyn]

Organist:

Gwyn I'm intrigued How do you fit Vivaldi Gloria into Mass? Do you do highlights?

Yes. We do the first part.

Angel's farewell - wonderful.

I have to agree too with your choice of "O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness". I've never understood why this is slotted specifically under the Epiphany section of so many hymn books. I'm open to suggestion/explanation on that one. Yes, I know that Gold and Incense get a walk-on part but so what? We use it as a gathering / Offertory song three or four times a year. Maybe yer author chappy intended it as an Epiphany song? I wonder.

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Reality is an illusion caused by a lack of alcohol
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[Merseysider]

Well at my going I'd like:

The night before to be taken to Our Lady Immaculate, Liverpool, for Evening Prayer. It's convenient as there's a bar in the same building so everyone can have a drink. Some music from list below but if they can manage the first and last two movements of Handel's Dixit Dominus I'd be chuffed.

Next morning, take me under the river Mersey (preferably through the old tunnel) to my home parish on Wirral – if anyone there still remembers me!

Gathering: Oh love that will not let me go or Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine
Kyrie: Mozart's Requiem (better start practising!)
OT reading: Souls of the righteous are in the hands of God (because I'm sure this is not applicable)
Gospel Greeting: I'd quite like my own Alleluia Veni Emmanuel because it's impossible to sing it without moving the hips!
Gospel reading: The Beatitudes (because that's where my socialism comes from)
Offertory: Unless a grain of wheat by Farrell or Lord of the Harvest by Tamblyn
Holy: Eucharistic Acclamations - Farrell (but with large brass chords at the beginning and a descant on the hosannas) or Martin Barry's delicious Spring Acclamations (but please, four part harmony)
Fractio: Unite us in your love – Ernest Sands
Communion: Ave Verum – Elgar.
After Communion: Dwelling Place by me (well if I can't inflict it on people then, when can I?)
Censing the coffin: May the Choirs of Angels unless I'm fed up with it by then (depends how long I've got, I suppose) in which case the Russon Kontakion for the Dead
Exit stage centre: Siyahamba
If possible, spread between the two services, I'd like you to include: Soul of my Saviour, Sweet Sacrament Divine (sung badly by old ladies in large hats), Abide with me, Hills of the North rejoice.

At the crematorium I want one of three things.
• Complete absence of music
• Songs from the shows including: Cabaret (from Cabaret), I am what I am (from La Cage aux Folles), The Last Supper (from Superstar) and Memory (from Cats).
• Failing that, could I have the Dies Irae from Cherbini's Requiem – if it's not too much trouble.

Please ask the lovely Keith Orrell to direct the music as I know I can trust him.

Life insurance is organised so please use it to party for a few days. Then, do come back for the ash scattering. This all depends if my friend Nick, a pilot, is still available. Ashes to be mixed with pink and green glitter and spread (via the plane) from New Brighton promenade across the Irish Sea ending on the Great Orme in Llandudno. If any of you would like to be waiting on the Orme to see me arrive I'd be delighted. Please have a picnic ready and enjoy the wine I'll have provided.

[mcb]

if they can manage the first and last two movements of Handel's Dixit Dominus I'd be chuffed.

I have this uneasy feeling it can't be coincidence - a choir that (lovely) Keith and I sing in had its first rehearsal today of Dixit Dominus. Concert's not until the end of Feb, so you're going to have to hang on at least a few weeks, Merseysider. But your obsequies sound too good to miss!

(I hope they happen after mine, and not in the next sixty years.)

M.

[docmattc]

I want 'Thine be the Glory' and those that turn up (if any) can pick the other hymns themselves- it is a service in which they have to participate actively after all, my participation will be somewhat less animated (hopefully!) than usual! My other stipulations however would be:
Must have some semblance of liturgical correctness musically (currently little better than a 4 hymn sandwich is norm at funerals)
Place the Paschal Candle prominently by the coffin. DO NOT surround coffin with any other candles which compete with the Paschal (P. Candle is off to the side and coffin surrounded by 6 candles in my church).

If burial can be in an allotment/orchard etc so much the better. Seems a shame for 9 stone of perfectly good fertilizer to go to up in smoke or just push up daisies somewhere. I might make some good spuds!

[organist]

I've really started something here! docmattc you are so right about the candles! Please put the gospel book on the coffin and keep the flowers simple and oh yes put the hymnbook on the coffin too - it's my prayerbook too!

[Merseysider]

a choir that I sing in had its first rehearsal today of Dixit Dominus.

Well it's just so fantabulosa. Never sure while GFH is so well known for The Messiah – this knocks it into a cocked hat!

Concert's not until the end of Feb, so you're going to have to hang on at least a few weeks, Merseysider.

Will do my best but with the hangover I had yesterday I thought my number was up!

...your obsequies sound too good to miss!

With a bit of luck they will run for weeks!

(I hope they happen after mine, and not in the next sixty years.)

My ambition is to live until 9th May 2062 when Mr Punch will have been in England for exactly 400 years! I want to be at the celebration at Covent Garden. Suspect that, by then, I will not be up to dancing the sausage conga! (But would like to try!)

[dunstan]

I'm with Merseysider about Kontakion.

When I was at school in the 70's, our Organist/Director of Music taught it to the whole school because a friend of his had bet him he couldn't. 500 teenage boys singing "but life everlasting" with the Willis blowing through several hundred pipes was quite consuming.

Probably sounds even better in Russian.