Catherine Winkworth Songbook

Posted by sara-garrard

an ongoing project to compose new music for classic hymns

Catherine Winkworth was a 19th C writer and advocate of women’s education who lived a while in Bristol.  She is known for her translations of German chorales or hymns into English — over 100 of them. Some of her lyrics, like “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty the King of Creation” and “Now Thank We All Our God” are well-known and still sung today, but many of the less famous ones are also beautiful.

Since New Year 2019, I’ve been setting some of her lyrics to new music.

I have so far written over 25 hymn tunes, in a variety of styles: mainly melodic and singable suitable for solo or congregational singing. I am interested in “modern hymns” and how that compares, contrasts or overlaps with “worship music”, but mostly I’m following the words and my intuition and using the opportunity to experiment with styles and ideas in songwriting.

The Songbook, when finished (or, finished for the time being), I envision existing as lyrics, lead sheets, simple piano arrangements and demo recorded versions of each song.

More videos on the Youtube playlist

The songs so far – linked to blog posts containing recordings or worktape versions:

  1. A Spotless Rose
  2. Abide Among Us; another recording
  3. As a bird at dawning
  4. Be content
  5. Blessed Jesus, this 
  6. Bounteous God (Now thank we our God)
  7. Burning Love, Holy Flame
  8. Cry to you; lyric video
  9. The Deliverer; another recording
  10. Ever would I fain be reading 
  11. From God shall nought divide me
  12. From thy heavenly throne
  13. Help us o Lord, behold we enter
  14. Him upon the Cross I love
  15. How brightly beams the morning star
  16. In God my faithful God (Consolation)
  17. In our Lord we all are one (Heart and heart together); lyric video
  18. In peace and joy
  19. Is thy heart athirst to know 
  20. Light of light, enlighten me; lyric video
  21. Lord Jesus Christ, with us abide; lyric video
  22. Lost in darkness and in dangers; lyric video
  23. My rock of strength; lyric video
  24. Not in anger
  25. Now God Be With Us (Evening Hymn)
  26. O Christ thou true and only light 
  27. O Jesu king of glory
  28. O Love who made me
  29. O wouldst thou in thy glory come
  30. Out of the depths
  31. The old year now has passed away
  32. Praise and thanksgiving (O that I had a thousand voices)
  33. Redeemer of the nations 
  34. Stronghold
  35. Thousand thousand thanks (Life of all the living)
  36. The Trust of the Tried

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