Abide with Me
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Abide with Me" | ||
|---|---|---|
| Music: William Henry Monk | ||
| Words: Henry Francis Lyte | ||
| Language | English | |
| Meter | 10 10 10 10 | |
| Melody name | Eventide | |
Abide with Me is a Christian hymn written by Henry Francis Lyte.
He wrote it in 1847 while he lay dying from tuberculosis; he survived only a further three weeks after its completion.
Contents |
[edit] Lyrics
The hymn is a prayer for God to remain present with the speaker throughout life, through trials, and through death. The first verse is probably the most well-known:
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me.[1]
[edit] Tune
 |
|
||||
| Problems listening to this file? See media help. | |||||
The hymn tune most often used with this hymn is "Eventide" composed by William Henry Monk in 1861.[2]
Alternate tunes include:
- "Abide with Me", Henry Lyte, 1847
- "Morecambe", Frederick C. Atkinson, 1870
- "Penitentia", Edward Dearle, 1874
- "Woodlands", Walter Greatorex 1916
[edit] Popular use
[edit] Religious services
The hymn is popular across many denominations, and was said to be a favourite of King George V[3] and Mahatma Gandhi. It was sung at the weddings of King George VI and of his daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth II. It is also often sung at Christian funerals.
[edit] Military services
The hymn is sung at the annual Anzac Day services in Australia and New Zealand,[4] and in some Remembrance Day services in Canada[5] and the United Kingdom. It is also played by the combined bands of the Indian Defence Forces during the annual Beating Retreat ceremony held on 29 January. A choral version of this hymn has been arranged by Moses Hogan.
[edit] Music
Phrases of the finale of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 9 is often noted for their similarity to Monk's Eventide.[6]
Thelonious Monk recorded a simple yet remarkably elegant instrumental version of the hymn with his jazz septet under the title "Abide with Me" as start of the 1957 album Monk's Music. In 2006 two different tracks have been reissued as start of the second disc of The Complete 1957 Riverside Recordings, the documentation of the cooperation of Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane.
[edit] FA Cup Final
Since 1927, the first verse of the hymn is traditionally sung at the FA Cup Final before the kick-off of the match, at around 2.45pm BST. [7]
[edit] In Films and Television
- Film Shane
- Film Fist of Fury – tune is played by brass band in funeral scene
- TV series Touched by an Angel – is episode where Tess develops Alzheimer's Disease
- Film A Bridge Too Far – sung by wounded British paratroopers at a field hospital
- TV series Lost – as character Charlie is in confession.
- Film The Full Monty – in funeral scene.
- Film 28 Days Later – has the hymn on its soundtrack
- TV Doctor Who:
- Latter Days
- TV series Carnivàle (2nd Season)
[edit] Other media
- Vic Reeves – 1991 dance-mixed version
- Elton John – 1997 album Carnival: Rainforest Foundation Concert
- ITV – coverage of FA Cup competition
- Old Harry's Game(BBC Radio 4) - Series 3; Professor Richard Whittingham mentions that his favourite poem was written by Henry Francis Lyte, and proceeds to recite it to Thomas and Scumspawn.
[edit] Other
- Rhodesia – 1968 at transfer of power
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh700.sht
- ^ "Abide with me". Cyberhymnal. http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/a/b/abidewme.htm. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
- ^ "TheFA.com - Abide with me". http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFACup/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/CupFinal_abide.htm. Retrieved on 2007-06-10.
- ^ "RSA - Remembrance - ANZAC Day". http://www.rsa.org.nz/remem/anzac_today.html. Retrieved on 2006-05-14.
- ^ "A Guide to Commemorative Services". Veterans Affairs Canada. http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/content/feature/vetweek/comm_guide/CommGuide_e.pdf. Retrieved on 2006-10-08.
- ^ Mitchell, Donald (2002) The Mahler Companion OUP
- ^ "Abide with me". http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/22000.html. Retrieved on 2009-04-15.
