Tune: GOWER'S LITANY

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GOWER'S LITANY

Composer: John H. Gower (1891)
Published in 52 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Composer: John H. Gower

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Tune Information

Title:	GOWER'S LITANY
Composer:	John H. Gower (1891)
Meter:	7.7.7.6
Incipit:	33235 22443 46555
Key:	D Major
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Texts

Father, hear Thy children's call

Spirit, strength of all the weak

Jesus, With Thy Church Abide

All texts published with GOWER'S LITANY ^ top

Alternative Tunes

More tunes with meter 7.7.7.6 ^ top

Notes

GOWER'S LITANY comes from John H. Gower's Original Tunes (1890). This serviceable tune works with the text but unfortunately lacks a suitable harmonization (the worst of Gower's chromatic harmony has been removed from the Psalter Hymnal). Try singing the hymn in true litany style: have a soloist or a choir in unison sing the petitions and the congregation sing the response (at which point the choir could sing in harmony). Use a light accompaniment and observe a ritardando on the response line.

John H. Gower (b. Rugby, Warwickshire, England, 1855; d. Denver, CO, 1922) became assistant organist at Windsor Castle at the age of twelve. After studying at Oxford, he became organist and music director in 1876 at Trent College, Nottingham, England. He moved to the United States in 1887 and became involved in the mining industry in Colorado but also continued his musical career at the Cathedral of St. John in the Wilderness, the Central Presbyterian Church, and the Unity Church, all in Denver.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

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