MELCOMBE (Webbe)

Composer: Samuel Webbe

Samuel Webbe (the elder; b. London, England, 1740; d. London, 1816) Webbe's father died soon after Samuel was born without providing financial security for the family. Thus Webbe received little education and was apprenticed to a cabinet­maker at the age of eleven. However, he was determined to study and taught himself Latin, Greek, Hebrew, French, German, and Italian while working on his apprentice­ship. He also worked as a music copyist and received musical training from Carl Barbant, organist at the Bavarian Embassy. Restricted at this time in England, Roman Catholic worship was freely permitted in the foreign embassies. Because Webbe was Roman Catholic, he became organist at the Portuguese Chapel and later at the Sardinian and Spanish… Go to person page >

Tune Information

Title: MELCOMBE (Webbe)
Composer: Samuel Webbe (1782)
Meter: 8.8.8.8
Incipit: 55432 16551 76554
Key: E♭ Major
Copyright: Public Domain

Notes

Also known as:

  • ST. PHILIPS
  • BENEDICTION
  • GRANTON
  • NAZARETH

MELCOMBE was first used as an anonymous chant tune (with figured bass) in the Roman Catholic Mass and was published in 1782 in An Essay on the Church Plain Chant. It was first ascribed to Samuel Webbe (the elder; b. London, England, 1740; d. London, 1816) and named MELCOMBE in Ralph Harrison's Sacred Harmony (1791), the first of many Protestant hymnals to contain this popular Roman Catholic tune. The tune title refers to Melcombe Regis, the northern part of Weymouth in Dorsetshire, England, made famous through frequent visits by King George III (1738-1820).

Webbe's father died soon after Samuel was born without providing financial security for the family. Thus Webbe received little education and was apprenticed to a cabinet maker at the age of eleven. However, he was determined to study and taught himself Latin, Greek, Hebrew, French, German, and Italian while working on his apprenticeship. He also worked as a music copyist and received musical training from Carl Barbant, organist at the Bavarian Embassy. Restricted at this time in England, Roman Catholic worship was freely permitted in the foreign embassies. Because Webbe was Roman Catholic, he became organist at the Portuguese Chapel and later at the Sardinian and Spanish chapels in their respective embassies. He wrote much music for Roman Catholic services and composed hymn tunes, motets, and madrigals.

Webbe is considered an outstanding composer of glees and catches, as is evident in his nine published collections of these smaller choral works. He also published A Collection of Sacred Music (c. 1790), A Collection of Masses for Small Choirs (1792), and, with his son Samuel (the younger), Antiphons in Six Books of Anthems (1818).

MELCOMBE has a steady rhythmic structure and a lot of stepwise intervals. The original setting had one dotted rhythm in the third phrase, which is deleted in many hymnals, including the Psalter Hymnal. The harmony borrows from Webbe's original bass line and from William H. Monk's (PHH 332) harmonization of MELCOMBE for Hymns Ancient and Modern (1861). Sing this tune in two long lines, with a small pause at the end of the first to allow a breath before singing the second.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook, 1988

Timeline

Arrangements

Harmonizations, Introductions, Descants, Intonations

  • Free Harmonizations of Favorite Hymns Volume 2: General Hymns II
    Composer/Editor James M. Guthrie
    Published By: Self-published (2017) pp. LL
  • The Hymns of Martin Luther
    Composer/Editor Peter C. Reske
    Published By: Concordia Publishing House (2016) pp. 72
  • Hymn Tunes in Lower Keyes: The Book to Grab When the Congregation Complains that the Hymns are Too High!
    Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2011) pp. 161
  • Hymn Tunes in Lower Keys: The Book to Grab When the Congregation Complains that the Hymns are Too High!
    Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2011) pp. 161
  • 200 Last Verses: Completely Revised to Complement the Keys in Major Hymn Books
    Composer/Editor Noel Rawsthorne
    Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2009) pp. 96
  • The Really Big Descant Book - Full Music Edition: 250 Settings to Raise the Roof by the World's Finest Church Music Composers
    Composer/Editor Geoffrey Nobes
    Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2009) pp. 130
  • 120 More Musical Gifts Part 6 Series Two: Variations on Hymn Tunes - Leoni to Regent Square
    Composer/Editors Adrienne Tindall; Edward W. Beals
    Published By: Darcey Press (2006) pp. 389
  • The Art of Hymn Playing 2nd edition: 250 Preludes Introductions Free Accompaniments & Alternate Harmonizations
    Composer/Editor Charles Callahan
    Published By: MorningStar Music Publishers, Inc. (2006) pp. 79
  • Restrained Last Verses: Varied Accompaniments for Popular Hymns
    Composer/Editor Richard Lloyd
    Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2003) pp. 79
  • 100 Alternative Hymn Tune Arrangements
    Composer/Editor Andrew Moore
    Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2001) pp. 12
  • Last Verse Extravaganza for Organ: 200 Fabulous Arrangements
    Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2001) pp. 94
  • The Ultimate Finishing Touch: Last-verse Arrangements of Well-loved Hymn Tunes
    Composer/Editor Harrison Oxley
    Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2000) pp. 84
  • Final Flourishes: Hymn Tune Settings for Organ and Congregation
    Composer/Editor Antony Baldwin
    Published By: The Sacred Music Press (1997) pp. 25
  • After the Last Verse: 200 Hymn Improvisations
    Composer/Editor Malcolm Archer
    Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (1995) pp. 96
  • The Descant Hymn-Tune Book Book 1: A Collection of Well-Known Tunes
    Composer/Editor Geoffrey Shaw
    Published By: Novello and Company Limited (1995) pp. 16
  • Hymns for Occasions: One Hundred Special Arrangements
    Composer/Editor Colin Mawby
    Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (1994) pp. 53
  • Hymn Intonations, Preludes, and Free Harmonizations Volume V: More Intonations
    Composer/Editor Richard Proulx
    Published By: Selah Publishing Company, Inc. (1992) pp. 12
  • The Concordia Hymn Prelude Series Volume 32: General: MC - More
    Composer/Editors Richard Hillert; Thomas Canning
    Published By: Concordia Publishing House (1985) pp. 19
  • Accompaniments for Unison Hymn-Singing
    Composer/Editors Gerald H. Knight; Charles Harford Lloyd
    Published By: The Royal School of Church Music (1981) pp. 26
  • Hymns for Choirs
    Composer/Editor David Willcocks
    Published By: Oxford University Press (1976) pp. 56
  • 113 Variations on Hymn Tunes for Organ
    Composer/Editor George Thalben-Ball
    Published By: Novello and Company Limited (1969) pp. 57
  • Free Hymn Accompaniments for Manuals: Book II
    Composer/Editor David N. Johnson
    Published By: Augsburg Publishing House (1966) pp. 8
  • Free Organ Accompaniments to One Hundred Well-known Hymn Tunes
    Composer/Editor T. Tertius Noble
    Published By: J. Fischer & Brothers (1946) pp. 28
  • Varied Accompaniments to Thirty-four Well-known Hymn Tunes
    Composer/Editor Eric Harding Thiman
    Published By: Oxford University Press (1937) pp. 8
  • Hymn Tunes with Varied Harmonies Book 3: For Pianoforte or Organ
    Composer/Editor Joseph E. Newell
    Published By: Edwin Ashdown, Limited (London) (1920) pp. 3

Organ Solo

  • New Every Morning: Six Settings of Morning Hymns for Organ
    Composer/Editor Wilbur C. Held
    Published By: MorningStar Music Publishers, Inc. (2014) pp. 4
  • The Sacred Organ Journal Volume 43 Number 1 September October 2008: A Bi-Monthly Anthology for Church Organists
    Composer/Editors Gilbert M. Martin; Richard Warner
    Published By: Lorenz Publishing Company (2008) pp. 6
  • The Sacred Organ Journal Volume 43 Number 1 September October 2008: The Organist's Companion for the Church Year
    Composer/Editors Gilbert M. Martin; Richard Warner
    Published By: Lorenz Publishing Company (2008) pp. 6
  • 120 More Musical Gifts Part 6 Series Two: Variations on Hymn Tunes - Leoni to Regent Square
    Composer/Editors Adrienne Tindall; Edward W. Beals
    Published By: Darcey Press (2006) pp. 389-392
  • Song Of the Gospel Volume 1: Organ Literature for the Liturgical Year Based on the Hymnic Contributions of Martin Luther
    Composer/Editors Henry V. Gerike; Johann Friedrich Alberti
    Published By: Concordia Publishing House (2006) pp. 94, 96
  • A Musical Gift Book 4: 32 Preludes on Familiar Hymn Tunes
    Composer/Editor Jack C. Goode
    Published By: Darcey Press (2000) pp. 34
  • Preludes on Favorite Hymns for Organ
    Composer/Editor Colin Hand
    Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2000) pp. 93
  • Organ Miniatures: 200 Short Improvisations on Familiar Hymn Tunes
    Composer/Editor June Nixon
    Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (1999) pp. 99
  • 100 Hymn Preludes for Manuals
    Composer/Editor Stanley Vann
    Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (1996) pp. 92
  • Hymn Intonations, Preludes, and Free Harmonizations Volume V: More Intonations
    Composer/Editor Richard Proulx
    Published By: Selah Publishing Company, Inc. (1992) pp. 12
  • Chorale Preludes by Old Masters Volume I: For Organ
    Composer/Editors Karl Straube; Johann Friedrich Alberti
    Published By: Masters Music Publications, Inc. (1991) pp. 5
  • 6 Hymn Preludes: Settings by Kevin J. Sadowski
    Composer/Editor Kevin J. Sadowski
    Published By: Concordia Publishing House (1990) pp. 12
  • The Concordia Hymn Prelude Series Volume 32: General: MC - More
    Composer/Editors Richard Hillert; Thomas Canning
    Published By: Concordia Publishing House (1985) pp. 18
  • A Second Book of Contemplative Hymn Tune Preludes
    Composer/Editor Raymond H. Haan
    Published By: Harold Flammer, Inc. (1983) pp. 6
  • The Organ Portfolio Volume 38 Number 4 April 1975: A Bi-Monthly Anthology for Church Organists
    Composer/Editors Lani Smith; Edmund Sereno Ender
    Published By: Lorenz Publishing Company (1975) pp. 45
  • The Sacred Organ Journal Volume 8 Number 1 September 1973: A Bi-Monthly Anthology for Church Organists
    Composer/Editors Gilbert M. Martin; Dennis Elliott
    Published By: Lorenz Publishing Company (1973) pp. 17
  • 113 Variations on Hymn Tunes for Organ
    Composer/Editor George Thalben-Ball
    Published By: Novello and Company Limited (1969) pp. 57
  • Lorenz's Organ Album No. 47: Three-Staff Voluntaries for the Church Organ
    Composer/Editor George Blake
    Published By: Lorenz Publishing Company (1968) pp. 64
  • The Organ Portfolio Volume 31 Number 6 August 1968: A Bi-Monthly Magazine for Church Organists
    Composer/Editors L. N. Porter; George Blake
    Published By: Lorenz Publishing Company (1968) pp. 64
  • Hymn Preludes for the Liturgical Year Volume VIII Holy Scriptures and Propagation of the Word: For Organ in 24 Volumes Opus 100
    Composer/Editor Flor Peeters
    Published By: C. F. Peters Corporation (1966) pp. 20
  • The Parish Organist Part Eleven: Thirty-five Preludes on Familiar Hymn Tunes
    Composer/Editors Willem Mudde; Thomas Canning
    Published By: Concordia Publishing House (1966) pp. 60
  • Season Chorale Preludes Book 2 with Pedals
    Composer/Editors C. H. Trevor; Johann Friedrich Alberti
    Published By: Oxford University Press (1963) pp. 12
  • Seasonal Chorale Preludes with Pedals: Book II Easter Whitsun Trinity Festivals and General
    Composer/Editors C. H. Trevor; Johann Friedrich Alberti
    Published By: Oxford University Press (1963) pp. 12
  • Ten Hymn Preludes for Organ Set I
    Composer/Editor Healey Willan
    Published By: C. F. Peters Corporation (1956) pp. 26
  • Ten Hymn Tune Fantasies: For Organ
    Composer/Editor Carl McKinley
    Published By: The H. W. Gray Company, Inc. (1933) pp. 6
  • Twelve Studies on Old English Hymn-Tunes - Book I First Set: For Organ
    Composer/Editor Clement Charlton Palmer
    Published By: W. Paxton & Co. Ltd. (1920) pp. 13
  • Seven Chorale Preludes Set 1: Original Compositions (New Series) No. 1
    Composer/Editor Charles Hubert Hastings Parry
    Published By: Novello and Company Limited (1912) pp. 18
  • Seven Chorale Preludes Set I: For Organ
    Composer/Editor Charles Hubert Hastings Parry
    Published By: Novello and Company Limited (1912) pp. 18

Piano Solo

  • A Classical Touch: Hymns set in the Styles of the Masters
    Composer/Editor Lani Smith
    Published By: Lorenz Publishing Company (2012) pp. 18

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Instances

Instances (1 - 73 of 73)
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Ancient and Modern #4

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Ancient and Modern #262

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Common Praise #554a

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Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #270

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