CONSTANCE (Sullivan)

Composer: Arthur Sullivan

Arthur Seymour Sullivan (b Lambeth, London. England. 1842; d. Westminster, London, 1900) was born of an Italian mother and an Irish father who was an army band­master and a professor of music. Sullivan entered the Chapel Royal as a chorister in 1854. He was elected as the first Mendelssohn scholar in 1856, when he began his studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He also studied at the Leipzig Conservatory (1858-1861) and in 1866 was appointed professor of composition at the Royal Academy of Music. Early in his career Sullivan composed oratorios and music for some Shakespeare plays. However, he is best known for writing the music for lyrics by William S. Gilbert, which produced popular operettas such as H.M.S. Pinafore (1878), The… Go to person page >

Tune Information

Title: CONSTANCE (Sullivan)
Composer: Arthur Sullivan (1875)
Meter: 8.7.8.7 D
Incipit: 33342 56543 32221
Key: E♭ Major
Copyright: Public Domain

Notes

Arthur S. Sullivan (PHH 46) composed CONSTANCE for James G. Small's hymn text "I've Found a Friend, O Such a Friend"; the sentiment of that text explains the tune title. That text and tune were published in the Swedenborgian New Church Hymn Book (1874).

CONSTANCE is a solid Victorian tune with a fine climax in the melody of its final line. Though not specifically designed for the responsorial performance Psalm 136 requires, CONSTANCE can be performed in a dramatic manner that would please its operatically oriented composer. Organists could change registration or let the congregation sing unaccompanied on the refrain phrases. Or have one part of the congregation (or the choir or a good soloist) sing the first half of each line, and have everyone respond with the second half of each line, preferably by singing in parts. Emily R. Brink (PHH 158) composed the alternative harmonization in 1987 for the Psalter Hymnal.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook, 1988

Timeline

Media

Christian Classics Ethereal Hymnary #945
  • Four-part harmony, full-score (PDF, NWC)
The Cyber Hymnal #2066
Text: Give Thanks to God, for Good Is He
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)
The Cyber Hymnal #3136
Text: I've Found a Friend
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)
The Cyber Hymnal #4418
Text: My Grandfather's Bible
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)
The Cyber Hymnal #7988
Text: Almighty Lord, Whose Sovereign Right
  • PDF (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer Score (NWC)
Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #182
Text: Give Thanks to God, for Good Is He
  • Full Score (PDF, XML)
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)
With Heart and Voice: songs for all God's children #25
Text: Give Thanks to God, for Good Is He
  • Full Score (PDF, XML)
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)

Instances

Instances (1 - 18 of 18)
TextPage Scan

African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal #309

ScoreAudio

Christian Classics Ethereal Hymnary #945

Page Scan

Complete Mission Praise #352

Esperanta Himnaro #8b

TextPage Scan

Psalms for All Seasons #136E

Text InfoTune InfoTextScoreAudioPage Scan

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #182

Audio

Small Church Music #370

The Covenant Hymnal #522

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #2066

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #3136

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #4418

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #7988

Text

The Cyber Hymnal #13114

TextPage Scan

Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #517

TextPage Scan

Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #668

Page Scan

Trinity Psalter Hymnal #136

TextPage Scan

Trinity Psalter Hymnal #475

TextScoreAudioPage Scan

With Heart and Voice #25

Include 102 pre-1979 instances
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