St. Michael-The French composer Louis Bourgeois lived from c.1510 to 1560. Bourgeois was cantor in Geneva and commissioned by John Calvin he composed melodies for metrical (rhyming) versions of the psalms. After completing about a hundred one-part psalms he made some four-part arrangements which were denounced and even resulted in his imprisonment for a day. Later Bourgeois published a number of psalm collections and judging from his book Le droict chemin de musique he was also an excellent educator. The melodies Bourgeois composed are (contrary to Gregorian chants) particularly suitable for community singing. This applies to his hymn tune Saint Michael which is why this melody hasbeen used for various texts written for many occasions. John Blanken made this arrangement for a wedding ceremony: an occasion in which faith and trust play a large - if not the largest - role. Hence the title Hymn of Faith. The arrangement contains four verses of the hymn. After a majestic opening the hymn follows twice the second verse being embellished in the tenor register. After a short interlude verse three follows played by a quartet. The majestic opening is then repeated as a modulation into the fourth verse which concludes the work in a brilliant tutti.

‘God rest ye merry Gentlemen’ is an ancient English carol. It was first published in 1833 but it can be traced as far back as the 15th century which makes it one of the oldest carols known. ‘God rest ye merry’ is a Middle English salutation. In this manner people wished one another greatness and might. In modern English the first line of this carol would read ‘May God keep you mighty gentlemen’. Andrew R. Mackereth has not kept to the original words in his up-tempo arrangement of the carol. It is still clearly recognizable but the arranger has taken a good many liberties. Sometimes a particular note is held longer at times motifs follow oneanother in various parts. If you listen carefully you may even be able to detect a motif from another well-known song.

‘God rest ye merry Gentlemen’ is an ancient English carol. It was first published in 1833 but it can be traced as far back as the 15th century which makes it one of the oldest carols known. ‘God rest ye merry’ is a Middle English salutation. In this manner people wished one another greatness and might. In modern English the first line of this carol would read ‘May God keep you mighty gentlemen’. Andrew R. Mackereth has not kept to the original words in his up-tempo arrangement of the carol. It is still clearly recognizable but the arranger has taken a good many liberties. Sometimes a particular note is held longer at times motifs follow oneanother in various parts. If you listen carefully you may even be able to detect a motif from another well-known song.