Good Irish Funeral Music: "Be Thou My Vision"
I sat up until two forty a.m. this St. Patrick's Day morn, seeking to find the best in Irish funeral music, but twice the song I thought I'd feature proved to be Scottish. This was the case with "The Parting Glass" and "Flowers of the Forest," both amazing songs to absorb in sad times. I'll leave you with "Be Thou My Vision," a favorite in many churches, said to be adapted from a sixth century Irish monastic text and merged with an Irish folk melody called "Slane" much more recently. I like the following three versions of "Be Thou My Vision" for funeral centering and settling, maybe to be played before the service actually starts. Listen to it this way on piano and cello, and this way, as sung by folk singer Andy Hull. Want it to reverberate throughout the sanctuary? Listen to this interpretation through four-part harmonized flutes. Gorgeous. Have a blessed and safe St. Patrick's Day, and welcome to the many new readers brought to me by the write-up in the NYTimes. Post a comment if you know of an Irish funeral song I've missed.
I know, I know. "Danny Boy" of course. Here are my thoughts on how to make "Danny Boy" sound new again.
Be thou my vision,
O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art;
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my Wisdom, and thou my true Word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, and I thy true son,
Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys,
O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.