Green Book Of Meditations Volume 6 The Books of Songs - Student ...

Processional Hymn
(Customs 2:1-3)
Words by Kathie Courtice
Music by Peter Basquin
O Earth-Mother
We praise thee that seed springeth,
that flower openeth,
that grass waveth.
We praise thee for winds that whisper
through the graceful elm,
through the shapely maple,
through the lively pine,
through the shining birch,
through the mighty oak.
We praise thee for all things,
O Earth-Mother, who givest life.
The words of the Chant were written by Kathie Courtice,
now married to Peter Basquin, who wrote the music (to be found
in The Book of Bards.) It was regularly sung as a part of the
Services of Worship, usually as the Processional Chant. A note on
the Hymn to the Earthmother at the start of the collection. Here is
a letter that may be of interest to Druid musicians:
"At the time, I wanted to express through the notation as
well as through the rhythm and melody the kinship that would
bear to the musical systems of earlier peoples. True, a single line
notation was not even invented until the last thousand year or so,
but it seemed somehow more fitting than the modern staff and
clef.
"At all events, I enclose here the melody as it would read in
modern notation, albeit chant-notation. The rhythmic values are to
be read as in modern notation generally, but with a somewhat
flexible flow, as in most chant. The bar-lines represent pauses
ends of phrases, breath marks of shorter or longer length
according to the time and the inspiration of the group singing.
"The melody is a four-note chant, akin to the Medieval
hypomixolydian mode (8th mode.) The note is written on the line
"g" in the modern notation) is the recitation tone of the chant (the
"tonic.”) The step below it should certainly not be raised to the
leading tone, on the contrary, it would be better sung slightly
flatter than the modern notation suggest, so the two lower notes
stand nearly in ratio of 6 to 7 in the overtone series. You may be
interested to know that the author of the poem is now my wife.
The Earth Mother has blessed us with a very happy and
compassionate marriage. She would prefer to be credited with her
then (maiden) name, Kathie Courtice, and I, simply as Peter
Basquin."
320
Now Do We With Songs and Rejoicing
(A Processional Hymn)
Words by David T. Geller (NRDNA)
Sung to the traditional tune of:
"Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence"
Now do we with songs and rejoicing,
Come before the Mother to stand.
She has given forth of Her bounty
And with blessings in Her hand,
In the fields She walks
And in the woods She walks;
Our full homage to command.
At Her voice the wild wind is silent
And the fox lies down with the hare.
Every living creature before Her
Sings Her praises to declare:
Thanks to Thee for all,
O thanks to Thee for All,
Thanks to Thee, O Lady most fair!
The Lady's Bransle
(Pronounced "brall")
Words by Hope
Sung to the traditional tune of: "Nonesuch" (short version) and
reprinted by permission from "Songs for the Old Religion"
(Copyright 1973)
O She will bring the buds in the Spring
And laugh among the flowers.
In Summer heat are Her kisses sweet;
She sings in leafy bowers.
She cuts the cane and gathers the grain,
When fruits of Fall surround Her.
Her bones grow old in Wintery cold;
She wraps Her cloak around Her.
But She will bring the buds in...
(repeat freely)
The Host is Riding
(Poem by Yeats)
The host is riding from Knocknarea
And over the grave of Clooth-na-bare;
Caolte tossing his burning hair,
And Niamh calling, "Away, come away:
Empty your heart of its mortal dream
The winds awaken, the leaves whirl round,
Our cheeks are pale, our hair is unbound,
Our breasts are heaving, our eyes are agleam,
Our arms are waving, our lips are apart,
And if any gaze on our rushing band,
We come between him and the deed of his hand,
We come between him and the hope of his heart."
The host is rushing 'twixt night and day;
And where is there hope or deed as fair?
Caolte tossing his burning hair,
And Niamh calling, "Away, come away."