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‘Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying’
I wanted to post this before Advent is over and just getting to it now. During the first Sunday of Advent, a priest in a homily brought up an Advent hymn, “Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying,” to make a particular theological point. I had never heard of that hymn before, and no wonder. As I researched it turned out to be originally a Lutheran hymn. (Although I did find a version of this in my Catholic hymnal at church, an abbreviated version with a slightly different title. I don’t recall it ever being sung at our church.) If you want to learn its history on how it went from the German composer, Philipp Nicolai (1556–1608), how it was made popular by J. S. Bach, and how it entered the English language through Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878), you can read about it here. It has a really rich history.
But my purpose is to share this hymn. Has anyone heard this before? It has a rather unusual melody, perhaps because it was composed during the baroque or perhaps because it was translated from German. Or both. Here is a very beautiful choral arrangement by the Luther College Nordic Choir.
Very lovely but I think with a choir arrangement the lyrics are somewhat lost to the ear. So let me embed an acapella rendition by someone named Aunnee Trampe from the Lutheran Songbird Project. You can follow the lyrics posted below.
The lyrics don’t completely match with her singing, and neither did the choir above. Perhaps there are alternative versions.
So here are the lyrics:
1. Wake, awake, for night is flying; the watchmen on the heights are crying: Awake, Jerusalem, at last! Midnight hears the welcome voices and at the thrilling cry rejoices; come forth, ye virgins, night is past; the Bridegroom comes, awake; your lamps with gladness take: Alleluia! And for his marriage feast prepare, for ye must go and meet him there.
2. Zion hears the watchmen singing, and all her heart with joy is springing; she wakes, she rises from her gloom; for her Lord comes down all-glorious, the strong in grace, in truth victorious. Her Star is risen; her Light is come. Ah come, thou blessed One, God’s own beloved Son: Alleluia! We follow till the halls we see where thou hast bid us sup with thee.
3. Now let all the heavens adore thee, and saints and angels sing before thee, with harp and cymbal’s clearest tone; of one pearl each shining portal, where we are with the choir immortal of angels round thy dazzling throne; nor eye hath seen, nor ear hath yet attained to hear what there is ours; but we rejoice and sing to thee our hymn of joy eternally.
Words by: Philipp Nicolai;
trans. by Catherine Winkworth
Music by: Philipp Nicolai;
harm. by J.S. Bach
Credit to Traditional Hymns.
Now Catholics have not shied away from performing it. Here is a pretty rendition by the Dominican Sisters of Mary.
Very lovely hymn. I am glad I was introduced to it. Happy Advent!
Published in Religion & Philosophy
Lovely indeed!
To hear what Bach did with it, google Bach, “Wachet Auf”, BWV 140. The Netherlands Bach Society, which I usually prefer, does this a little to slowly; listen to the version conducted by Ton Koopman.
This one? This is magnificent!
We sing it every year during Advent. My tenors sang the aria from Cantata 140 this year during communion.
Oh, yes, many times. Pretty sure it’s in our hymnbook and it gets sung in church occasionally. I’ve also listened to several recorded performances of the Bach cantata.
One doesn’t need to be a Christian to appreciate the beauty of this hymn. Thanks, Manny.
You’re welcome.
I grew up in the Episcopal Church and this song was in the 1940 Hymnal. Our tune was the one the Dominican Sisters of Mary sang. We sang it during most Advent seasons.
Yes, we sing it in our Lutheran congregation. I especially love the movement that begins here @ 14:20 as a straight organ piece.