Unless stated otherwise, my source for hymn texts and tunes is The Lutheran Service Book.

Friday, December 19, 2025

"The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came"

Last year, I noticed two instances in "The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came" where groups of words are sung to notes of all different pitches, giving a sense of entirety or breadth.

The second line of the second verse is "All generations laud and honor thee," sung to this musical phrase from the tune "Gabriel's Message":


The phrase "All generations" is sung to the notes D G Bb A C.  That these pitches span nearly an octave also lends a sense of this breadth.

The third line of the fourth verse is "And Christian folk throughout the world will ever say," sung to this musical phrase:


"Throughout the world" is sung to the notes A Bb C D.  Additionally, the note values lengthen at the end of the phrase (with "say" sung to the longest, five beats), illustrating the duration of "ever."