Hail Thee, Festival Day

Text:

Venantius Honorius Fortunatus, a sixth-century churchman, wrote a Latin poem of 55 two-line stanzas for a baptism service at an Easter Vigil. It was dedicated to Felix, Bishop of Nantes, and was therefore likely written during his tenure as bishop, which began in 567. The poem was first published by Fortunatus in a collection of his poetry in 576. Fortunatus's poem inspired many adaptations and imitations throughout the following centuries. Various centos (excerpts) of his long work were used for non-liturgical processionals during medieval times.

The text of this hymn is a cento that was translated into English and published in the English Hymnal in 1906. The refrain, “Hail thee, festival day,” is from stanza 20 of Fortunatus's text. Two stanzas specific to each of three major church feasts – Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost – and four stanzas for all occasions are drawn from scattered places throughout the poem. Three of the four general stanzas are addressed to the individual members of the Trinity. The refrain opens the hymn and follows each stanza, and the second half of the refrain is also tailored to each festival day.

Tune:

SALVE FESTA DIES is one of the original hymn tunes contributed to the English Hymnal in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams, who was one of its editors. It was written for this text and its name comes from the opening Latin words of the refrain. This tune is associated with many translations and versions of Fortunatus's hymn.

Ralph Vaughan Williams wrote the entire tune for unison singing. The melody of the refrain is well suited to congregational use, but it is best to have the choir sing the stanzas. The placement of some syllables is irregular, which can be confusing, but a larger concern is the two different melodies used for alternating stanzas. While the rhythm of the first one resembles the refrain, triplets begin each phrase of the second stanza tune.

When/Why/How:

This hymn was handed down in the church as a processional, and may be used for that function at Easter, Ascension, or Pentecost. To accentuate the jubilant celebration of these important occasions in the church calendar, use extra instruments and congregational participation. A splendid festival setting of “Hail Thee, Festival Day” is for choir and congregation, with accompaniment by organ, brass, and timpani. Another festival setting of “Hail Thee, Festival Day” includes handbells, brass and timpani, but is more accessible, since all instruments except the organ are optional. If a processional is not used, then this hymn is suitable for a prelude. One possibility is to use the joyful tones of a handbell ensemble in a setting such as is found in “The Cross, The Grave, The Skies!”

Tiffany Shomsky,
Hymnary.org

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