This text was written especially for this tune; they were first printed together in Songs of Praise, 1931, a British hymnbook edited by Percy Dearmer (see SDAH 259) and published by Oxford University Press. Cyril Argentine Alington was headmaster at Eton College at the time he wrote it. Born October 23, 1872, at Ipswich, he followed his father’s footsteps and became an Anglican minister. Educated at Oxford, he held teaching positions at All Souls’, Marlborough College, Eton College, and Shrewsbury School. He returned to Eton as headmaster in 1917, staying from 1921 until his death in 1955 was chaplain to the king. Publications from his pen include a number of hymns, poetry, essays, and theological works.

The carol-like qualities of this Resurrection hymn are reinforced by phrases such as “Bring flowers of song to strew His way,” and, of course, the triple “Alleluia” ending. The original hymn began “Good Christian Men…” but the word friendshas been substituted to include everyone. Alington also wrote “You That Know the Lord Is Gracious,” SDAH 583.

GELOBT SEI GOTT (God Be Praised) adds to the joy of singing by the simple scalewise passages, syncopation in the second line, and the three “Alleluias” coming down the scale to the finish. It was first set with the German text “Gelobt Sei Gott” in Melchior Vulpius’ book Ein schön geistlich Gesangbuch (Sacred Songbook), 1609. The tune is also called VULPIUS.

Vulpius’ birthdate is usually given as c. 1560 and 1570. Born at Wasungen, Thuringia, Germany, he was obviously quite talented at both composing and arranging singable melodies. He may have arranged this exuberant one from a folk song. Two important collections that he edited and published were the one mentioned above, and Cantiones Sacrae, 1602. For 13 years he was cantor at Weimar, where he died August 7, 1615. His name is probably a latinized version of the German name “Wolf.” For another of his tunes see SDAH 629, VULPIUS.