We Worship You, Whose Splendor Dwarfs the Cosmos

Performance Notes:

• For performance notes on this song, see page 1087 of Psalms for All Seasons: A Complete Psalter for Worship.
• The following article is from the Psalter Hymnal Handbook.

Tune Information:

James Walch (b. Edgerton, Lancashire, England, 1837; d. Llandudno, Caernarvon, Wales, 1901) composed TIDINGS in 1875 for Frederick W. Faber's hymn text "Hark, Hark, My Soul! Angelic Songs Are Swelling"; the tune was first published in The Hymnal Companion to the Book of Common Prayer (1877). TIDINGS is often associated with Mary A. Thomson's "O Zion, Haste, Thy Mission High Fulfilling"; in fact, the tune name derives from the word "tidings" in Thomson's refrain .

Walch received a musical education from his father and from the famous organist and organ builder Henry Smart . He served as organist at Duke's Alley Congregational Church (1851-1857), Bridge Street Wesleyan Chapel (1858-1863), and St. George's Parish Church (1863-1877)-all in Bolton. He conducted for the Bolton Philharmonic Society from 1870 to 1877 and near the end of his life was a music dealer in Barrow-in-Furness. Walch composed a number of hymn tunes and other church music.

Other Resources:

• Visit hymnary.org for more information on this song and additional resources.

• The following are alternative accompiments for this tune, ANGELIC SONGS/TIDINGS.

Alternative Harmonization for Piano:

• Sedio, Mark. Let It Rip! At the Piano. vol. 2 Augsburg ISBN 0-8006-7580-0 [2003]