The song every choir sings

[mummimamma]

Next Sunday is the annual New Year's concert in town (Bergen, Norway) where almost all of the choirs here join up in one of the churches in town. This year there is 66 choirs in 10 different churches, each choir singing a couple of songs each.

It's a fun way both to start the new singing year, and discover the width of choirs here. But there is one song that is always sung by at least one, if not two (or three) of the choirs, and that is And Irish Blessing (Text traditional, harmonization by James E. Moore jr.).

Now my questions are:
Is this song just this insanely popular here in Norway, or is it as commonly sung elsewhere as well?
And do know of other songs that "every choir" around you sing?

Here (for reference) is the song, (now hopefully available to see everywhere):

Watch on YouTube

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
The rains fall soft upon your fields

And until we meet again, until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand
And until we meet again, until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand

May the sun make your days bright
May the stars illuminate your nights
May the flowers bloom along your path
Your house stand firm against the storm

And until we meet again, until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand
And until we meet again, until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand

Comments

[sine_nomine]

What a nifty tradition!!

Certainly I have sung the text, though not this arrangement. I think the "traditional" Irish Blessing is pretty common in the choral repertoire in the US - based on my small knowledge but with decent exposure.

[mummimamma]

Thank you for your answer, I'll have to look out for other arrangements then. Oh, and it seems like you, like me, have doubts about the "traditional" text, but I'll leave that for later.

Yes, the concerts are very nice tradition, and it's also nice to see that there are choir where I can sing when I'm 90 years old.

[loligo]

I am seconding Sine_Nomine: I've sung a couple other arrangements of that text in various (small) church choirs in the US, but never that arrangement. Your link wouldn't play for me, by the way, because it says that I am not in the right region. So I searched for recordings of that arrangement, and it is interesting to see that over half the versions that Youtube offers me are from European choirs. So I do think that particular one might be more popular in your part of the world than it is here. (It is lovely, though!)

[sine_nomine]

Seconded on the link not playing but, FWIW, I *did* find the one that mummimamma posted when I went on YouTube and did a search for that arrangement. That choir was one of the options and was clearly the recommended clip.

I really enjoyed the harmonies!

[mummimamma]

Sorry about the link, I didn't even think of that, I'll try and find an alterntive.

yes, it is a nice arrangement (and even get the alto stamp of approval), and it's not very difficult, which is probably why it is so popular.

[sine_nomine]

Speaking as a contralto I am very familiar with the Alto stamp of approval! and how rare it is... so that's saying a lot.

:-)

As I said elsethread, I did find the group in the video you posted and performing that work so it's out . I don' think you have to stress about alternatives unless you want!

[mummimamma]

I didn't even know that there existed other arrangement, now I'll have to check out the others. Europe has a lot of different choral traditions, but this one seems pretty common in the north and east - even though James E Moore is an American. Hm.

Yes, it is a nice arrangement, and it gets the alto stamp of approval.

[adafrog]

Sounds like a great tradition.
We don't sing that here. I do like it, though.

(says I can't see the video :(

[mummimamma]

Annoying; I'll to find an American choir singing it; Does this work for you?

And yes, I like the tradition as well, and it is a nice way to meet up with other choral friends 8and prospective friends), and scouting out new choirs.

[adafrog]

Pretty. I love some a capella.

[sine_nomine]

Here's the US link for the video you posted.

:-)