And Can It Be

♫ To Sagina: Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God,

should die for me?

And can it be – an icon of Methodist song, instantly

recognisable today alongside the well-known tune Sagina. It won’t

surprise anyone to hear it topped a 2018 poll of our

favourite hymns by Charles Wesley. But has it always been

sung with such fanfare? Sagina was written in 1825 by Thomas

Campbell, and harmonised in 1889 – quite some time after the

words were published in 1739. Even then, it took until 1922

for the pairing with “And can it be” to be formalised in a

published hymnal. That didn’t stop people singing it of course

– Martin Clarke has identified many tunes that have been used

across the ages! A particularly interesting alternative is found

in the 1933 Methodist Hymn Book. Lansdown, by A Beer, begins in B

minor, which lends a wondering quality to the opening questions

of each verse. The final line lands in D major for a solid

finish. Hear how that works with the third verse:

♫ To Lansdown: all verse 3 (He left His Father’s throne above)

Alternative tunes continue to be indicated even in Singing the

Faith, which points us towards Abingdon by Erik Routley – this

option is commended by Brian Wren, who says it matches

Wesley’s original meaning far better than Sagina. Let’s take

verse 4 for an example – with Sagina, the opening of this

verse is sometimes played more quietly, respecting the timbre

of a spirit weighed down by sin. But like Lansdown, Abingdon

flirts with the minor key and lends a gentler feel to the

entire verse – until the last line is declared with full

confidence in God.

♫ To Abingdon: all verse 4 (Long my imprisoned spirit lay)

Which do you find most helpful? I think there will be a place

for both approaches in our worship today: not all times and

situations call for the triumphant declaration of faith

in God that is the pairing of Sagina and And can it be. Wonder

and quiet awe are equally valid responses to God’s love for us.

But for the last verse I find Sagina particularly appropriate,

so let’s finish by hearing that final verse.

♫ To Sagina: all verse 5 (No condemnation now I dread)

Thanks for listening to songs we sing and how we've sung them, a

podcast by Jennifer Radtke. Acknowledgments, links and a

transcript for this episode can be found in the show notes at

podcasts dot stray song.co.uk And if you've enjoyed this

episode, you can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.