John Chandler

Short Name: John Chandler
Full Name: Chandler, John, 1806-1876
Birth Year: 1806
Death Year: 1876

John Chandler, one of the most successful translators of hymns, was born at Witley in Surrey, June 16, 1806. He was educated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, B.A. 1827, M.A. 1830. Ordained deacon in 1831 and priest in 1832, he succeeded his father as the patron and vicar of Whitley, in 1837. His first volume, entitled The Hymns of the Primitive Church, now first Collected, Translated and Arranged, 1837, contained 100 hymns, for the most part ancient, with a few additions from the Paris Breviary of 1736. Four years later, he republished this volume under the title of hymns of the Church, mostly primitive, collected, translated and arranged for public use, 1841. Other publications include a Life of William of Wykeham, 1842, and Horae sacrae: prayers and meditations from the writings of the divines of the Anglican Church, 1854, as well as numerous sermons and tracts. Chandler died at Putney on July 1, 1876.
--The Hymnal 1940 Companion

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Chandler, John, M.A.,one of the earliest and most successful of modern translators of Latin hymns, son of the Rev. John F. Chandler, was born at Witley, Godalming, Surrey, June 16, 1806, and educated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, where he graduated in 1827. He took Holy Orders in 1831, and became Vicar of Witley in 1837. He died at Putney, July 1, 1876. Besides numerous Sermons and Tracts, his prose works include Life of William of Wykeham, 1842; and Horae Sacrae; Prayers and Meditations from the writings of the Divines of the Anglican Church, with an Introduction, 1844. His translations, he says, arose out of his desire to see the ancient prayers of the Anglican Liturgy accompanied by hymns of a corresponding date of composition, and his inability to find these hymns until he says,

"My attention was a short time ago directed to some translations [by Isaac Williams] which appeared from time to time in the British Magazine, very beautifully executed, of some hymns extracted from the Parisian Breviary,with originals annexed. Some, indeed, of the Sapphic and Alcaic and other Horatian metres, seem to be of little value; but the rest, of the peculiar hymn-metre, Dimeter Iambics, appear ancient, simple, striking, and devotional—in a word in every way likely to answer our purpose. So I got a copy of the Parisian Breviary [1736], and one or two other old books of Latin Hymns, especially one compiled by Georgius Cassander, printed at Cologne, in the year 1556, and regularly applied myself to the work of selection and translation. The result is the collection I now lay before the public." Preface, Hymns of the Primitive Church, viii., ix.

This collection is:—
(1) The Hymns of the Primitive Church, now first Collected, Translated, and Arranged, by the Rev. J. Chandler. London, John W. Parker, 1837. These translations were accompanied by the Latin texts. The trsanslations rearranged, with additional translations, original hymns by Chandler and a few taken from other sources, were republished as (2) The Hymns of the Church, mostly Primitive, Collected, Translated, and Arranged/or Public Use, by the Rev. J. Chandler, M.A. London, John W. Parker, 1841.
From these works from 30 to 40 translations have come gradually into common use, some of which hold a foremost place in modern hymnals, "Alleluia, best and sweetest;" "Christ is our Corner Stone;" "On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry;" "Jesus, our Hope, our hearts' Desire;" "Now, my soul, thy voice upraising;" "Once more the solemn season calls;" and, "O Jesu, Lord of heavenly grace;" being those which are most widely used. Although Chandler's translations are somewhat free, and, in a few instances, doctrinal difficulties are either evaded or softened down, yet their popularity is unquestionably greater than the translations of several others whose renderings are more massive in style and more literal in execution.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)


Texts by John Chandler (83)sort descendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
Above the clear blue skyJohn Chandler (Author)English94
All hail, adored TrinityJohn Chandler (Translator (from Latin))English1
Angels lament behold your GodJohn Chandler (Translator)3
As now the sun's declining raysJohn Chandler, 1806-1876 (Translator)English34
Blest Creator of the lightRev. John Chandler (Translator)English4
Blest hour, when mortal man retiresJ. Chandler (Translator)English1
Blest Spirit, one with God aboveJohn Chandler (Translator)English12
Bright sunbeams deck the joyful skyJohn Chandler (Author)2
Ĉe l' glora Dia tron'J. Chandler (Author)Esperanto3
Christ is our corner-stoneJohn Chandler (Translator)English140
Come, Holy Sun of heavenly loveJohn Chandler (Translator)English5
Come, holy thoughts, so lily pureJohn Chandler (Translator)2
Conquering kings their titles takeJohn Chandler (Translator)English41
Creator of mankind, Thy promised help we claimJohn Chandler (Author)English6
Far from their home, our fallen raceJohn Chandler (Author)English2
Great God, who, hid from mortal sightJohn Chandler (Translator (from Latin))English1
Hail infant martyrs, new born victims, hailJohn Chandler (Author)1
Alleluia, best and sweetestJohn Chandler (Translator)English16
Here, gracious God, do thouJohn Chandler (Author)7
His trial over, and now beneathJohn Chandler (Author)English6
In stature grows the Heavenly ChildJohn Chandler (Author)English11
Jesus, our hope, our heart's desireJohn Chandler (Author)English10
Lift up the advent strainJohn Chandler (Translator)English4
Messiah now is gone beforeJohn Chandler (Author)1
Most High, omnipotent, good LordJohn Chandler (Author)English2
New wonders of thy mighty handJohn Chandler & others (Translator (from Latin))1
Now morning lifts her dewy veilChandler (Author)English6
Now, my soul, thy voice upraising, Sing aloud in mournful strainJohn Chandler (Translator)English7
Now, my soul, thy voice upraising, Tell in sweet and mournful strainJ. Chandler (Translator)English3
Now that the daylight fills the skyJohn Chandler, 1806-1876 (Translator (st. 5))English3
O blessed day when first was pouredJohn Chandler (Author)English9
O Christ, our hope, our heart's desireJohn Chandler (Author)English49
O Christ, who dost prepare a placeJohn Chandler (Author)2
O Christ, who hast prepared a placeJohn Chandler (Author)English17
O Christ, with each returning mornChandler (Translator)English34
O God of our salvation, LordJohn Chandler (Author)1
O Holy Spirit, Lord of graceJ. Chandler (Translator)English21
O Jesus, Lord of heavenly graceJ. Chandler, 1806-76 (Translator)English59
O, Jesus, who art gone beforeJohn Chandler (Author)English4
O Lord are the strains of the angels lightJohn Chandler (Author)2
O Lord, how joyful 'tis to seeRev. John Chandler (Translator)English22
O Savior, Who for man hast trodJ. Chandler (Translator)English25
O scorned and outcast Lord, beneathJohn Chandler (Author)2
O sinner, bring not tears aloneJohn Chandler (Author)English21
O splendor of God's glory bright (Chandler)John Chandler (Author)English5
O splendor of God's glory bright, From light eternal bringing lightJohn Chandler (Translator)English3
O Trinity of blessed lightJohn Chandler, 1806-1876 (Translator (st. 3))English4
On Jordan's bank the Baptist's [Herald's] cryJohn Chandler (Translator)English165
Once more the sun is beaming brightJohn Chandler (Author)3
Our prayer is heard, the holy DoveJohn Chandler (Author)1
Qué estrella es ésta, singularJohn Chandler (Translator (English))Spanish3
Redeemer, now thy work is doneJohn Chandler (Author)1
Ruler of the hosts of lightJohn Chandler (Author)English4
See now fulfilled what God decreedJohn Chandler (Author)2
Sing we the glory of our GodJohn Chandler (Translator (from Latin))1
Six days of labor now are pastJohn Chandler (Translator (from Latin))1
Source of light and life divineChandler (Translator)English17
Sunset to sunrise changes nowJohn Chandler (Author)English9
Supreme Disposer of the heartJohn Chandler (Translator)2
The advent of our God With eager prayers we greetJohn Chandler 1806-76 (Translator)English3
The Advent of our King, Our prayers must now employJohn Chandler (Author)English36
The Crucified is gone beforeJohn Chandler (Author)4
The fish in wave, the bird on wingJohn Chandler (Translator (from Latin))1
The Head that once was crowned with thornsChandler (Translator)English1
The heavenly child in stature growsJohn Chandler (Translator)English7
The royal banner is unfurledJohn Chandler (Author)English15
Once more the solemn season callsJohn Chandler (Author)English13
The Son of God his glory hidesJohn Chandler, 1806-1876 (Translator)English3
This holy morn, so fair and brightJohn Chandler (Author)2
This is the day the light was madeJohn Chandler (Author)English2
Thou Source divine of life and lightJohn Chandler (Author)English3
Thrice Holy God, of wondrous mightJohn Chandler (Author)English4
'Tis for conquering kings to gainJohn Chandler (Translator)English8
To God, all glorious heavenly LightJohn Chandler (Translator)2
To whom is our report made knownJohn Chandler (Author)6
Today, O Lord, a holier workJohn Chandler & others (Translator (from Latin))1
Today, O Lord, thy will resolvesJohn Chandler (Author)2
Wakaŋtaŋka niuŋ kiŋ HeJohn Chandler (Translator)Dakota1
We are fighting, daily fightingJohn Chandler (Author)3
Well nigh two thousand years haveJohn Chandler (Author)2
What star is this, with beams so bright, More lovely than the noon-day light?John Chandler, 1806-1876 (Translator)English67
When earth's fierce tempest over us rollsJohn Chandler (Author)English1
While in the agonies of deathJohn Chandler (Author)English5
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