Comments on: Apple Tree

By: kelvin

kelvin — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:56:38 +0000

Hi Rachel. The commentary on the Song of Songs that I was referring to was the chapter referring to that text which appears in The Queer Bible Commentary which I reviewed here.

By: Rachel Chown

Rachel Chown — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:32:23 +0000

I’d be interested to hear the details of this Song of Songs commentary. I love the Apple Tree carol, too. There was a lovely performance of this, at Lichfield Cathedral last Christmas.

By: Kelvin

Kelvin — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:02:42 +0000

Apple tree indeed.

You’ve no idea of the pleasure it gives me to think that members of the congregation pick up the Song of Songs on a Wednesday morning to get them through their coffee break.

Funnily enough, I read a brilliant 15 page commentary of the Song of Songs only the other week.

By: JRD

JRD — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:53:45 +0000

Having a quick coffee-break and stumbled on Song of Songs 2:3-6, which brought me back to this little discussion.

As an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among young men. With great delight I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his intention towards me was love. Sustain me with raisins, refresh me with apples; for I am faint with love. O that his left hand were under my head, and that his right hand embraced me!

It throws a new light, for me, on the ‘Jesus is my boyfriend’ genre. Perhaps we could have ‘Jesus is my apple tree’ tee-shirts?

By: Christmas songs « RevRuth’s Rantings

Christmas songs « RevRuth’s Rantings — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:58:00 +0000

[...] 9, 2008 by revruth Kelvin was talking about one of his favourite Christmas carols – Jesus Christ the Apple Tree. I love it [...]

By: kelvin

kelvin — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 23:20:18 +0000

I think this discussion illustrates rather well the complexities of trying to comprehend this strange text, doesn’t it?

By: JRD

JRD — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:54:34 +0000

David — thank you — you are quite right! I ought to have done a bit more looking at — and remembering of — both texts! Indeed, the poem begins, ‘The tree of life my soul hath seen’. But I hope the analysis remains valid. The fruit of the tree(s) that was forbidden to the first Adam after the original creation is available to us through the new Adam of the new creation; and we are able to partake of it through the Eucharist. Indeed, Jesus Christ is the Tree of Life!

By: David |Dah � veed|

David |Dah � veed| — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:18:33 +0000

JRD, I think the Christ more akin to the Tree of Life, than the Tree of the knowledge of Good & Evil.

But, that is just me.

By: The Postulant

The Postulant — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:04:07 +0000

There’s also a very lovely tune for this text by Daniel Pinkham, quite good for congregational singing. The notes in the leader’s guide of Wonder, Love, and Praise describe the tune as having “enduring and winsome charm,” which is pretty restrained as Fr Hooker’s editorial comments go.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:57:25 +0000

Mmm. I don’t know if any of H.D.’s stuff has been set to music. An intriguing challenge for the composers amongst us!