Re: English Translation

[David R. Linn]

David Stocker wrote:
> Hi Bert,
>
> It's been a few years and I'm afraid my German has gotten rusty, but 
> I'll give it a try anyway.
>
> "- how would you call the 4-voice arrangements of hymns used in 
> presbiterian liturgy. Just "hymn arrangement"? (Choralsatz in German)"

I'm an Amercian raised in a Presbyterian church and have sung in its
choirs for more than 35 years so I might be able to offer some addtional
ideas.  Sadly it's been years since I could do more than read German
(and not that very well)

> The common English rendering is simply "Chorale" or "Hymn" In the 
> contemporary American print market, we often refer to these by an 
> acronym representing the parts they contain--SATB (for _S_oprano, 
> _A_lto, _T_enor and _B_ass.) Within the catalog, there are many 
> instances of "ATB" and "SA" or other combinations.

Sometimes also called simply "in four-part harmony".  I'd simply use
"hymn" or "four-part hymn"

> "- what is a good way for translating the German "inständiges flehen", 
> meaning something like pleading, devoted praying"
> /
> earnestly, earnest pleading,/

You might also try "earnest supplication".  The word "supplication" is
not a common word in modern American English but you find it in many
church (specificly church *choir*) songs.

> "- what is a good way of translating the German "ewig reicher Gott", 
> meaning something like God, who has power forever. (perhaps a common 
> English version already exists for this song)"
>
> /God everlasting, God ever powerful /

I don't think I can help with this one - going strictly from the words
I would have said "ever more abundant God" but that is pretty far from
your proposed meaning.  I checked with a friend with other resources to
check and he was unable to identify a common English rendering of this
phrase.