Canticle of the Turning
Rory Cooney's paraphrase of Mary's song (the Magnificat) set to an Irish folk tune.
The words of this hymn are under copyright, so we describe it here and don’t print them. You’ll find them in Evangelical Lutheran Worship at number 723, and listed at Hymnary.
“Canticle of the Turning” at HymnaryAbout this hymn
"Canticle of the Turning" (first line "My soul cries out with a joyful shout") retells Mary's song of praise: God lifts up the lowly, feeds the hungry, and brings down the proud.
It rests on Luke 1:46-55, sung by Mary while she carries Jesus, and on Hannah's song in 1 Samuel 2. It is sung in Advent, especially on the Fourth Sunday, and at Evening Prayer.
Rory Cooney, a Catholic composer, wrote the text in 1990 and set it to the Irish tune STAR OF THE COUNTY DOWN.
For musicians and planners
| Words | Rory Cooney, 1990 | In copyright |
|---|---|---|
| Tune | STAR OF THE COUNTY DOWN · Irish traditional melody, arranged by Rory Cooney, 1990 | Public domain |
Checked 2026-09-27 against hymnary.org text, tune and person pages, and the copyright line printed in Evangelical Lutheran Worship (attribution and rights only).
Hymn numbers checked against Hymnary.org’s index of Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Full record: Hymnary.