Chapter VI: Preface (2)

A word may be in order concerning the translation of hymns. It is difficult to transfer the color and feeling of one language to another. For this reason many people who know the German hymns by heart have a sense of disappointment when they read them in an English version. In some instances a translation is inferior to the original but this is not necessarily the case. It is well to remember that nearly all of us read the Bible only in a translation, yet never doubt the literary quality of the English King James Version or the German Version of Luther. The hymn, “Ich weiss einen Strom,” is superior as poetry, and in its religious feeling, to the English original, “O have you not heard of that beautiful stream,” though the former is a translation of the latter. The reason is that Gebhardt, the translator, was a poet in his own right. Good translations are possible if the translator has poetic ability of a high order, and if he translates into his native tongue. Catherine Winkworth was the foremost translator of German hymns into English and Ernst Gebhardt performed a similar role in translating English and American hymns into German. Had either tried to do the work of the other, the results would in all probability have lacked true color and correct idiomatic and poetic expression.

16. Church Unity in the Hymnbook.

The unity of the Christian Church is expressed nowhere more eloquently than in the hymns we sing. Every modern hymnal, regardless of the denominational interest it represents, reaches across the ages to gather its treasures from sources new and old; it knows nothing of the external barriers which divide Christians into denominations, but makes use of the hymns of widely divergent Christian groups. The _Mennonite Hymnary_ is no exception. Here are found hymns from the early church, East and West, translated from the Greek and Latin fathers. Others, like Savonarola’s hymn, come from the Middle Ages. Many are chorales from the land of Luther, or metrical psalms from the Calvinistic reformers. A substantial body of our hymnody stems from the Anglican Church, while some of our best hymns are from sturdy independents like Watts and Doddridge, and still others breathe the evangelistic fervor of Wesley, Cowper, and Newton. The Quakers too have made their contribution as well as certain Roman Catholics and Unitarians. In no aspect of our church life do we attain so nearly to ecumenicity as in our worship in song. Christians may differ widely in their religious views but they are able to unite as one body in singing their songs of praise.

The following classification of hymns by denominations is far from exhaustive. It is intended merely to suggest the wealth of material drawn from many denominations, listing only representative writers together with a representative hymn. The index of authors may be consulted for a complete list of hymns written by each author.

a. _Anglican_ (_Church of England_)
Addison, Joseph, “The spacious firmament on high” (50)
Alexander, Mrs. Cecil (Irish), “Jesus calls us, o’er the tumult”
(140)
Baring-Gould, Sabine, “Onward, Christian soldiers” (225)
Bode, John E., “O Jesus, I have promised” (212)
Croly, George (Irish), “Spirit of God, descend” (133)
Dix, William C., “As with gladness men of old” (530)
Ellerton, John, “Savior, again to Thy dear name we raise” (43)
Elliott, Charlotte, “Just as I am, without one plea” (458)
Grant, Robert (Scotch), “O worship the King” (7)
Hankey, Katherine, “I love to tell the story” (493)
Havergal, Frances, “Take my life, and let it be” (215)
Heber, Reginald, “Holy, holy, holy” (1)
How, W. W., “O Jesus, Thou art standing” (144)
Lyte, Henry F., “Abide with me” (40)
Newton, John, “Glorious things of thee are spoken” (274)
Pierpoint, Folliott S., “For the beauty of the earth” (51)
Stone, Samuel, “The Church’s one foundation” (273)
Toplady, Augustus, “Rock of ages” (148)
Wordsworth, Christopher, “O day of rest and gladness” (285)
b. _Baptist_
Fawcett, John (Eng.), “Blest be the tie that binds” (41)
Gilmore, Henry, “He leadeth me” (478)
Hearn, Marianne (Eng.), “Just as I am, thine own to be” (393)
Hawks, Annie S., “I need Thee every hour” (187)
Lowry, Robert, “Low in the grave He lay” (452)
Phelps, Sylvanus, “Savior, Thy dying love” (220)
Rankin, Jeremiah, “God be with you till we meet again” (365)
Smith, Samuel F., “The morning light is breaking” (324)
Stennett, Samuel, “Majestic sweetness sits enthroned” (120)
c. _Bohemian Brethren_ (_Moravians_)
Hayn, Luise von, “I am Jesus’ little lamb” (430)
Montgomery, James, “Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire” (184)
Rights, Douglas LeTell, “Veiled in darkness Judah lay” (68)
Weisse, Michael, “Christ, the Lord, is ris’n again” (544)
Zinzendorf, Nikolaus Ludwig, Graf von, “Jesu! geh’ voran” (574)
Zinzendorf, Christian Renatus, Graf von, “Man of sorrows” (537)
d. _Catholic_ (_Roman_)
St. Bernard of Clairvaux, “O sacred Head, now wounded” (539)
Bridges, Matthew, “Crown Him with many crowns” (118)
Faber, Frederick, “Faith of our fathers” (154)
Franz, Ignaz, “Grosser Gott, wir loben dich” (519)
Mohr, Joseph, “Silent night” (83)
Newman, John Henry, “Lead, kindly Light” (162-3)
Scheffler, Johann, “Mir nach, spricht Christus” (565)
e. _Congregational_
Bliss, Philip P., “Brightly beams our Father’s mercy” (448)
Dwight, Timothy, “I love Thy Kingdom, Lord” (275)
Gladden, Washington, “O Master, let me walk with Thee” (223)
Luke, Jemima (Eng.), “I think when I read that sweet story” (427)
Palmer, Horatio, “Yield not to temptation” (477)
Palmer, Ray, “My faith looks up to Thee” (150)
Shurtleff, Ernest W., “Lead on, O King Eternal” (399)
Sleeper, W. T., “Ye must be born again” (461)
Stocking, Jay T., “O Master Workman of the race” (93)
Stowe, Harriet Beecher, “Still, still with Thee” (23)
Walter, Howard A., “I would be true” (207)
Wolcott, Samuel, “Christ for the world we sing” (327)
f. _English Independent_
Doddridge, Philip, “How gentle God’s commands” (56)
Watts, Isaac, “When I survey the wondrous cross” (105-6)
g. _Episcopal_ (_American_)
Brooks, Phillips, “O little town of Bethlehem” (84)
Bowie, W. Russel, “Lord, through changing days” (402)
Coxe, Arthur C., “O where are kings and empires now” (276)
Doane, George W., “Fling out the banner” (331)
Hopkins, John, Jr., “We three kings of Orient are” (90)
Key, Francis Scott, “Lord, with glowing heart I’d praise” (511)
Roberts, Daniel C., “God of our fathers, whose almighty” (347)
h. _Lutheran_ (_German_)
Clausnitzer, Tobias, “Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier” (553a)
Gerhardt, Paul, “Commit thou all thy griefs” (558)
Luther, Martin, “A mighty fortress is our God” (549)
Nicolai, Philipp, “Wake, awake for night is flying” (522)
Rinkart, M. Martin, “Now thank we all our God” (514)
Schmolck, Benjamin, “My Jesus, as Thou wilt” (250)
Spitta, Karl Johann Philipp, “O happy home, where Thou” (358)
i. _Methodist_
Crosby, Fanny, “Jesus, keep me near the cross” (490)
Farrington, Harry Webb, “I know not how that Bethlehem’s” (99)
Gebhardt, Ernst (German), “Ich weiss einen Strom” (232)
Lathbury, Mary, “Break Thou the bread of life” (288)
Marlatt, Earl, “Are ye able, said the Master” (392)
Nicholson, James, “Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole” (469)
North, Frank Mason, “Where cross the crowded ways of life” (222)
Owens, Priscilla, “We have heard the joyful sound” (334)
Wesley, Charles, “Jesus, lover of my soul” (158-9)
Williams, William (Welsh), “Guide me, O Thou great” (160)
j. _Presbyterian_
Babcock, Maltbie, “This is my Father’s world” (48)
Benson, Louis, “O sing a song of Bethlehem” (92)
Clephane, Elizabeth (Scotch), “Beneath the cross of Jesus” (112)
Duffield, George, “Stand up, stand up for Jesus” (193)
Hastings, Thomas, “Hail to the brightness” (332)
Hopper, Edward, “Jesus, Savior, pilot me” (161)
Mackay, Wm. P., “We praise Thee, O God” (437)
Matheson, George (Scotch), “O Love that wilt not let me go” (175)
Merrill, Wm. P., “Rise up, O men of God” (230)
Prentiss, Elizabeth, “More love to Thee, O Christ” (472)
Small, James G. (Scotch), “I’ve found a Friend” (445)
Van Dyke, Henry, “Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee” (10)
k. _Quaker_
Adams, Jessie, “I feel the winds of God today” (391)
Barton, Bernard, “Walk in the light” (209)
Whittier, John G., “Dear Lord and Father of mankind” (181)
l. _Unitarian_
Adams, Sarah F., “Nearer, my God, to Thee” (202)
Bennett, S. F., “In the sweet bye and bye” (504)
Bowring, John, “In the cross of Christ I glory” (110)
Holmes, Oliver W., “Lord of all being, throned afar” (53)
Hosmer, Frederick L., “Father, to Thee we look in all our” (249)
Johnson, Samuel, “Father, in Thy mysterious presence” (188)
Longfellow, Samuel, “I look to Thee in every need” (244)
Martineau, James, “Thy way is in the deep, O Lord” (242)
Parker, Theodore, “O Thou great Friend to all the sons” (224)
Sears, Edmund, “It came upon a midnight clear” (75)
Ware, Henry, Jr., “Great God, the followers of Thy Son” (13)
m. _No Church Affiliation_
Bates, Katherine Lee, “O beautiful, for spacious skies” (343)
Vories, Wm. M., “Let there be light, Lord God of hosts” (353)

17. Hymn Meters.

Meter (English, _Metre_) refers to the rhythmic element in poetry:

a. the number of lines in a stanza.
b. the number of syllables in a line.
c. the arrangement of accented and unaccented syllables.

The figures attached to the tune names in the _Hymnary_ indicate the number of lines in a stanza and the number of syllables in a line, e. g., 8.7.8.7. means that the hymn has four lines in each stanza, the first line being made up of 8 syllables, the second of 7 syllables, the third of 8 syllables, and the last of 7 syllables. The figures are placed there to facilitate the fitting of tunes to hymns, a responsibility which is left now-a-days largely to hymnbook editors.

A given tune may be used with any variety of hymns provided the latter have the same meter as the tune. Likewise a given hymn may be sung to any tune that fits its meter, e.g., “Come, Thou Almighty King,” set to the tune, “Italian Hymn,” as both have the meter pattern 6.6.4.6.6.6.4. This is also the meter of “My country ’tis of thee” set to “America.” Hence the words and tunes of these hymns may be interchanged. As a matter of fact, “Come Thou Almighty King” was originally used with the tune “America.” The practice of using alternate tunes is less common now than formerly and must be done with care for while the meters may be suited, the words and tune may be incompatible otherwise.

Meter Names

A few meters have specific names. These, with their abbreviations are as follows:

_Short Meter_ (S.M.) 6.6.8.6, e.g.

Blest be the tie that binds (6)
Our hearts in Christian love: (6)
The fellowship of kindred minds (8)
Is like to that above. (6)

_Short Meter Double_ (S.M.D.) is used for a tune in which the quatrain is repeated, e.g. “Terra Beata” (48), set to the words “This is my Father’s world.”

_Common Meter_ (C.M.), also called Ballad Meter, consists of four lines of 8.6.8.6. syllables, e.g.

In Christ there is no East or West (8)
In Him no South or North; (6)
But one great fellowship of love (8)
Throughout the whole wide earth. (6)

Nearly all the metrical psalms appeared in this meter.

_Common Meter Double_ (C.M.D.) is employed when two Common Meter quatrains are used to form one stanza, e.g.,

“It came upon a midnight clear.” (75)

_Long Meter_ (L.M.) consists of a four line stanza in which each line is of eight syllables, e.g.,

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; (8)
Praise Him, all creatures here below; (8)
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; (8)
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. (8)

_Long Meter Double_ (L.M.D.), not often used, consists of a stanza of eight lines, each line of eight syllables, e.g.,

“The spacious firmament on high.” (50)

Accentuation

In setting a hymn to music it is important that the accented syllables of the poetry fall on the accented beats of the musical bars. Try singing “Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling” (456) to the tune “Ich weiss einen Strom” (232). The meter is the same in each case—11.7.11.7.—with refrain—but the words and tune are obviously not suited to each other because of differences in accentuation.

18. Hymn Tunes.

a. What is a good tune?
b. Importance of tunes.
c. Composers of tunes.
d. Sources of tunes.
e. Tune names.

a. What is a good tune?

The quality of a tune must be judged by its definite and restricted use. It is to be sung by a congregation of people, the majority of whom have had only limited musical training, and without benefit of rehearsal. The tune must therefore be judged by such questions as these: Is it singable? Are the parts within easy pitch range of the voices? Is it free from difficult intervals or modulations into other keys? Is it interesting? Does it create a worshipful atmosphere? Does the mood of the tune fit the mood and thought of the words?

b. The importance of tunes.

The tune is of great importance to the success of the hymn. Our “best hymns” owe their popularity in many instances, to the tune with which they are associated. On the other hand many excellent hymns remain unused because the tunes given them are too difficult or too uninteresting. It is the tune that creates the mood of worship and charges the words with emotion so that their message is carried forth with feeling and power.

c. Composers of tunes.

The story of the development of the hymn tune begins with the worship song in the Temple at Jerusalem where the psalms were sung antiphonally by priests and people accompanied by harps and trumpets. Little is known of these tunes or their composers. This early Christian music would doubtless sound strange to modern ears.

The important names in the roll of church musicians, from the early centuries to the present time, include the following:

_Italian_—Ambrose, 4th century
Gregory the Great, 6th century
Palestrina, 1525-94
_French_—Louis Bourgeois, c. 1510-?
_German_—Luther, 1483-1546; Nicolai, 1556-1608; Hassler, 1564-1612;
Praetorius, 1571-1621; Crüger, 1598-1662; Bach, 1685-1750.
_English_—Tallis, 1510-85; Gibbons, 1583-1625; Croft, 1678-1727;
Gauntlett, 1805-76; Monk, 1823-99; Dykes, 1823-76; S. Wesley,
1810-76; Barnby, 1838-96; Stainer, 1840-1901; Sullivan,
1842-1900.
_American_—L. Mason, 1792-1872; Bradbury, 1816-68; Hastings,
1784-1872; Stebbins, 1846-1945.

The great composers, besides Bach, whose names are found in church hymnals are: Haydn, Beethoven, Handel, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Gounod, and Sibelius.

The above is only a partial list of composers of good church music. Among their works is a corpus of fine hymn tunes far greater than has been utilized by the church so far. For years to come, compilers of hymn books will have a vast reservoir of excellent tunes, old yet new, to draw from.

d. Sources of tunes.

An examination of the origin of church tunes shows a variety of sources. Many tunes were especially written for the words to which they are set; others are adaptations from early medieval chants; still others, as for example, the “Passion Chorale” and “Londonderry Air”, were folk tunes originally used with secular words. Some of our best tunes are adaptations of melodies from larger musical works, as for example, “Hymn to Joy” (10) from Beethoven’s _Ninth Symphony_; “Finlandia” (54), from a tone poem by Sibelius; and “Seymour” (36), from Weber’s opera, _Oberon_.

e. Tune names.

Composers usually name their tunes in order to facilitate their identification. The names given them are selected quite arbitrarily. W. H. Havergal, prolific composer of church music, named his tunes after the rivers, mountains, valleys, etc., of Palestine, e.g. “Abana,” “Ahava,” “Ararat,” “Baca,” etc. Other tunes have been named for the composer, e.g., “Bradbury” (395); the name of a friend, e.g., “Rockingham” (105); name of a city or village, e.g., “Boylston” (214); a street, “Federal Street” (192); a cottage, “Hollingside” (159); an event in history, “Nicaea” (1); or the central idea in the words, “Pilot” (161).

In Germany, the usual practice has been to name the tune after the first line of the hymn to which it was originally set.

Some tunes, unfortunately, are known by more than one name, e.g., “St. Michel’s” (93) and “Jerusalem, Jerusalem” (125). In a few cases the same name is given to several tunes, e.g., “Wesley” (309 and 332). This is confusing and it is highly desirable that hymnbook editors strive toward uniformity of nomenclature.

19. John Wesley’s Rules for Singing.

In one of John Wesley’s compilations of tunes, _Sacred Melody_, the great preacher and founder of Methodism gives the following rules for singing. Some of the expressions used may provoke a smile but, as Lightwood suggests, “it would be a very good thing if these were read aloud from time to time in all churches and chapels where good congregational singing is aimed at.”

a. Learn these tunes before you learn any others; afterwards learn as
many as you please.

b. Sing them exactly as they are printed here, without altering or
mending them at all; and if you have learned to sing them otherwise,
unlearn it as soon as you can.

c. Sing ALL. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as
you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder you.
If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a blessing.

d. Sing lustily and with a good courage. Beware of singing as if you
were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength.
Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of its being
heard, than when you sang the songs of Satan.

e. Sing modestly. Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or distinct
from the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the
harmony; but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one
clear melodious sound.

f. Sing in tune. Whatever time is sung be sure to keep with it. Do not
run before nor stay behind it; but attend close to the leading voices,
and move therewith exactly as you can; and take care not to sing too
low. This drawling way naturally steals on all who are lazy: and it is
high time to drive it out from among us, and sing all our tunes just
as quick as we did at first.

g. Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you
sing. Aim at pleasing Him more than yourself, or any other creature.
In order to do this attend strictly to the sense of what you sing, and
see that your heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to
God continually; so shall our singing be such as the Lord will approve
of here, and regard you when He cometh in the clouds of Heaven.