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The Welwyn Team Ministry Lent Course 2013

Music ‘The Greatest Good that Mortals know’

Week 3: Songs of Praise: Hymnody

Monday 7.30pm with meal All Saints Church Hall, Datchworth, Led by Susannah Underwood, 01438 817183 Tuesday 8pm, 11 Heath Road, Woolmer Green, Led by Lucy Dallas and hosted by Penny and Nigel Howes, 01438 716742 Wednesday 10.30am St Mary’s New Church House, Led by David Munchin, 01438 714150 Wednesday 7.30pm 60 Orchard Road, Tewin, Led by Ted Sharpe and Mick Simmons, 01438 798594 Wednesday 8pm 1 Codicote Road, Welwyn, AL6 9LY, Led and hosted by Mike and Gay Carpenter, 01438 718439 Thursday 7.15pm Bring and Share Supper, 8pm Study Group, St Mary’s New Church House, Usha and Colin Hull, 01438 813974 Friday 9.30am Time for God Group, Contact Margot Kenworthy, 01438 718732 “For ever consecrate the day, To music and Cecilia;

Music, the greatest good that mortals know, Early misgivings And all of heaven we have below.”

Each Lent Group will organise From Song for St Cecilia’s Day Stanza III by Joseph itself in a different way. Although Lutheran music instantly began to develop a musical tradition of its own, the Addison (1672-1719) The Objective of our groups is to hear and reflect on music Reformed and Anglican churches initially felt that shapes and informs the that the Bible and the Psalms in particular, Christian Tradition were the only material Christian worship needed. Indeed Zwingli in Zurich banned music completely in Each week we will hear worship from 1523 until 1598. In Geneva, Calvin allowed only psalms to be sung (to what Elizabeth I something of the various genres dismissively referred to as ‘Genevan jigs’) with no harmony or instruments allowed. In England the first of music that we find within the Prayer Book (1549) allowed only the singing of psalms, but increasingly paraphrases in simply metres Christian churches. (eg. “All people that on earth do dwell”) and tunes from folk music and Some we will like, some will not popular ballads, gave us the first examples of what are still used as Anglican be to our taste. . “The Lord’s my shepherd” came from a similar process in the Church Each week we will provide of Scotland (though the tune Crimond, written in 1872, was not popular until some information and history the present Queen’s wedding). “Let us with a gladsome mind” is another of that particular genre to read example written by the precocious talent of a 12 year old John Milton. together. (1674-1748) broke the mould and began to write not only biblical As well as some suggestions for paraphrases, but some of his own texts. Many have remained firm favourites: listening and perhaps “When I survey the wondrous cross”, “O God our help in ages past”. It is performing. sometimes said (in my hearing by a Bishop!) that the consistent use of the first person pronoun (“I”) in Participants are encouraged to hymns is a feature of modern choruses – it bring along music from that You will notice the absence of a ‘suggested listening’ section this is not, Watts consistently employed it. particular genre that they love week, as again hopefully this will not be needed. Leaders: it will be and to share it with the group. helpful to have books at this session, so that people can pick their favourite hymns, and perhaps the group can sing them. There The Golden Age Adventurous groups are are numerous recordings of hymns, including some direct from the The eighteenth century Evangelical revival encouraged to try and sing or BBC’s Songs of Praise, which might be a good starting point. play some music together. gave us the wonderful hymns of Charles Again there may be people in Wesley. These were a feature from the first meetings of the ‘Holy Club’ at the group who can help with Oxford. He wrote around 6500 hymns including: “Love divine” (originally that. written and sometimes still sung to ‘Fairest Isle’ by Purcell ) “And can it be”, We will also suggest music that “O for a thousand tongues”, “O thou who camest from above”, “Rejoice the you might like to listen to. Lord is King”. We will also suggest questions From 1750 many new collection of hymns were published, including “Rock of that you might like to ask Ages” by the splendidly named Augustus Toplady. I was recently dragged by yourself, about how that music my parents to Burrington Combe, near their home in Somerset, where it is speaks to you. said that Toplady sheltered under such a cleft during a storm, thus providing With music there are few right inspiration for the hymn – it was a filthy day, and now I read that the story is 1 Charles Wesley and wrong answers, and we ask more or less certainly apocryphal. you to respect and appreciate differences of taste within our John Newton was perhaps the finest example of the golden age of C18th hymnody, with hymns such as congregations. “Abide with me,” and “Glorious things of these are spoken”. The former, written by Newton the former slave trader in 1773, was quoted in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’, and became associated with the campaign to abolish slavery, and later to end segregation in the USA – it has been recording over 2000 times, and was played at the funerals of the New York Fire and Police departments after 9/11. It was not set to the familiar tune until 1830. Williams Williams wrote “Guide me O thou great Jehovah”, though it was not matched with the tune Cwm Rhondda until the twentieth century. The latter half of the century also saw an end to Baptist objections to hymn singing, allowing a first flourishing within that tradition. It was also during this period that North American churches – nearly all of which eschewed hymn singing, began also to relax their attitudes, and again allow a first dawn of American hymns writers, such as Samuel Davies and Justus Falckner.

Anglicanism (as ever) follows the latest trend 100 years too late! In all of this it is noted that none of the above belong to the Anglican tradition. Apart from a few pioneers, hymns were not strictly permitted in Anglican churches until 1820, when the obvious appeal of the “enthusiasm, emotionalism and sectarianism” of the hymn singing non-conformist churches was becoming apparent. George Herbert’s (1593- 1633) poems were the first Anglican texts to be used as hymns. Reginald Heber (1783-1826, “Brightest and best”, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty,”) can claim to be the first Anglican hymn writer. The with its interest in poetry and the catholic inheritance of the Anglican church provided many of our traditional hymns: both as original compositions (“New ever morning”) and as translations of texts from past centuries (notably by : “O come, O come Emmanuel”, “Jerusalem the Golden”)

Ancient and Modern

Over 4.5 million copies of the first edition of (1861) make this a seminal event in Anglican hymnody. Though an Anglo-Catholic production it was even handed to all traditions in its selection of hymns. However the editing left much to be desired, and so the joke that HAM stood for “Hymns Asked for and Mutiliated” arose. “Common Praise” is its most recent edition, overseen by Professor Henry Chadwick. It was the first popular hymn book to print a tune for every hymn (before that only the metre was noted, and a selection of tunes of the various metres included in a separate book or appendix). It also added an “Amen” to the end of every hymn. Many of the hymns we now think of as staple parts of the Anglican diet were made so by their inclusion in this hymn book. The English (strangely often thought of as the Anglo-Catholic hymn book) appeared half a century later (1906) under the editorship of and Ralph Vaughan- Williams. Hymns for little children was published in 1848 and contained hymns written by Cecil Frances Alexander, wife of the Anglican Archbishop of Armagh, and contained such favourites as “Once in Royal David’s city”, “There is a green hill far away”, and “All things bright and beautiful”. The spread of the missionary work of Booth’s Salvation Army was much encouraged by hymns, especially those from 1879 accompanied by a brass band (originally only to be used outdoors – in the opinion of some a rule that would be well still to adhere to).

Christmas Carols

Many Christmas carols survived the upheavals of the Reformation and are of medieval origin. However many also date from the seventeenth century, often German in origin, for instance “A great and mighty wonder”. Oddly “While shepherds watched their flocks by night” was the only Christmas carol permissible in English churches from its composition in 1700 until 1780. The usual tune only became associated with it with the publication of A&M in 1861. Victorians began for the first time to publish collections of Christmas Carols. Suggested reading: Most of the material for this course is taken from an excellent, accessible and Questions to reflect on whilst listening to music: colourful guide: ‘: A

 What feelings does this music evoke in me? global History’ by Tim Dowley. Lion Publisher, ISBN: 9780745953243 Retail  Is this music beautiful and does it speak to me of God? £20  Is the composer trying to ‘say’ anything specific through this music? Abide with me: The world of Victorian  When appropriate - do the words and music complement one another? hymns, Bradley, I. C., SCM  Could I imagine this music as part of worship? The English hymn, a critical and historical study, Watson, J. R., OUP,  Do I feel that the performer of the music has ‘communicated’ it to me well?

Programme: Week 1. The music of eternity: Week 2. The music escapes the liturgy: The Western classical tradition Week 3. Songs of praise: Hymnody Week 4. Songs of protest and hope: Spirituals, blues and gospel Week 5. Finding spirituality in a music ‘industry’: Pop and Rock music