Flymn Writers Tell Their Story: FIow Their Lives Were Songsto God

Af{ymnfwtiaof Developedby Hal H. Hopson

hymn f'estivalis an excellent way to begin May the songs on our lips spring from our hearts, may they the choir year and to pnrmote participaticlnin the music rernind us that you are a God of love, and that no sin or failure program of your church. Using the anniversarytheme, Make is beyond your lbrgiveness. Your Lif-ea Song to God, this hymn festival will help your singersand your congregation understandand appreciatehow May our songs remind us that you are a God of beauty and hyrnn writers throughout the ageshave offbred their lives to holiness.Thank you for poets,composers, singers and God. In this article you will find complete information instrumentalistswho join your creativity to bring to lif-eyour regarding the hymn f-estival.the complete text, and a listing of goodnessthrough word and music. "perfor- the hymns. Comments on each hymn are given as to mance practice" and information fbr ordering the music. May our songs remind us that you are the God of all the This is a unique hymn f'estivalthat f-eaturesthe primary attlicted. Therefclre, we remernber the faithful, who having hymn writers through the ages.telling their own story in first rnademusic on this earth, now sing yclur praisesin heaven. person.An appropriatehymn is sung following each hymn writer's comments.It was originally conceivedand written to May our songs remind us that you are the God of all the saints. enhancethe understandingof hymns by all generations, Therefbre. we remember those in whose lives praise is including children. Fur example. each hymnwriter rnay be becauseof injustice,bigotry, poverty, illness or dressedin appropriatecosturne. It is very effective if all hymn ::rt-rtfii, writers memorize their lines and speak directly and naturally to the congregation.Their demeanor and manner of speaking May our songsremind us thatyou areworthy of all our praise. should expressthe characterand nationality they airerepre- May we leavethis place of worshipwith a new resolveto senting.For example. Fanny Crosby, the blind hymn writer. honorwhatever things are honorable, excellent, and worthy of may wear sun_9lasses.walk with a white cane, and be assisted celebration,whatever things are lovely, and gracious, and of to the lectern. The British hymn writers may speak with an good report. appropriateuccent. A short congregationalrehearsal before the hymn f-estival Hearus, O God, as we gatherup our prayersand praisesin the beginswould be helpful. particularlyin explainingthe singing wordswhich our Lord himselftaught us. of Ot'tlre Futher's Love Begotten and People,s,Clup ktur Hurttls. THE LORD'S PRAYER (to be prayedby all)

Hymn Writers Tell Their Story: How Their Lives Were Songsto God OHal H. Hopson.1998. Uscd by perrnission I am Bishop Ambrose of Milan. Prayers to begin the serviceof worship It is my pleasureto be thefirst hymn writerto speakas we beginour hymnjourney. It is recordedin the New Testa- O God.let the Amen soundfrom your peopleagain. Gladly rnentthat the flrst Christianssathered. broke bread and sang we praiseyou filrever.

to TheCHORISTER together.These son_sswere primarily psalms fiom their Jewish texts and tunes myself. From all these various resourceswe heritage.Early Christian hymnody developed fiom two createdwhat is known as the German chorale. influences:persecution and theological discord. My most popular and probably the best known of all A seriouscontroversy in the fourth century was that of the German chorales, rs Eirt fbste Burg, A Migltr Fortres.gIs Our Arians. who deniedthe divinity of Christ.They were a very God. militant and do-{matic-{roup. One day they tried to besiegethe cathedralin Milan. where I was bishop. As they approached HYMN the cathedral.I gatheredthe faithful inside. We sang our A Mighn FortressLs Our God Ein.f'esteBurg hymns with such gllsto and intent that the Arians were fbrced (Congregationsings stanza I and2, andchoir stanza3) to leave. One of my contemporariesin the fourth century was a Spanishpoet named Aurelius Clemens Prudentius.In addition to his hymns being scripturally grounded, they were always objective. The last stanzaswere usually a doxology to the I am John Calvin, a Protestant reformer from Geneva, Holy Trinity: God the Father,the Son and the Holy Spirit. Switzerland. I am credited for establishinghymns in the Christian I havewritten my theologicalviews in a ratherlengthy churches.In the fburth century there were no organs in the treatisecalled theInstitules - 80 chaptersin all. My views of churches,and no harmonized hymns. We sang our hymns in congregationalsong are rather unisonto plainsongmelodies. strict.We singfor onepur- May we capture the unique meaning and beauty of the pose:that is, to praisethe medieval hyrnn O.l'tlteFuther's Loye Begotten as we sing it absolutesovereignty of God as antiphonally. writtenin the Holy Scriptures. I believethat the only texts HYMN worthyof beingsung in public Ol tlte Futlrer'.sLove Be,qottert Divinum mt'sterium worshipare those drawn fiom Holy Scripture,particularly the psalms. The tunesshould be simple,with easilylearned I am Martin Luther. melodiesand rhythms. To When I nailedmy Ninety-FiveTheses to the doorof the achievethis goal,I enlistedthe WittenbergCastle Church in l-517,I startedthe Protestant bestpoets and musicians to Reftrrmation.Springing from this renewalwas a new write songsthat people could hymnody.that is. text in the languageof the peopleand tunes sing. What developed was the metrical psalm. as opposed tc'r thatcould be sungby the entirecongregation. the free fbrm of the medieval chant. These were psalm settings As a Roman Catholic with a hymn-like, predictablestructure in both the text and the priest I enjoyedthe singing music. of the hymns by the monas- Our next selectionis an example of a metrical psalm. tic choir; however, I became Sclmeclf thesetunes have been criticized as being too up-beat. concerned that the congrega- In f'act, Queen Elizabeth sarcastically ref-erredto them as "Genevan tion was singing less and jigr." You will be interestedin an Ordinance issued less.In fact. women had not by Parliarnentin 1644 governing the practice of lining out beenallowed to sing in psalms. It stated: church sincethe sixth We decreethat the whole congregation may join herein. century. Hymn singing had every one that can read is to have a psalm- book. and all been taken over exclusively others, not disabled by age or otherwise, are to be by choirs of monks. exhorted to learn to read. But tor the present.where many I f'elt that it was crucial fbr in the congregationcannot read, it is convenient that the a Protestant hymn to be minister, or sornefit person appointed by him and the createdthat the entire other ruling officers. do lineout the psalm, line by line. consregationcould sin-c.This proved to be a challengeto before the singing of the congregationthereof. poets and rnr.tsiciansalike. Chants were adaptedfrom the Roman Catholic Church into strophic hymn forms. We also Experiencethe joy of connecting with the saintsof past set sacredtexts to funes that the people were singing and centuriesas we sing Psalm 17 to the same tune to which it was whistling in the streets.I was brazenenough to write some sung by the reformers in Geneva well over 400 years ago.

'1998 Summer 17 "lining-out" We will singthis in fashion;that is, the song leaderwill singa line andthe congregationwill simplyrepeat it. This wasa techniqueused by manyof the churchesin the early yearsof the ProtestantReformation to teachpeople the newhymns and psalms. I am Charles Wesley. Singwith.ioy. Psalm 47. I wasthe eighteenthchild bornto Susannaand Samuel Wesley,four yearsafier my brotherJohn was born. METRICAL PSALM Johnand I wereboth Peoples,Clup Your Huntl.v.l Genevan 47 ordainedpriests in the AnglicanChurch in the latterpart of the eighteenth century.Through John's preachingand my I am Isaac Watts. hymnwritingwe created I lived in the seventeenthcentury and was a minister in quitea stir in thechurch of the Independent Church in England. I am ofien referred to as our day.We actually the Fatherof English Hymnody. touchedoff an Evangelical Whenlwasachild, Revival that becamethe congregationalsinging was foundationfor the establish- limited primarily to the ment of the Methodist singingof metricalpsalms. I Church. rememberbeing very boredin I was alwaysready at a "improve church,and I wonderedwhy moment'snotice to an occasion"by writing a hymn "to we sangonly onekind of drivea lessonhome." I wrotehymns everywhere I went - song.I wascomplaining on horseback,on ships.during mealtime, and before going to aboutthis one day to one of sleepat night.I havewritten over 6,000 hymns. Through my the eldersin my church.He textsI attemptedto expressthe raptureof the soul in its "Young replied, man,if you responseto the wonderand the love of God asproclaimed in think they arenot good the gospel.The gospel,for me.demanded that I address enough,find us something importantsocial issues such as human slavery, war, inhuman better."I thoughtto myself, prisons,unjust laws. and the abuseof privilege,power. and "He's right." Oneof my first wealth. hymnsbegan with theselines: Undoubtedly,my mostpopular hymn rs O For u Thou- Beholdthe glories ol the Lamb sandTonguesTo Sirzg.You arefortunate in singingthis Amid his Father'sthrone: reducedversion. My originalversion had l8 stanzas.It has Preparenew honorsfor his name, beencalled the themesong of the MethodistChurch' It was And songsbefirre unknown. inspiredby a commenta devoutChristian friend made to me: "Had I a thousandtongues. I would praiseGod with themall." Hymns beganto flow from my pen.They were all in simplemeters that could be easilysung, and they focused HYMN O for a ThousandTongues to Sittg A:.mon primarilyon the basictenets of theChristian faith. Some have (Directorsmake stanza assignments according to eachchoir, goneso f'aras to saythat I usheredin a goldenera of English serviceand congregation) hymnody.As pastorclf a church,one day I waspreparing a sermonon Galatians6:14. It reads:But f-arbe it for me to -eloryexcept in the crossof our Lord JesusChrist. In readingthis passageI wasinspired to write the hymn Whenl Srrn'el the WontlrousCross. The last stanzagoes like this: I am Catherine Winkworth. Were the whole realmof naturemine, I lived in Englandduring the middle of the nineteenth That were a presentfar too small: century.This is the centuryin which hymnodybroke into the Love so amazing,so divine, establisheclchurch. Until this time hymn singingwas associ- Demandsnry soul,my lif-e,my all. atedmore with the dissentingreligious groups, prayer meet- ingsof the AnglicanEvangelicals, and the MethodistSociety HYMN prayermeetings. When I Sun'evthe WondrousCross Hamburg (Congregationsings stanza I and2, andchoir stanza3) 1B The CHORISTER There developed in the middle of the nineteenthcentury a rencwal of the church's historical catholic tradition. This gave new lit'e to the church iind to hymn singing. Many poets began to translatehynrns into En-slishthat were written originally in Latin and Gernran. I am John Hughes, a singing Baptist from Wales. Some ol'the hyrnns that I have translatedfrom German You probably know how the Welsh people love to sing. are Il Tlun But Tru.stltr God To Guide Thee; Je.sus,Pricele.ss Fortunately.by the time I was born in 1873, hymn singing Treu.sureand Pruise Ye tlte Lord, the Almighr-ir.I translated was well establishedin the Christian churches.Churches in Nov'Tltunk We All Our God into English from a hymn various countries of the world be-[anto develop their own written by the early seventeenth-centuryGerman hymnwriter traditions in hymn tunes and texts. Martin Rinkart. When I was twelve years old. I was forced to work in "And The lincs in this hyrln. keep us in God's grace,and the coal mines of South Wales. All through the week I would guide us when perplexed." have a particular poignant meaning sing or whistle the hymns I learnedon Sunday whrle when one knows that Martin Rinkart was the sole pastor in working deep in the dark, cold mines. Since I developeda Eilenburg, Saxony, during a plague in which he presidedover strong voice at a very early age. I was asked to be the song flve thousandfunerals. including that of his own wif-e. leader in my home church. I taught them songs fiom the NovyThunk We All Our God, rn both its text and music, hymnal, and I also taught them many new hymns by rote. I "The expressesa deep taith in God who was, and is. and shall began to write some tunes myself. One of my tunes. Cv,m "caught be evermore." Rhonddu, really on." It is typical of many of the Welsh tunes I learned as a child: strong in its motion. rich in HYMN its harmony and interestingin its melody. l,'/ov'ThankWe All Our God Nun danket alle Gott The text, Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah, by William (Congregationsin-us stanza I and3, andchoir stanza 2) Williams. was quickly matched to rny new tune. Sing it with gusto and enthusiasm.just as the Welsh would sing it.

HYMN I am Fanny Crosby. GuideMe, O Thou GreatJehovuh CvtrrtRhondclu I have always enjoyed golng to church. I have been blind (Congregationsings stanza I and3, andchoir stanza2) sinceI was six weeks old. SinceI could not see.the soundsof the church serviceswere very important to me. particularly the hymn singin-qot-the congregation.The wonderful singing of the gospel songsduring the summer revival meetings is especiallyvivid in rny memory. At a very early a-ueI began writing gospel song texts. In I am Robert Lowry. fact. I wrote over 11.000dLrring my lifetime. Among them are 1 I wasborn in Philadelphiain the year 1826.As a Baptist Atrr Tltirte. O Ittrd: Close to Thee: Jesus, Keep Me Near the preachertwo thingswere very special to mc - preaching Cro.ss,'Rescue the Peri.sltingand To God Be the Glory'.1 have andsinging. I alsoenjoyed writing hymnsfor congregations learnedthat in a successfulsong, words and music must to sing.One of my mostpopular hymns is Sholl WeGather harmonize. not only in nurnberof syllables,but in subject At theRiver. Let me sharewith you how I cameto write this matter and especially accent.Melodies tell their own tale, and hymn. it is the purposc of the poet to interpret this musical story into On a very hot summerday in 1864.I satin my study laneuage. in Brooklyn,New York, thinkingof my triendsand One clay rny -uoodfriend Phoebe Palmer Knapp dropped parishionerswho hadrecently died. It wasa time whenan by the house firr a visit. She told me she had just written a tune epidernicwas sweepingthrough the city. All aroundfriends and that she had no text fitr it. She besan humminc: andacquaintances were dying. The questionbegan to risein my heart,with unusualemphasis, "Shall we meetagain'?" We areparting at theriver of death.shall we meetat the river of life? My mind wentto the book of Revelation,Chapter 22, whereJohn describes the saintsand angels gathering at the "Fanny. Then she asked me. what does the tune say to you?" I river of life. Beinga somewhatamateur organist. I went into "Why. immediately replied. it says Blessed As.;urance,Je.sus the churchand sat at the organ.I simplygave vent to the " Is Mitte. At that very moment, a new gospel song was born. pennedup emotionsof my heart.and both the wordsand musicof the hymn beganto flow. GOSPELSONG BIes.sed A.s,;tr rurtct,. .l c.stt.s I s M irrc.1 A.Esuruttc'e Summer1998 19 The refrain of nty hymn reinfbrced what I know to be A joyful spirituallike this cannot be sungsitting down. true: (Spokenernphatically) (Motionto stand).I challengeyou to singit with great Yes. we'll gatherat the river. volumeand gusto, and, yes. with soull the bear-rtiful.beautiful river: gatherwith the saintsat the river AFRICAN-AMERICANSPIRITUAL that fkrws by the throne of God. Go. Tell It On the Mourttctirt

HYMN Slrull We Gutltcr At tlte Riyer? Hunson Pluce

I am Sydney Carter. I am a proud Englishman born in London on May 6, "shook 1915.Some have saidthat I them up" in the church I am John Wesley Work II. during the 60's with my new words to hymns and my catchy I was bclrnin ltl72 in Nashville, Tennessee,where I was little tunes in pop-style. I insistedthat church music be less eclucated.worked and died. lt was my privilege to have been inhibited and that it off-erhospitality to musical styles which "What's one of the leaclingfigures in the preservation.performance and it dismissedtoo casually in the past. I say wrong studyol'African-American spirituals.Being a descendantof with a jaunty, spirited song in church. er,'enif it sounds like an ex-slitve.I could identify very closely with the heart-f'elt some of those American pop songs'?"My friend. Erik messiigeinherent in these songs of our people. One of the Routley. called rne the patron saint of the new rnusic - and "Thanks. spiritLralsI collected and arrangedis Go, Tell It On the what a complimentthat was. (looking up) Erik." Moutttuitt.It is in the typical call-and-responsepattern of most I don't claim to be a trainedmusician. I composeonly All'ican-Arnericanspirituals. lt is a simple,compelling and melodies and then prevail upon my friends to harmonize strai-ghtforwardretellirrg ol'the birth narrative found in the them for rne. Oh, yes. I despisethat bel cutlto style ol' secondchapter of St. [-uke's _uospel. singing in church. I pref-erthe hoarseand. earthy technique of pop and fblk singers. Go, Tell It on tl-reMountain I am known primarily for my text Lord of'tlte Durtce which I appropriately matched with the tune SinrpleGilis from the Shaker tradition. My rebel nature is exposedhere portray yes. 'ry- with the audacity to Jesusas a dancer. even O- ver thc hills and ev - where; Lord of the Dance. ln this song I want to say to people: Come. dear Christian fblk. Jesuswas real, He lived. he preached,he died for you. He rose for you. Come. Chris- tians,join the dancewith Jesus.He'll dancewith you if you'll dancewith him. Shall we dance!

thc tiloun . rain That Je - sus Christ HYMN I Dunc'edin the Morning SimpleGilis

Stanza I - Choir, congregationjoins on the refiain Stanza2 - Choir and congregation Stanza3 - Choir only. congregationjoins on the refrain l--: 1. lVl-.ile slrep- hcrdr lcpt their O'er si - lent flocks by niqhr, :Hl'R 0\ Y: 2. Thc slrcb- hcrds feaird and When lo! a - bove ttie eaith Stanza4 - Soloist. choir and congregationjclin in the refrain ALr-:3. Do\rn in- r low - ly Th€ hum-ble Christ was born, Stanza5 - Choir and congrecation

D.C. al Finc BLESSING AND BENEDICTION

We thank you. God. for hymn writers who rnake their

RanR out the an - gr, cho- nrs lhlt l.ai:ed our A:.J- Cud serLt Lrs i:l - va - tlun Thrt bless - ccl lives songsto God through the sharing of their varied gifis and talents.As we sing hymns. both old and new. help us to let the words remind us of the commitment of our lives to you. Let the melody and harmony we createcall us to renew our lives in serviceto you. May the peacecll'God which

20 TheCHORISTER passesall understanding.keep your heartsand minds in the 5. O For u ThousonclTongues To Sing(Azmon) knowledge and love of God. and of our Lord JesusChrist: Variousvoicings may be assignedfor sclmeof the stanzas, And the blessingof God Almighty.the Father,the Son and dependingon thenumber of stanzasin a givenhymnal. One the Holy Spirit. be arnon-uyou and remain with you always. or moreof thefollowing voicings may be used:Choir SATB voices,choir sopranos and altos in unison,choir Amen tenorsand basses in unison,all voices(that is. choir and congregation). Go in peaceto love and serve the Lord 6. Non'ThankWe All Our God (NunDanket Alle Gott) Thanks be to God Nov, ThunkWe All Our God (A hymn concertato).I 1506, Arrangedby Hopson.published by Alfred PublishingCo.. Postludc Inc. Optionalparts for trumpetand nine handballs. The trr"rmpetpart is includedin the anthemscore. The handbell partis availableseparately, No. 12244. Information and Suggestionsfor Each Hymn 7. Bles.sedA.ssurunce, Jesus Is Mine (Assurance) l. O./tlrc Futlrcr'.; Loye Begotten (Divinium mysterium) Found in rnosthymnals. this hymn is sung with no organ B. GuideMe, O TfutuGreut Jehovoh (CWM Rhondda) accompaniment.The congregationis divided into lefi ancl GuideMe, O Thou GreatJehowth: A Httnn Conc'ertuto, ri_shtsides with a singerplaced in a visible position in fiont 7815;Arranged by Hopson.published by Alfied Publishing of each groLlp.These two leadersgive a modest cue when Co., Inc. Optionalparts for brassquartet or quintetand fbur each side is to begin singing each phrase.A rehearsalon this handballs. hyrnn beftlre the service begins is encouraged. 9. Shull WeGather At the Rit,er'?(Hanson Place) 2. Concertato on A Mightt, Fortress Ls Our God (Ein feste Shull WeCuther At theRiver'?, 11401. Arranged by Hal H. Bur_e)available froln Warner Bros. Music Fall 1998. Hopson,published by Altied PublishingC--o.. Inc.

Summer1998