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Views from the Choir Loft

A Blemish On Hymnody Printing?

Jeff Ostrowski · September 13, 2016

OWN THROUGH THE CENTURIES, folks have debated how best to print hymns. Printing “words only” like the Germans used to—and the English still do—has tremendous advantages. For example, it facilitates having multiple tunes for the same text. It also furthers comprehension of the poetry, especially when it comes to “eye rhymes.” It’s also 100 times easier for the typesetter, and looks gorgeous on the page.

This method, however, is problematic for complicated melodies:

125 English Hymnody


I’ve sung that melody for two decades, and know it well. Indeed, it’s always been one of my favorites. 1 Nevertheless, I would greatly struggle to place the correct syllable under the correct neume the way it’s shown here.

For the record, they included this hymn melody in MR3, but the translation is one of the worst I’ve ever come across. I discuss that translation here, and find myself in agreement with composer Paul Inwood. (I never thought I would type those words!) In a nutshell, the editors of MR3 decided they would never use “thee” or “thy,” so they had to find a translation without those words. They feel that congregations cannot comprehend words like “thee” and “thy.” However, their argument doesn’t make sense, because “thy” is used in the Lord’s Prayer at every Mass—yet nobody struggles to understand it.

In conclusion, if the hymn tune is extremely complicated, the words should probably appear under the notes.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   I know this variant, as well as the Editio Vaticana version (which is more commonly encountered).

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3). I'm not a fan of chant in octaves, but we had such limited time to rehearse, it seemed the best choice. After all, everyone should have an opportunity to learn “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium,” which summarizes Candlemas.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Giovanni Doni is known for having changed the name of note “Ut,” renaming it “Do.” He convinced his contemporaries to make the change by arguing that 1) “Do” is easier to pronounce than “Ut,” and 2) “Do” is an abbreviation for “Dominus,” the Latin word for the Lord, Who is the tonic and root of the world. There is much academic speculation that Giovanni Doni also wanted to imprint himself into musical canon in perpetuity because “Do” is also ulteriorly an abbreviation for his family name.

— Giovanni Battista Doni died in 1647AD

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