Is this book any good?
Im looking to find a book that has some of the hymns in that we used to sing at school, and this appears to haved the majority of them, although not Give me joy in my heart.
thanks.
HC

http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/079266/details.html

It looks like standard Mayhew hymnody. I'm sure it'll be ok. Some of the harmonies / accompaniments might not be anything special, but I guess that's par for the course with bop-bop ding-ding type stuff. Give me peas in my pod can be found in most hymnals, such as BBC Come and Praise, which may well have some of your school hymns in. I guess this is less likely if you sing a hearty RC repertoire... Celebration Hymnal is very good if this is the case.

Take a look at "Common Praise"...

Far better than any of Mayhew's offerings, in my opinion.

What did you used to sing at school, HC?

Nice edit there, HG!!

Colors of Day
Give thanks, with a grateful heart
Can you hear the raindrops
Salazar's Gloria
Give me joy...
Be still for the presence of the Lord
Bless the lord, my soul
I, the lord
Father i place into your hand.
The perfect face
Gather us in
halle, halle, halle
Here in this place
Lord of the Dance
Teach me to Dance
Jubilate, Everybody
Lord the light of your love...
Lord i lift your name on high
Shine jesus shine
the servant king
Ye shall go out with joy

to name a few...

What a horrendous selection. When I was a lad we used to sing 'When a knight won his spurs'. What a great tune that is...

Thanks.
I Rather enjoyed being the person who chose the hymns.

Most of these are not hymns, they are worship songs.

fine, 'worship songs'
Oh, and if your thinking about saying i must be 'happy clappy' im not, i just like those songs. Accompanied by either piano or organ, not guitar.

I am clearly an old f*rt - I am a big fan of sturdy English tunes and prose...

I think you'd probably be best looking at 'Songs of Fellowship', HC, where you'll probably find most if not all of those in your selection.

How about The Complete MP?

I thought that hymns and anthems were worship songs.

The list seems to be rather old-fashioned (or old fashioned style,) pieces, much in the Songs of Fellowship idiom of the 1960s. Riff, rave, bop, pop, heavy metal, country and western, hip hop, even jazz in its many forms, are all absent. Neither is there any piece with significant theology in it. This is disappointing.

Barry Williams

Good word, sturdy. Away with this candy-floss stuff!

I do have some time for Barry's implication that contemporary worship ought to be genuinely contemporary, but what if the church were to drag its music up to date? I do wonder what would happen when these styles pass out of fashion. It leaves no room for classics, which are by definition out of date. Maybe that doesn't matter.

Me, I'm happy to stick with the timelessness of traditional hymn styles, many of which have stood the test of centuries.

But then, I'm another old f*rt.

I sang most of these when at school. A word in their favour, at least most children can understand the words!

Traditional hymns do tend to be a bit archaic or opaque for the average primary school child who's only experience of religion is in their school assemblies singing songs like those mentioned. Some of them do have pleasant melodies and express a simplistic message that's probably pitched about right for smaller children.

That said, I do clearly remember being about 5, and wondering why we asking God to set us on fire all the time...

I agree that most of these can be found in either NMP or its little brother, Junior Praise.

From my accustomed position on the fence I will say that there is a place for these songs and they are fun to sing; I often provided the piano accompaniment when doing time as a Sunday School teacher.

They are a bug*er on the organ, and I dread them when they crop up at weddings (and they do).

I would contend that children have no problem with traditional hymns if they are taught them - it was normal practice up until the 60s and 70s.

'They are a bug*er on the organ'

Organist Publications Limited is publishing one hundred and fifty Choral Choruses later this year. This collection comprises the most popular items, skilfully arranged for four part choir and made practical on the organ. This should make life easier for those who have to undertake instant arrangments for the organ. It may also add interest for those choirs that have to sing them.

Barry Williams

I remember staring glazed-ly at the title of one which read

' Do something new, Lord'

Seemed quite appropriate - said with a sigh of course!

Thanks for that, Barry - I must watch out for it!

Sounds good. Something like the RSCM "Sing with all my soul"?

Do remember though that even polishing a turd still leaves you with a turd.
We use SWAMS at our church and although two or three of the choruses are 'improved' with SATB+organ, the rest are still pretty dire...

For anyone wanting a modern hymn (within the last 5 years) - Look up the tune 'Freshwater' (John Barnard... him of Christ Triumphant fame) and the words 'no words O Lord, can tell the wonder of your love) - It is a superb piece of hymnody, which doesn't seem to have quite found it's mark yet, unfortunatly

I think it will be rather better, actually. It is almost finished - just four more to go! Some are truly dire and many are out of copyright -seriously unmodern!!!!!!

Barry Williams

That sounds like a signal service to church musicians and one that is long overdue. All good wishes for the book; I am sure it will be very worthwhile and will deserve to succeed.