Hymnody

Hymnody, for the benefit of non-musicians, is the art of either composing or singing hymns or also the entirety of the genre itself. Hymnody is perhaps my very most favorite genre. Hymnology, the study and classification of hymns, is my most tireless pastime. In fact, there are few hymns that I ever tire of.

Let us examine what is and what is not a hymn, strictly speaking. In the liturgical setting it is common to call any religious song a hymn. This is not the case. A hymn traditionally speaking is a four part setting of a poetic text usually based on scripture and other elements of tradition. Protestant hymns tend to be based more exclusively on the Bible. However, "revival hymns" and Gospel as a whole do not necessarily dictate so. Catholics have few good hymns that they did not rip off from Protestants, namely Bach and Wesley. Some hymns are more common in certain denominations than others, and style varies greatly.

What is not a hymn? The harmonization of a hymn is essentially what distinguishes it from a song. Hymns' harmonic structure generally follows exact rules of voice leading and harmonization. There are of coarse numerous exceptions to this generalization and no one particular hymn is "perfect," even Bach's. The other key element of a hymn is that it is composed almost exclusively for choral singing. Songs, however popular and moving they may be, do not compare to hymns in terms of their musical creativity. Songs are generally, almost always, verse and refrain in form. There is an occasional ballad thrown in the mix, but generally these are not meant for congregational or choral singing. Songs often draw from folk traditions and are far less structured than the setting of a hymn.

So why do I have this superiority complex with regard to my liturgical music? I find it degrading as a musician to be asked to play and sing that which is rather uninteresting, mundane, and often over simplified in terms of its harmonic structure. While various songs may have untold spiritual value, they are decidedly trite with regards to how most of them approach harmony. I wish to be challenged and to challenge others to contemplate how many different voices, complex harmonies, and general musical continuity are the model for how Christendom is supposed to function. The degradation and disuse of the hymn, as it is frequently cast aside for something more new and showy, will inevitably leave us with a Church of little substance, depth, and meaning.

The hymn is in my humble opinion perhaps the greatest expression of the love of Christ in music. Hymns by design have an ordered plan and a loving creator. The words that we sing and the way that we sing them mean so very much, so very much even beyond ourselves. Hymns are a hopeful music, and it is this virtue to which we should direct our diremost attention.