Musical Notes
After a few months or so, how are you getting on with the new hymn book “Singing the Faith”? To be honest, we’ve hardly scratched the surface!
Apart from the fact that the words are projected on a screen, a high percentage of the hymns have been the ones that we are used to singing.
Selection has tended to err on the safe side. Occasionally you will be aware that a word or phrase is not quite as you remember it - the editors have been at it again.
Recently I spent several minutes looking in the index for “Thy hand, O God has guided” etc and discovered that it is now “Your hand O God...” I know that we are uncomfortable when we don’t know the words or tunes but that is the challenge we face and unless we do we will never discover what treasures there are for our enrichment.
Over many years I have taken great pleasure and inspiration searching the hymn book and discovering or renewing acquaintances with the poetry, quality of writing and new tunes. This to me is the main drawback in electronic projection of the words - once they are gone from the screen there is no backup. Unless, of course you have invested in a hymn book.
For myself I like to have a book in my hand and, in any case, there is no music on the screen. I prefer to follow the music and, when the tune is too high for my voice, I can at least try to sort out alternative notes or create my own imperfect harmony. And even when the tunes are set in harmony, the editors have again taken a hand, slightly changing familiar harmonies or making a completely new setting.
Having said all this, the new hymn book with tunes is jolly heavy so four verses is better than 5 or 6.
A hundred years ago, 1912, a child was born who grew up to be possibly the most loved female singer of the 20th century. Her voice was unique and instantly recognisable and her recordings and live performances are still treasured by many. Kathleen Ferrier died tragically young at 41 but her personality and music lives on.
John Garrett