Songs of Praise to get a 'makeover'.....

[Pabmusic]

The singing of psalms, and of the Canticles, was something the C of E retained from the (Roman) Catholic tradition - but though some of the Canticles are words from the Bible, the Te Deum (for example) certainly isn't.

And what about West Gallery music?

I'm sure you're right. 'West gallery' music may have been just that - music (wasn't Thomas Hardy's father a player?). But the issue was singing - here's a bit of an article about it - not conclusive, but suggestive. The Methodists were so popular partly because of the amount of singing.

Protestant Churches, too, have a strong tradition of singing the Psalms. The Church of England, under heavy Puritan influence, sought to bring about reform by publishing a metrical psalmody that could be sung by a congregation. In 1562 John Day printed the Book of Psalms with psalm text translated by Thomas Sternhold, John Hopkins, and others. Standard metrical patterns were developed that could adapt each of the psalms to a common metrical pattern -- which would then allow the psalm to be sung to one of several standard tunes. Patterns included: Common Meter (8.6.8.6), Short Meter (6.6.8.6), and Long Meter (8.8.8.8). Various adaptations were made in Scotland, New England, etc., but the psalms were the primary focus of singing in many Protestant congregations for hundreds of years.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748) set a new direction for independent or congregational churches when he published his Psalms of David in 1719. Instead of close fitting translations, these hymns were poetic paraphrases of the biblical psalms. The best known of these today are probably "Our God, Our Help in Ages Past" (Psalm 90) and "Joy to the World, the Lord Is Come" (Psalm 98).

[jean]

West Gallery music was sung as well as played!

[Mary Chambers]

Just to clarify, in parish churches psalm singing was of hymn-like metrical psalms, so the introduction of hymns is probably best seen as an evolution rather than an innovation. Psalms were sung to Anglican chants only in cathedrals.

We sang psalms to Anglican chant every day at school in the 1950s, and it wasn't even a church school. I loved it, and to this day have a loathing of 'hymn-like metrical psalms', mostly because of the distortion of what I still think of as the proper words.

[Vox Humana]

'West gallery' music may have been just that - music

I am not sure what you mean, but west gallery music was primarily about singing, not instruments. The core was always a choir of singers. If they were lucky they might be supported by one or more instruments, but very often this was just a single bass instrument - a cello or bassoon - the main function of which was to maintain pitch. I don't know too much about west gallery music, but certainly metrical psalms became enriched by others texts before 1823, e.g. Clark wrote published his tune "Cranbrook" for "Grace 'tis a charming sound" in 1805.

[ardcarp]

I read EA's quote about evangelical worship with interest. It was clearly a diatribe, but I'm sure there must be an element of fact in it. I don'y have much experience of the Happy Clappy tendency, save for attending the funeral of one of my wife's relatives. It was a protracted affair during which many of the attendees felt moved to speak, and yes, arms were often stretched out as described. The 'hymns' were not to my taste, and yes they were far too loud. BUT Mrs A and I (and neither of us are profound believers) came away with a feeling that great love and sincerity were being shown to one of their deceased fellows. It begs the question whether God (or god, or gods if he/she/they exist) actually minds how he is worshipped. And who are we to be prescriptive about it?

Coming back to Songs of Praise, one wonders whether a better solution to the BBC's need to please everyone wouldn't be to keep the location format but to visit places that exhibit excellence in whatever they do musically speaking. So it could be St Custard's Cathedral one week and Hallelujah Hall the next.

[Alison]

It sounds a bit like a 'parish magazine' article bent on ridiculing the practices and people, doesn't it? I don't think it does any credit at all - either to the writer or, particularly, to the magazine that published it.

But that's just from a neutral standpoint. I must just be of a sensitive nature

Spot on Frankie. Thanks. An appalling article indeed and I am disappointed in our learned friends posting of it.

Even at the wildest charismatic events there will be folk doing nothing with their arms. There are no rules.

Happy Clappy is a somewhat pejorative term which completely fails to embrace the breadth of worship songs not to mention the intelligence and sincerity of the believers.

I am in the slightly unusual position of having a foot in both camps - shall we call them cathedral and charismatic - so
Please excuse me for finding Alpie's blinkered attitudes a bit upsetting.

[ardcarp]

I am in the slightly unusual position of having a foot in both camps - shall we call them cathedral and charismatic

Alison, do expand on your cotters and castanets dichotomy! We are all agog. (At least, I am.)

[jean]

I read EA's quote about evangelical worship with interest. It was clearly a diatribe, but I'm sure there must be an element of fact in it...

There's fact in the sense that at such services people do raise their arms and sing in particular ways.

But what the author wants us to accept as fact is that the participants are either malevolent or stupid. That's what's objectionable - just as EA's earlier imputation of cynicism was.

[Mary Chambers]

The article quoted by EA might be objectionable to some, but it still made me laugh. I've only seen happy-clappy worship on TV (I'd run a mile from the real thing), but recognised what the writer was describing.

I have to confess I'm not really a believer. My interest in Christian worship is musical, aesthetic and nostalgic.

[Frances_iom]

But what the author wants us to accept as fact is that the participants are ...r stupid....

For me any belief in a listening interventionsist diety is pretty close to this - the whole nonense that some 'god' has promulagated his desires is IMO the major facade by which true evil is wrought - all is man-made and by man interpreted for the benefit of those in power as a mechanism to control the masses - religion as the opium of the people really makes the point

[bach736]

I've only seen happy-clappy worship on TV (I'd run a mile from the real thing), but recognised what the writer was describing.

As did Harrison Oxley when he submitted this modern anti-hymn to the Organists Review in 2002. (anon - and sung to Repton).

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways,
for most of us, when asked our mind,
admit we still more pleasure find
in hymns of ancient days.

The simple lyrics, for a start,
of many a modern song
are far too trite to touch the heart,
enshrine no poetry, no art,
and go on much too long.

O for a rest from jollity
and syncopated praise!
What happened to tranquillity?
The silence of eternity
is hard to hear these days.

Send Thy deep hush, subduing all
those happy claps that drown
the tender whisper of Thy call.
Triumphalism is not all,
for sometimes we feel down.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness
till all our strummings cease.
Take from our souls the strain and stress
of always having to be blessed.
Give us a bit of peace.

Breathe through the beats of praise guitar
Thy coolness and Thy balm.
Let drum be dumb, bring back the lyre,
enough of earthquake, wind and fire -
let's hear it for some calm.

Amen to that ...

[mangerton]

We sang psalms to Anglican chant every day at school in the 1950s, and it wasn't even a church school. I loved it, and to this day have a loathing of 'hymn-like metrical psalms', mostly because of the distortion of what I still think of as the proper words.

Oh indeed! Here is a prime example from the Scottish Psalter.

Iniquities, I must confess,
prevail against me do:
But as for our transgressions,
them purge away shalt Thou. (Psalm 65)

"The Lord's my Shepherd I'll not want" confused me greatly as a child.

[vinteuil]

Oh indeed! ...

"The Lord's my Shepherd I'll not want" confused me greatly as a child.

I remember as a child being totally baffled at my Primary School when trying to work out what this was all about -

"Thou spread’st a table in my sight;
Thy unction grace bestoweth;
And oh, what transport of delight
From Thy pure chalice floweth!"

[Mary Chambers]

I remember as a child being totally baffled at my Primary School when trying to work out what this was all about -

"Thou spread’st a table in my sight;
Thy unction grace bestoweth;
And oh, what transport of delight
From Thy pure chalice floweth!"

I suppose one could argue that at least there is a challenging vocabulary there!

Much appreciated, as are the previous posts by mangerton and bach736.

[Old Grumpy]

Spot on Frankie. Thanks. An appalling article indeed and I am disappointed in our learned friends posting of it.

Even at the wildest charismatic events there will be folk doing nothing with their arms. There are no rules.

Happy Clappy is a somewhat pejorative term which completely fails to embrace the breadth of worship songs not to mention the intelligence and sincerity of the believers.

I am in the slightly unusual position of having a foot in both camps - shall we call them cathedral and charismatic - so
Please excuse me for finding Alpie's blinkered attitudes a bit upsetting.

Personally, I don't really see what the problem is. I agree, perhaps I would not submit such an article to our local parish magazine. There is room for both approaches to worship and one is not "better" than the other, just different, I would submit.

OG