HAPPIER HYMNS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21520, 17 June 1933, Page 2 (Supplement)

HAPPIER HYMNS

CHANGES IN MELBOURNE Brightness of services OLD AND NEW FAVOURITES Amplifying recent remarks regarding mid-Victorian hymns, wliich have largely become very unpopular with the church-goers of Melbourne, the organist of St. Paul's Cathedral, Dr. Floyd, said lately that objection had been taken to certain composers liko Stainer, Dykes and Barnby. The sugary tunes of theso and other composers, however, were generally the faithful reflection in music of the sugary words they were called upon to set. The " honeyed phrase " of many hymn tunes, Dr. Floyd said, had its counterpart in the succulent and saccharine melodies and harmonies to which they were sung. At their worst, during the period under discussion, both words and music wero sentimental and lugubrious. The moro recent collections and hymn books differed from their predecessors in several notable particulars. They showed a greater virility, a moro scrupulous honesty and a more public-spirited and less individual note. In such hymnals as "Songs of Praise," which was the latest Anglican hymn book, and the revised edition of the Presbyterian Church Hvmnary, were found hymns like " City of God," " 0 Brother Man," Parry's beautiful setting of Blake's "Jerusalem," and settings of other poems by Whittior and Blake. These hymns wero notable examples of the typo which was mak-

ing a wide appeal in England and was gradually winning favour among churchgoers here. "Songs of Praise" was the banner of hymnal progress, Dr. Floyd considered, and Melbourne was in the proud position, as far as he could ascertain, of pioneering its use in Australia. In England, he said, it was in official use in the Liverpool Cathedral and. in innumerablo secondary schools all over the country. In Melbourne it was used at trinity and Ridley College chapels and in a number of the Church of England schools. Hymns from the collection had been used in St. Paul's Cathedral on special occasions. One of them —" Judge Eternal Throned in Splendour"—words bv Canon Scott-Holland sung to the famous Regent Square tune, would be used in the police service at St. Paul's next Sunday. Dr. Floyd said it would be invidious to name any of the older hymns which had become unpopular, as they wero still regarded as favourites by some people. But the modern, hymns mentioned were an indication of tho now direction in church music. The organist and choirmaster of Scots Church, Mr. Herbert Davis, said that

the modern movement in church muuio was toward a brighter and better typo of music. The new Presbyterian hymn book, issued in .Britain about five years ago, had dropped some of tho more morbid hymns, restored many of the fine old tunes to their original form, and introduced a number of excellent modern ones. The new book was widely used in Melbourne, although somo churches, probably because of the expense involved, still retained tho old one.