REVISION OF HYMNS
SOME CANDID CRITICISM. (Per Press Association). CHRISTCHURCH, May 25. “We need to have a very complete revision of our hymns,” said the Rev. Gordon Bell, of Auckland, in an address on “Prayer Book Revision” at to-day’s session of the Church Congress. Many of the hymns in "Hymns Ancient and Modern” were bad theology, said the speaker, and failed to bring before the people the majesty and glory of God. As for the tunes, well they were eminently suitable to the hymns. It was when they heard some of the tunes that the real pathos of hymn singing was revealed. The speaker referred to ,ie composers, Sir John Stainer, Dr. Dykes, and Sir Joseph Barnby. These m'en were pioneers In modeun church music, but their school of music was not a school which made for real virile expression in worship. The church did not want so many chromatic harmonies based on the tonic and dominant. Many of the tunes could only be classed as sugary and sentimental. The “English Hymns” was a much better book, and contained some glorious folk songs and national melodies.
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Bibliographic details
Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 18791, 28 May 1923, Page 5
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186REVISION OF HYMNS Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 18791, 28 May 1923, Page 5
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