mnn727 Posted October 14, 2019 Posted October 14, 2019 A while back it was announced that the Church was working on new Hymnals -- anyone have any updates on that?
Ahab Posted October 14, 2019 Posted October 14, 2019 I think if the new hymnals had arrived already there would be someone to let us know, kind of like this 4
Bernard Gui Posted October 14, 2019 Posted October 14, 2019 (edited) The previous revision took a very long time to find its way to the pews. A friend who was on the committee then told me some of the process. It is a big undertaking, but as a music composer and arranger myself, I think the advancements in music transcription technology will make it tons and tons easier. Edited October 14, 2019 by Bernard Gui 2
ksfisher Posted October 14, 2019 Posted October 14, 2019 2 hours ago, mnn727 said: A while back it was announced that the Church was working on new Hymnals -- anyone have any updates on that? "Two small committees have begun to wend their way through a mountain of 17,000 new songs submitted for long-awaited revisions of the hymnbook and children's songbook of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." "No timeline has been set for publishing the revised hymnal and children's songbook. Once the lineup has been selected and approved, Livingston said, "It takes about nine to 12 months to print a hymnbook with as many copies as we need in English worldwide." https://www.deseret.com/2019/8/4/20755999/call-for-a-new-church-hymnbook-generates-17-000-submissions-suggestions#michael-young-a-school-teacher-musician-songwriter-composer-and-member-of-the-tabernacle-choir-sings-and-plays-his-piano-as-he-prepares-to-work-on-a-song-at-his-tooele-home-on-monday-july-15-2019-young-partnered-on-more-than-100-submissions-for-the-hymnbook-and-childrens-songbook-for-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints 2
LoudmouthMormon Posted October 14, 2019 Posted October 14, 2019 Sounds like 2021-ish. At the earliest.
bluebell Posted October 14, 2019 Posted October 14, 2019 I believe when the new hymnbook was announced they said it would be at least three years. Unless I'm remembering that wrong.
ksfisher Posted October 14, 2019 Posted October 14, 2019 21 minutes ago, LoudmouthMormon said: Sounds like 2021-ish. At the earliest. With the number of approvals a new hymn book needs (I'm assuming all the way up to First Presidency) I think you're being optimistic. 3
Scott Lloyd Posted October 14, 2019 Posted October 14, 2019 There are plenty of appealing hymns in the current hymnal that we rarely sing — because when we do, people complain that they don’t know them. How can we come to know them if we never sing them? Presumably, a substantial portion of the new hymn book will be original material. If we are reluctant to sing unfamiliar hymns now, does it make sense to think we will be any different then? I’m apprehensive about what hymns will be left out of the new book. “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” did not catch on among our people until after it had already been cut from the lineup with the publication of the current hymnal in 1985. And it only gained acceptance thereafter because Mack Wilberg popularized it with his arrangements for his BYU choirs.
Scott Lloyd Posted October 14, 2019 Posted October 14, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, ksfisher said: With the number of approvals a new hymn book needs (I'm assuming all the way up to First Presidency) I think you're being optimistic. Only after one committee had been called and released and another subsequently called did the 1985 hymn book receive approval. People are very opinionated about music and hymns, not the least of whom are Church leaders. Edited October 14, 2019 by Scott Lloyd 2
esodije Posted October 14, 2019 Posted October 14, 2019 The cynic in me wonders how many new hymns with lyrics written by current apostles will appear in the new hymnal. Theoretically, the royalties from having a hymn published could be massive.
Calm Posted October 14, 2019 Posted October 14, 2019 1 hour ago, Scott Lloyd said: Presumably, a substantial portion of the new hymn book will be original material. If we are reluctant to sing unfamiliar hymns now, does it make sense to think we will be any different then? If it was announced by Pres Nelson that part of our personal study was to learn these hymns (online audio provided as now, iirc for parts as well), a smaller core of global hymns (as was described) could likely be easily learned, especially if instruction to music directors was to work systematically through the hymn book (we had the same chorister for decades and she started on the first page of each section, ie Christmas, general, and sacrament, and thus moved through the entire book). After a few years of using the core to establish familiarity, there would have been time for local committees to approve the local choices that are to be put online iirc and then printed off as needed on bulletins or phones used.
Ahab Posted October 14, 2019 Posted October 14, 2019 I wonder if this has been set to music yet? And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/rev/14?lang=eng
rpn Posted October 14, 2019 Posted October 14, 2019 (edited) The biggest challenge in my thought would be what to put in it to make it a truly international hymnbook. Every hymn will have to work in many languages. And do we need more than 150 total hymns --- one year three a sunday? I think I read in one of the announcements that in addition to what was released universally around the world, there would be a digital archive for individual congregations to use as they chose. Edited October 14, 2019 by rpn 1
Hamba Tuhan Posted October 14, 2019 Posted October 14, 2019 I'm looking forward to singing Nigerian hymns in translation! 3
Scott Lloyd Posted October 14, 2019 Posted October 14, 2019 7 minutes ago, rpn said: The biggest challenge in my thought would be what to put in it to make it a truly international hymnbook. Every hymn will have to work in many languages. And do we need more than 150 total hymns --- one year three a sunday? I think I read in one of the announcements that in addition to what was released universally around the world, there would be a digital archive for individual congregations to use as they chose. Diminishing the selection is the wrong move, imo. Variety is the spice of life. And I will always come down on the side of flexibility and ample selection. I don’t like how music is starting to get short-shrift in the Church. Often as not in our ward these days we ditch the intermediate hymn because there’s not enough time for it and the scheduled speakers. There’s no more hymn singing in priesthood meeting. Don’t know how it is in Relief Society.
Scott Lloyd Posted October 14, 2019 Posted October 14, 2019 8 minutes ago, Hamba Tuhan said: I'm looking forward to singing Nigerian hymns in translation! Like “The Lion Sleeps”? 😉
Gillebre Posted October 15, 2019 Posted October 15, 2019 58 minutes ago, Ahab said: I wonder if this has been set to music yet? And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/rev/14?lang=eng A woman on my mission told me that the song in D&C 84: 99-102 fit perfectly with Come, O Thou King of Kings.
Hamba Tuhan Posted October 15, 2019 Posted October 15, 2019 33 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said: Like “The Lion Sleeps”? 😉 That works. Also this one: 1
Scott Lloyd Posted October 15, 2019 Posted October 15, 2019 6 minutes ago, Gillebre said: A woman on my mission told me that the song in D&C 84: 99-102 fit perfectly with Come, O Thou King of Kings. Not in terms of meter.
Gillebre Posted October 15, 2019 Posted October 15, 2019 I admit to not knowing any better, so I'll take you at your word, it was just an interesting thought.
sunstoned Posted October 15, 2019 Posted October 15, 2019 It seems with the advancement of technology a digital hymnal shouldn't be ruled out. It would make updating the song catalog much easier. 2
Ahab Posted October 15, 2019 Posted October 15, 2019 12 hours ago, sunstoned said: It seems with the advancement of technology a digital hymnal shouldn't be ruled out. It would make updating the song catalog much easier. Do you mean like this: https://www.lds.org/music/library/hymns or like the one we have on our LDS Tools app?
longview Posted October 15, 2019 Posted October 15, 2019 17 hours ago, rpn said: The biggest challenge in my thought would be what to put in it to make it a truly international hymnbook. Every hymn will have to work in many languages. And do we need more than 150 total hymns --- one year three a sunday? I think I read in one of the announcements that in addition to what was released universally around the world, there would be a digital archive for individual congregations to use as they chose. From the earlier Deseret News link, an interesting note: "One new feature of the new books will be that they will all, regardless of language, have the same hymns in the same order with the same hymn number, part of a desire to foster global unity in the church."
Scott Lloyd Posted October 15, 2019 Posted October 15, 2019 17 hours ago, Gillebre said: I admit to not knowing any better, so I'll take you at your word, it was just an interesting thought. You don’t have to take me at my word. Just turn to the scripture and try to sing the words to the melody of “Come O Thou King of Kings.” It will be immediately obvious it doesn’t work.
Scott Lloyd Posted October 15, 2019 Posted October 15, 2019 (edited) 20 hours ago, esodije said: The cynic in me wonders how many new hymns with lyrics written by current apostles will appear in the new hymnal. Theoretically, the royalties from having a hymn published could be massive. If you can demonstrate that royalties are paid for ANY of the hymns in the hymn book, especially to General Authorities (or their estates), I’ll be extremely surprised. Edited October 15, 2019 by Scott Lloyd 1
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