bluebell Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 49 minutes ago, Amulek said: I agree. To be honest, I can live with them just taking up space. But if they are costing us in terms of copyright payments or whatnot, then why not go ahead and thin the heard a bit? That seems like a reasonable enough plan. If it were up to me, I would start by taking Beautiful Savior out of the Children's Songbook and moving it into the main hymnal where it belongs. Yes! 2
HappyJackWagon Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 I nominate we remove all songs with the Organ as primary accompaniment 1
Scott Lloyd Posted January 28, 2020 Author Posted January 28, 2020 3 hours ago, Bernard Gui said: Unintended consequences. I’m not so sure how unintended it was. When the meeting block was shortened to two hours, the guidelines suggested Relief Society lessons could be augmented with occasional hymn singing. There was no comparable suggestion for the men.
Kenngo1969 Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 14 hours ago, Bernard Gui said: ... Any hymn one proposes to delete will have passionate devotees who will defend it to the death. There is no accounting for taste. Ya best watch yerself, there, Pilgrim! Yer talkin' about summa mah favorite hymns!!!
2BizE Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 16 hours ago, mnn727 said: While I personally like the song I agree with you and would be ok if it were gone. Whats wrong with I Believe in Christ? that should stay if any song does. I like the words and message of I believe in Christ, I just find it hard to sing. No other reason. 1
bluebell Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 20 minutes ago, HappyJackWagon said: I nominate we remove all songs with the Organ as primary accompaniment Please yes. 1
bluebell Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 Just now, 2BizE said: I like the words and message of I believe in Christ, I just find it hard to sing. No other reason. I'm with you on that. It's one of my least favorite songs because it goes on forever and the hymnal arrangement is lackluster. 1
mfbukowski Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 1 hour ago, Amulek said: I agree. To be honest, I can live with them just taking up space. But if they are costing us in terms of copyright payments or whatnot, then why not go ahead and thin the heard a bit? That seems like a reasonable enough plan. If it were up to me, I would start by taking Beautiful Savior out of the Children's Songbook and moving it into the main hymnal where it belongs. Well having only been in the church 40 years and having served in a lot of callings, but never primary, there are a lot of these I have never even heard of. 1
Scott Lloyd Posted January 28, 2020 Author Posted January 28, 2020 5 hours ago, Amulek said: It seems that your :sarcasm: emoji is missing. Maybe try using the eye-roll one instead - that ought to work just as well. . Given that Bluebell awarded you a like point, you are probably right about her being sarcastic. But I took her seriously about the music to “If You Could Hie to Kolob.” To me the music is beautiful if a bit unusual. I love to sing it at home as I chord along on the guitar. And I disagree it is difficult to sing. For one thing, the note range is fairly narrow, which makes it very accessible to most people. And the text is beautiful as well, as it opens the mind to pondering the expansiveness of eternity. 1
Scott Lloyd Posted January 28, 2020 Author Posted January 28, 2020 (edited) On 1/28/2020 at 8:11 AM, bluebell said: It was easy to find so no worries. https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2018/06/18/mormon-church-creating-new-hymnbooks-for-adults-children/ "The faith’s governing First Presidency — President Russell M. Nelson and his two counselors, Dallin H. Oaks and Henry B. Eyring — already has assembled committees “to recommend revisions to the current music collections.” The new hymnbook and children’s songbook will offer “the same hymns and songs in all languages,” the release said. “National anthems will not be included in the printed hymnbooks.” I guess we'll have to see if that means no patriotic songs at all or just no anthems. I’m not sure I like this total cultural homogenization of the hymn book. One of my favorite Swedish Christmas carols I learned singing it in church while on a mission there in the ‘70s. I recently learned it was eliminated with the 1985 revision. That saddened me. Edited February 3, 2020 by Scott Lloyd
Calm Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 Just now, Scott Lloyd said: I’m not sure I like this total cultural homogenization of the hymn book. One of my favorite Swedish Christmas carols I learned singing it in church while in a mission there in the ‘70s. I recently learned it was eliminated with the 1985 revision. That saddened me. I would wait to see how it works out with the digital option.
Scott Lloyd Posted January 28, 2020 Author Posted January 28, 2020 3 hours ago, MustardSeed said: Anyone remember the primary song Stairway to Heaven? Do you mean the one by Led Zeppelin or the one by Neil Sedaka?
Scott Lloyd Posted January 28, 2020 Author Posted January 28, 2020 (edited) 23 minutes ago, Calm said: I would wait to see how it works out with the digital option. Yes. I’m curious about how workable that will be. Will everyone be expected to carry smartphones or other devices so they can access the digital-only options in congregational singing? Edited January 28, 2020 by Scott Lloyd
Garden Girl Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 15 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said: But I took her seriously about the music to “If You Could Hie to Kolob.” To me the music is beautiful if a bit unusual. And I disagree it is difficult to sing. For one thing, the note range is fairly narrow, which makes it very accessible to most people. And the text is beautiful as well, as it opens the mind to pondering the expansiveness of eternity. This is a beautiful if not unusual hymn... but the hymn that brings tears to me no matter how many times we sing it is "How Great Thou Art." But I dislike (intensely) "Praise to the Man" and would happily see it excluded. I'm thankful for all that Joseph did, and endured, to help bring forth the Gospel, but to me this hymn is too seemingly worshipful... GG 2
topcougar Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 23 hours ago, Scott Lloyd said: Almost all of the hymns in our book are not keyed in a comfortable vocal range for me to sing the lead or melody part. But since nearly all are arranged in four-part vocal harmony, it’s a simple matter for me to follow the bass line. Since I like to harmonize anyway, it’s a satisfying experience for me to sing our hymns. Wholeheartedly agree- this hymn is unsingable for me.
The Nehor Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 1 hour ago, HappyJackWagon said: I nominate we remove all songs...... I think we should shorten your suggestion. Then we ask the entire congregation to join with the angelic choir in singing the song currently being performed. If you are not worthy to hear it you are not worthy to sing with them either so it works out. Bonus as more people will feel guilty.
Scott Lloyd Posted January 28, 2020 Author Posted January 28, 2020 5 minutes ago, topcougar said: Wholeheartedly agree- this hymn is unsingable for me. Ah, a man after my own vocal range!
Rain Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 11 hours ago, Bernard Gui said: I like the hymns that are in unison because I can mess with the harmonies when I play them on the organ. Can’t do that when the congregation is singing four part harmony. My son Abogadissimo thinks that’s how the highly ornamented music of the Baroque period got started....Church organists got bored with playing the same tunes and harmonies over and over, so they started adding little things here and there, and then it mushroomed. Sounds likely to me. I get that urge all the time. That may be how I got the harmony parts! Lol Hearing the organist add to them. 1
Rain Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, Derl Sanderson said: I Believe in Christ. If it can't go, at least be honest and divide it into eight verses instead of trying to bluff us into thinking it's only four. The thing is way too long. Like a Mahler Symphony but without the genius. It is almost painful to sing it! Quote Do What is Right. I don't believe that "angels above us are silent notes taking." Same goes for the second verse of Dearest Children God is Near You where angels "keep a faithful record of the good and bad you say." Sounds like Google. Ring Out Wild Bells. Hideous hymn. Changing the last chord from minor to major isn't nearly enough to redeem the darkness of the thing. I don't know. My husband and I find it kind of entertaining, but maybe we shouldn't be laughing during sacrament meeting. Quote Put Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing back in. Once I would have said, "yes please" on this. I love singing it, but so many sing it in performances that I worry it would be done to death singing it as a congregation and I don't want my feelings for the song to be colored by that. So very mixed feelings on how I feel about this. Quote Restore the phrase "only he who does something is worthy to live" in verse two of Have I Done any Good? Maybe if people realized we're gonna take 'em out and kill 'em if they turn down church calls, we'd have an easier time staffing the nursery. While of These Emblems We Partake has two versions (#173 and #174). We NEVER sing the second, which has a much more appealing accompaniment. Hose #173. Must be a ward thing. We, in all of my wards, have sung both ways. Edited January 28, 2020 by Rain
Amulek Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 1 hour ago, Scott Lloyd said: Given that Bluebell awarded you a like point, you are probably right about her being sarcastic. But I took her seriously about the music to “If You Could Hie to Kolob.” To me the music is beautiful if a bit unusual. I love to sing it at home as I chord along on the guitar. Oh, I think the like point was more for my good-natured disagreement about the tune, or for the other part of my comment about the hymns in general. Most people I know actually like "If You Could Hie to Kolob" well enough. I usually tend to be an outlier on this one. Quote And I disagree it is difficult to sing. For one thing, the note range is fairly narrow, which makes it very accessible to most people. I don't think it's difficult to sing from a musical perspective (e.g., tempo, range, etc.). It's difficult to sing because it is just so monotonously boring. You know, sort of like how those Twlight books are so difficult to read. Not because they are really challenging from any sort of literary perspective, but because I can only stomach so much of the material. Seriously, how much pining can one teenage girl do? That Bella has got to have set some sort of record. Quote And the text is beautiful as well, as it opens the mind to pondering the expansiveness of eternity. The last two verses of the song are, quite literally: "There is no end to [fill-in-the-blank]." I'm sure it was meant to be deep, or thoughtful (or whatever), but, as I said before, after about a stanza or so my mind starts filling in the blank with the words "this song." It's just not for me. I'm glad that you enjoy it though. 1
maj Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 22 hours ago, 2BizE said: I vote that Praise to the Man be removed. It is clearly prophet worship. We should be singing praises to Christ, not Joseph Smith. I also don’t care much for Because I Have been given much. It is hard to sing and I get tired and just Quit. Same with I believe in Christ. Those three are ones I vote to Kick out of the hymnal. Praise to the Man uses a Scottish melody and having served a mission there I would miss it... 1
Scott Lloyd Posted January 28, 2020 Author Posted January 28, 2020 1 hour ago, bluebell said: I'm with you on that. It's one of my least favorite songs because it goes on forever and the hymnal arrangement is lackluster. John Longhurst, the composer of the hymn and a former principal Salt Lake Tabernacle organist, gave me the back story on this when I interviewed him at the time of his retirement. He said when the current (1985) hymn book was being prepared, he was assigned to compose music for words that Elder McConkie had written for inclusion in the new book. It was a daunting task, because the text Elder McConkie had written had eight verses — far more than a typical hymn and, in Brother Longhurst’s view, far too many for a congregational hymn. He wrote a musical setting and proposed that only four of the verses be published. Well, word came back that Elder McConkie would not have it. He directed that the entire poem must be included in the hymn. Brother Longhurst, admittedly under deadline pressure, resolved the matter by repeating the music in each verse and calling it one verse, thus converting an eight-verse hymn into one with only four verses. To me, the music sounds fine, though it does seem long. But I’m curious about what you would have had Brother Longhurst do to solve his conundrum. 2
Scott Lloyd Posted January 28, 2020 Author Posted January 28, 2020 11 minutes ago, maj said: Praise to the Man uses a Scottish melody and having served a mission there I would miss it... The melody is only half of its appeal, but it is enjoyable. Very stirring. It makes for a jubilant celebration of the prophet’s life and mission instead of what might have been a mournful lamentation about his martyrdom (as, for example, the one in earlier hymn book versions, “O Give Me Back My Prophet Dear”). It’s a great song all around. I will not be quiet about it if it ever is removed from the hymn book. But then, I do love Brother Joseph, and I’m not backward about saying so. 2
Kenngo1969 Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 18 hours ago, MustardSeed said: Let’s add The Devil went down to Georgia. Feel good song about reigning victorious over the fight against satan. Plus it has a cool fiddle solo. And Don Bernardo can play that thar fiddle solo in his ward! 1
MustardSeed Posted January 28, 2020 Posted January 28, 2020 2 hours ago, Scott Lloyd said: Do you mean the one by Led Zeppelin or the one by Neil Sedaka? I like all things by Zep.
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