Intro and ending to a Psalm or Hymn

[quantum]

One thing that may help you when researching hymns is the tune name (as myorgan demonstrated above). The tune and text of a hymn can be two separate things, and matching tunes and texts can be interchanged. Your hymn book may have different tunes matched to the text as other hymn books, and there are likely cultural and regional traditions in place as well.

If you can identify the tune name for a particular hymn you can then use that tune name to research online, as opposed to using the common title or first line (which is obviously problematic when searching outside the vernacular language). Depending on the hymn book, the tune name can be printed beside the composer details, or maybe even beside the common title. It might also have a set of numbers printed beside it these numbers indicate the meter of the text. If the tune and text have the same meter they can be exchanged.


Just noticed something when examining your link and hymnary.org:
The text in your link, Neem my lewe, laat dit Heer has a meter of 77.77.77, with Toplady as the associated tune.
According to Hymnary, Take My Life and Let it Be has a meter of 77777 (that's one 7 less) with the most commonly used tune listed as Hendon.

The meters don't match.

It seems the tune you are looking to study is Toplady, if that is the tune you use at your church, or one with a compatible meter.

If you were wondering how Toplady was found, it is because I recognized it from the linked mp3 for #190. It would have meant more research if the tune was unfamiliar to me. Here's the Hymnary link to that tune
http://www.hymnary.org/tune/toplady_hastings

[Tour Biker]

Just noticed something when examining your link and hymnary.org:
The text in your link, Neem my lewe, laat dit Heer has a meter of 77.77.77, with Toplady as the associated tune.
According to Hymnary, Take My Life and Let it Be has a meter of 77777 (that's one 7 less) with the most commonly used tune listed as Hendon.

The meters don't match.

It seems the tune you are looking to study is Toplady, if that is the tune you use at your church, or one with a compatible meter.

If you were wondering how Toplady was found, it is because I recognized it from the linked mp3 for #190. It would have meant more research if the tune was unfamiliar to me. Here's the Hymnary link to that tune
http://www.hymnary.org/tune/toplady_hastings

Wow! You have just answer my other question before I even asked it, cause I was a bit scared I still got something wrong! I noticed the "tune" wasn't familiar to me and I thought... my mistake! I have to give one small credit to that site and that is the MP3 play associated with the listing.

I have had some great communications lately with organists all over SA. In this country Intro's and Outgo's are played most of the time. The replies from this forum confirm the fact that the intro can be any part as "That particular" congregation is used to their organist. Someone said to me yesterday that the organist becomes a part of the congregation and most of the time a congregation is uneasy with a new or temporary organist.

Something that is also catching on here is the "youth bundle" with songs in both Afrikaans and English. I like to "jam" on my organ practicing Psalms and Hymns with a beat. I develop a sort of rhythm when I play without beat. The same rule goes with playing from the youth bundle. Intro and Outro.

Thanks for the replies!
Johan

[quantum]

I have had some great communications lately with organists all over SA. In this country Intro's and Outgo's are played most of the time. The replies from this forum confirm the fact that the intro can be any part as "That particular" congregation is used to their organist. Someone said to me yesterday that the organist becomes a part of the congregation and most of the time a congregation is uneasy with a new or temporary organist.

Glad to hear you were able to contact local musicians and learn more on local playing traditions.

It can be both good and bad if a congregation gets very accustomed to a particular organist. The good: as they know each other well, they can dive deeper into music making rather than simply following the leader. The bad: certain habits, not all of them good ones, can be ingrained with the congregation. A congregation may over time associate a bad habit with "tradition" and make working with other musicians difficult. If you are going in as an unfamiliar organist, ease into the congregations singing traditions. Over time as you build trust, you can gently wean them off certain habits and direct them towards better music making.

[buricco]

Funnily, I've never associated "Take my life and let it be" with HENDON, but always with with MESSIAH (77.77 D), which is what both the 1966 and 1989 Methodist hymnals pair it with. HENDON was for "Ask ye what great thing I know".

I know TOPLADY for "Rock of ages, cleft for me".

[Jimmy D]

Going back to when I had to "retype" traditional standard for my HS in music theory... Most hyms can easily be introduced by the last 4 to 8 "measures"(in 4s).... It reinforces the chorus/theme and sigals when to sing

[Tour Biker]

I haven't posted for a while... cause I'm building my own organ now! I had the opportunity on the pipe organ and realize the FE30 is no good for me anymore! I started my journey with church music, Psalm and Hymns on Virtual organ! A picture first... here is my organ in creation!

I will try and keep focus on the subject of Psalms and Hymns and will take PM's about the software I choose.

The presets on the organ samples is absolutely awesome! This is essential to practice intro's and outgo's.

I have started recording Psalms and Hymns and will combine a variety in one video in stead of having a video for each. My idea is to play it the way we do here in rural South Africa. The idea of the video will be religious soft listening style... More the use of soft pipes and from the swell's division rather than a constant full organ... Although the Great division does sound awesome...

This is a real interesting subject and I found all the comments awesome!

Organ Greetings!
Johan

[myorgan]

I will try and keep focus on the subject of Psalms and Hymns and will take PM's about the software I choose.

Johan,

No need to keep the conversation private--just start a new thread in the forum for Virtual Organs or MIDI. I'm sure you can benefit from the wealth of information there, and we can benefit from your input as you travel the road of the virtual organ.

Best of luck in your endeavor.

Michael

P.S. Is there a reason you chose the 3.5 Octave keyboard rather than a full 5-Octave 61-note keyboard? I would think you would find it helpful to have the full keyboard for Hymns and/or Classical music.