Contemporary Hymns
  • E_A_FulhorstE_A_Fulhorst
    Posts: 381
    Discussion of Year of Faith hymn included some disgust that it was called a hymn. This point suggests a question: Are there any contemporary hymns? That is, in hymn form, in four-part harmony? Or does "contemporary" cancel out the need to apply any form whatsoever at any time?
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,152
    I've composed music for a few hymns and even penned the words for a couple of hymns. Here are some, most of them published at CPDL and posted on my CPDL composer page.

    Let Zion's bridal-room be clothed (Adorna, Sion, thalamum). English text by Kathleen Pluth, music by me. This is arranged as an alternatim setting, odd verses unison, even verses SATB.

    At the Dawning of Creation. Text by Kathleen Pluth, music by me, which includes two descants.

    O Mother Mary of the Cross. Text by Veronica Brandt, music by me, with descants, alternate final stanza harmonization. The hymn tune is derived in part from my plainchant composition for this text.

    Sing, O sing this blessed morn. Text by Christopher Wordsworth, music by me. There is also a more elaborate hymn-anthem setting. I named this original hymn tune MCSHANE (77. 77. 77), in honor of a mathematician-musician former colleague of mine, who passed away shortly after its composition.

    Let thy Blood in mercy poured. Text by John Brownlie, music by me, with final stanza descant. Tune name: RASMUS (78. 78. 77).

    Kind Maker of the world. Text attr. to Gregory the Great, music by me, tune CRUCIFIED (L.M.)

    O come and mourn with me awhile. Text by Frederick William Faber, music by me, tune CRUCIFIED (L.M.), with a different harmonization than the one for the previous hymn.

    The strife is o'er. Text by Francis Pott, music by me, tune ARISEN (L.M. with Alleluia antiphon).

    To Bethlehem in Judea. Text by me, tune LOBE DEN HERREN (14 14. 4 7. 8) with six harmonizations by me for the six stanzas of the text.

    Thanked by 2E_A_Fulhorst JulieColl
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    There are hymns written by Vincent Uher and composed in the last 4 years in The Pew Hymnal, www.thecatholicchoirbook.com.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    Francis the Talking Catholic, (written with a big smile) has also composed hymns, which makes them contemporary.
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    Kevin Allen is very contemporary.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,152
    Does Kevin Allen compose hymns?
  • Paul_OnnonhoaratonPaul_Onnonhoaraton
    Posts: 434
    Kevin Allen has composed eleven beautiful (amazing) hymns that will be published in the Campion Hymnal which is in the final stages of production.
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen E_A_Fulhorst jczarn
  • Randolph Nichols
    Posts: 398
    Until recently there was a rich assortment of well-crafted hymns composed by modern mainstream Protestant composers like Calvin Hampton, William Albright, Peter Cutts, David Hurd, Gerald Near, Alec Wyton, and many more. That was before the praise music phenomenon took root.

    There are nonetheless distinguished hymn composers still active. (James Woodman, organist at the Episcopal monastery in Cambridge, MA, comes immediately to mind.) And though no longer rightly classified as “modern,” the hymns of Theodore Marier found in Hymns, Psalms and Spiritual Canticles are overlooked. The problem is that such composers are rarely represented in the hymn books offered by the popular Catholic publishers. Maybe the Big Three marketing sense is right; there seems much less interest today in the delight given by a wonderfully constructed hymn tune. As an example, I’ve had little luck pushing Gerre Hancock’s charming “O God of Love” from The Hymnal 1982 as a wedding hymn. I’ve never understood the resistance.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    Thank you for the shout-out, CHGiffen. I love your compositions.

    This is another hymn of mine that's on my mind this morning http://media.musicasacra.com/books/hymns/kp_jesus.pdf

    Others may be found here http://www.canticanova.com/catalog/products/g_hymns_lit_year.htm


    Thanked by 2CHGiffen E_A_Fulhorst
  • donr
    Posts: 971
    Does anyone check any of these contemporary hymns for their theology. I know some of the praise and worship stuff is horrible in this department. I would just want someone to review these first and not just use them because they like the fact that they do not sound modern.

    ..just saying.
    Thanked by 1E_A_Fulhorst
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    Before I published my CanticaNOVA book, I gave the manuscript to a dozen friends of mine who are trained in theology, several of them Dominican priests/ theology professors.

    Not sure if that's normal, but that's the kind of thing I do as a hymn writer. I'm trained in theology as well (STL, concentration in St. Thomas Aquinas).
    Thanked by 3donr E_A_Fulhorst CHGiffen
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    Christopher Idle is an excellent hymn writer (God We Praise You is his setting of the Te Deum).
    Thanked by 1Heath
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    donr, anyone who submits a hymn to this group is aware that it is going to get scrutiny far beyond that of OCP, GIA....
    Thanked by 2francis CHGiffen
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    donr (and fnj)-

    I always (almost always) post hymn texts here before using them publicly.
    The group often has very helpful suggestions, and also keeps me faithful to orthodox Catholic doctrine.

    I personally hold several non-orthodox (heterodox or possibly heretical) beliefs, but I have a very (VERY) strong belief that personal ideology has no place in public worship, and I do not think it appropriate or right "inflict" my dissent on other people. I try very hard, when writing texts, to stay faithful to Scripture and our Tradition, and I ask for for review here to further ensure that I am not accidentally letting my heresies color my writing.

    I am of the opinion that if "dissenters" (free thinkers, heretics, etc, etc) took this approach, the Church would be a much stronger and faithful organization, and that well-nurtured orthodoxy would bring all of us to whatever truth the Holy Spirit would have us hear.

    (That is to say- if I'm right about that which I disagree with, I trust that careful study and faithful engagement with our tradition will bring those I disagree with to the Truth. And if I'm wrong [highly likely], the same things will bring me out of my error. I trust the Holy Spirit, working THROUGH our tradition, to lead us to all truth, and I trust that Spirit much more than I trust either my own reasoning or my own ability to convince people of things.)

    Alas, alas-
    Many writers of "contemporary" music (hymns / songs / whatever) are either unaware that they hold unorthodox positions, or else think it right to "speak truth to power" by inserting their theological agendas into public worship.
    (
    I suspect that the later describes the first wave of such writers after the Council, and that many my age who grew up with all that music have no idea that they are doing anything wrong.)
    Thanked by 3DougS donr E_A_Fulhorst
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    "I suspect that the later describes the first wave of such writers after the Council,"

    I think this is true, whatever council we're talking about.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • francis
    Posts: 10,671
    yea

    'wrong' is often birthed in ignorance but unfortunately is perfected in hardness of heart and stubborness of self will.
    Thanked by 2Adam Wood noel jones, aago
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    Adam,

    The church dropped its requirement that texts be approved. People that wrote that drivel had no idea it was drivel, people liked it and new-age priests stopped caring as they became counselors (face to face confession) rather than representing the church. For them it was important to be liked. Honestly. It was a government job. THEY COULDN'T BE FIRED! Idiots.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    Apparently one of my translations was included in the libretto for Papal Vespers earlier this year http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/libretti/2012/20120125.pdf

    Not quite an imprimatur, but kinda nice.
    Thanked by 4CHGiffen E_A_Fulhorst noel jones, aago canadash
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Very nice. Kudos!
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,937
    It is nice. Congratulations.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    Thanks! Pleasant surprise!
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,152
    I should add my setting of Of the Father's Love Begotten to an original hymn tune [Corde Natus], replete with two descants. It is more celebratory than [Divinum Mysterium] and suitable for processions.
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,369
    I draw a distinction between music (including hymnody) that is modern and music that is contemporary. It seems to me that the term 'contemporary' has been rather garnered by the sacro-pop music crowd and the style of liturgy that goes along with their music. It is not uncommon to see churches that advertise 'contemporary' and 'traditional' eucharists to attract the appropriate worshipers (and sad is he or she who wanders in at the wrong one). 'Modern', on the other hand, rather nicely covers a music that is of greater substance, artistry, and aesthetic worth than that usually referenced by the term 'contemporary'. It includes such XXth century worthies as Howells, Poulenc, Messiaen, many of those currently writing music for the English cathedral and collegiate churches, as well as our C H Giffen and others mentioned above. So, to answer the original question: yes, there is some (precious little) music of the 'contemporary' genre that is good, and there is much, very much modern music that represents a continuum of our heritage of fine sacred music.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • ronkrisman
    Posts: 1,390
    Well and good, MJO, but this thread is addressing the subject of contemporary hymns, not contemporary or modern choral music. Yes, Howells' MICHAEL is a fine hymn tune, but his SANCTA CIVITAS is not. What other hymn tunes is he known for? What tunes of Poulenc or Messiaen?
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • futurefatherz
    Posts: 36
    I'd love to hear any hymns of Messiaen anybody's come across...
    just sayin'
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,369
    You are right, Father, SANCTA CIVITAS is awful, really awful, so awful that one can hardly believe that it was penned by a soul such as Howells.

    Another good, really good, modern tune is NASHOTAH HOUSE. It is masterful as paired with J H Newman's text, 'Firmly I Believe and Truly'.

    There are a number of fine tunes by David Ashley White, composer, and chair of the Moores School of Music at the U of H.
    Thanked by 2Andrew Motyka ronkrisman
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Could OP define "modern" or "contemporary"?

  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    I always argue the case for traditional hymns. Mention the fact that you have to pay a copyright fee to use modern hymns, whilst the old ones are free, and it often changes minds.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,161
    cgz wrote:
    Could OP define "modern" or "contemporary"?

    This thread was started over a year ago, so the OP is probably not following it any more.

    Did you have an answer to OP's question?
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Chonak,

    You're quite correct that the OP is not following the thread anymore. If you want to close the thread, feel free to do so.

    That said, it is surely essential to a good answer to this question to have a definition of the terms.

    Cheers, and Happy Feast of St. Stephen,

    Chris
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,161
    I'm assuming that the OP meant "contemporary" as a reference to time, and not to a category of styles.

    So the question would be: are any composers in recent years writing hymns in four-part harmony?
    Thanked by 1francis
  • francis
    Posts: 10,671
    One of my latEst 4 part hymns is

    O Virgin Great and Glorious

    Will be publishing very soon with exciting news
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