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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.)
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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