Dictionary:
hymn (hĭm)  |
To praise, glorify, or worship in or as if in a hymn.
v.intr.To sing hymns.
[Middle English imne, from Old French ymne, from Latin hymnus, song of praise, from Greek humnos.]
| Music Encyclopedia: Hymn |
Term applied in ancient times to songs in honour of gods, heroes or notable men, and in Christian worship to strophic songs in praise of God.
The first Latin hymnals with melodies date from the 11th or 12th century, and polyphonic settings have been a regular feature of Vespers since the 15th. A group of three-part settings, probably composed for the papal court at Avignon in the late 14th century, place an ornamented form of the traditional plainchant in one voice (usually the top); this was a feature of the polyphonic hymn for the next 200 years. The style is predominantly note against note. Most of the hymns in a complete annual cycle by Dufay use chant and polyphony for alternate stanzas, as was usual in the Renaissance.
By 1500 four-part settings were normal. In Germany, a style was established which was used throughout Europe in the 16th century, with the plainchant as a cantus firmus in equal notes and the other voices weaving a contrapuntal background to it. Some hymn cycles use this style in alternation with chant. There are examples by Festa, Lassus, Victoria, Guerrero and Palestrina. Important cycles came also from Germany and France, and in England Byrd and Tallis wrote settings in the main 16th-century tradition. In the 17th century the vocal bass was doubled by the organ, and various combinations of voices (including solo) and instruments were used. Hymn cycles continued to be written but the tendency was to compose isolated settings independent of chant. 18th-century hymn composers include Padre Martini in Italy, and Fux and Wagenseil in Vienna, but most 18th- and 19th-century settings were occasional works for local use.
The vernacular hymn began with the Reformation and has been a constant part of Lutheran worship (see Chorale). The English Reformation however moved towards Calvinism, leading to opposition to the hymn in the liturgy, and for two centuries English parish church music was essentially the metrical psalm. In the 18th century non-conformists such as John Wesley promoted hymns to a central place in their worship, thereby attracting numerous converts. The established church responded in the 19th century, commissioning new hymns and requiring parishes to provide congregational hymnbooks; this reached a climax with Hymns Ancient and Modern (1861), which popularized a new, Victorian type of hymn tune which is still the norm, despite the varied contents of The English Hymnal (1906) and the more inter-denominational Songs of Praise (1928).
The main American contributions to hymnody have been the gospel hymn of the 19th century revivalist movement, culminating in the works of Moody and Sankey, and the Spiritual.
| Literary Dictionary: hymn |
hymn, a song (or lyric poem set to music) in praise of a divine or venerated being. The title is sometimes given to a poem on an elevated subject, like Shelley's ‘Hymn to Intellectual Beauty’ (1816), or praising a historical hero, like MacDiarmid's ‘First Hymn to Lenin’ (1931). The term hymnody is used to refer either to a particular body of hymns or to the art of hymn‐writing, while a composer of hymns is called a hymnodist or hymnist.
See also antiphon, ode, psalm.| Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: hymn |
For more information on hymn, visit Britannica.com.
| Columbia Encyclopedia: hymn |
Early Christian hymnody consisted mainly of the Psalms and the great canticles Nunc dimittis, Magnificat, and Benedictus from the Bible and of the Sanctus, Gloria in excelsis, and Te Deum. These were chanted in unison (see plainsong). Metrical Latin hymnody began with the hymns of St. Ambrose, bishop of Milan, and St. Hilary, bishop of Poitiers, in the 4th cent. This type of hymn, usually four-line stanzas in iambic tetrameter, was the basis of nearly all Christian hymnody until the 16th cent.
Notable Latin hymns are Corde natus ex parentis by Prudentius in the 4th cent., and Fortunatus' 6th-century processionals, Vexilla regis and Pange lingua (whose meter was imitated in the Pange lingua of St. Thomas Aquinas). From the 11th cent. came Wipo's Easter sequence, Victimae paschali laudes. The Dies irae, probably by Thomas of Celano, and the Stabat Mater dolorosa by Jacopone da Todi are great hymns of the 13th cent.
With the Reformation came the development of Protestant hymnody. The first hymnbooks in the vernacular are probably those published by the followers of John Huss in Bohemia in 1501 and 1505. In 1524 the first Lutheran hymnal was published at Wittenberg. The early Lutheran hymns were translations of Latin hymns, folksongs with new texts, often paraphrases of biblical verses or passages, or sometimes original melodies. Calvinism contributed the Genevan Psalter (final version, 1562). It contained the Psalms, translated into French verse by Clément Marot and Theodore Beza and set to music, most of which was supplied by Louis Bourgeois, who used some original tunes and adapted others. The familiar doxology tune Old Hundredth is the tune of Psalm 134 in this psalter.
The first collection of English church tunes was Sternhold's Psalter (1556), published at Geneva and consisting of metrical versions of the Psalms by Thomas Sternhold (d. 1549) and others, which were set to unharmonized tunes. John Wesley's hymnal (1737) contained metrical psalms, translations from Greek and German, and original lyrics and melodies, and was thus the first hymnal in the modern sense. Other notable English hymnists of the 18th cent. were Isaac Watts, Charles Wesley, and William Cowper, poets whose hymns are still sung in nearly all Protestant churches. In the 19th cent. there was a revived interest in plainsong that resulted in many translations of ancient Latin hymns, such as those by John Mason Neale.
In America the Puritans used psalters brought with them from Europe until the Bay Psalm Book (1640), the earliest American hymnal, was published at Cambridge, Mass. William Billings wrote the first original American hymns as distinguished from paraphrases of psalms and psalm tunes; another important composer was Lowell Mason, whose song collections, such as Spiritual Songs (1831), compiled jointly with Thomas Hastings, attained wide distribution.
In the latter half of the 19th cent. the gospel hymn was developed (see gospel music). It is marked by lively rhythm, constant alternation of the simplest harmonies, and sentimental text. Arthur Sullivan's “Onward Christian Soldiers” (1871) is a well-known example of the martial hymn of the period. In the 20th cent. radical variations in church music have emerged: folk-song and jazz elements have been integrated with older music and frequently replaced it. Troubadour-style “protest” songs with theological content were common in the 1960s alongside a newly vital, more conservative hymnody.
Bibliography
See A. E. Bailey, The Gospel in Hymns (1950); H. W. Foote, Three Centuries of American Hymnody (1940, repr. 1968); L. F. Benson, The English Hymn (1915, repr. 1987); I. Bradley, ed., The Book of Hymns (1989); W. J. Reynolds, Songs of Glory (1989).
| Poetry Glossary: Hymn |
A song or ode of praise, usually addressed to gods, but sometimes to abstractions such as Truth, Justice, or Fortune.
| Word Tutor: hymn |
Leave-taking is not birds gathered for one last hymn to summer on thin branches of an empty tree, nor grass, sodden and bent beneath winter's first rain-heavy snow.
— Elaine Christensen
Tutor's tip: Have "him" (the male human) hum the "hymn" (religious song of praise).
| Wikipedia: Hymn |
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word hymn derives from Greek ὕμνος (hymnos), "a song of praise". Collections of hymns are known as hymnals or hymnbooks.
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Ancient hymns include the Egyptian Great Hymn to the Aten, composed by Pharaoh Akhenaten; the Vedas, a collection of hymns in the tradition of Hinduism; and the Psalms, a collection of songs from Judaism. The Western tradition of hymnody begins with the Homeric Hymns, a collection of ancient Greek hymns, the oldest of which were written in the 7th century BC, praising deities of the ancient Greek religions. Surviving from the 3rd century BC is a collection of six literary hymns (Ὕμνοι) by the Alexandrian poet Callimachus.
Patristic writers began applying the term ὕμνος, or hymnus in Latin, to Christian songs of praise, and frequently used the word as a synonym for "psalm".[1]
Originally modeled on the Psalms and other poetic passages (commonly referred to as "canticles") in the Scriptures, Christian hymns are generally directed as praise and worship to the monotheistic God. Many refer to Jesus Christ either directly or indirectly.
Since the earliest times, Christians have sung "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs", both in private devotions and in corporate worship (Matthew 26:30; 1 Cor 14:26; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; James 5:13; cf. Revelation 5:8-10; Revelation 14:1-5).
Christian hymns are often written with special or seasonal themes and these are used on holy days such as Christmas, Easter and the Feast of All Saints, or during particular seasons such as Advent and Lent. Others are used to instill reverence to the Holy Bible or to celebrate Christian practices such as the eucharist or baptism. Some hymns praise or address individual saints, particularly the Blessed Virgin Mary; such hymns are particularly prevalent in Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and to some extent "High Church" Anglicanism.
A writer of hymns is known as a hymnist or hymnodist, and the practice of singing hymns is called hymnody; the same word is used for the collectivity of hymns belonging to a particular denomination or period (e.g. "nineteenth century Methodist hymnody" would mean the body of hymns written and/or used by Methodists in the nineteenth century). A collection of hymns is called a hymnal or hymnary. These may or may not include music. A student of hymnody is called a hymnologist, and the scholarly study of hymns, hymnists and hymnody is hymnology. The music to which a hymn may be sung is a hymn tune.
In many Evangelical churches, traditional songs are classified as hymns while more contemporary worship songs are not considered hymns. The reason for this distinction is unclear, but according to some it is due to the radical shift of style and devotional thinking that began with the Jesus movement and Jesus music.
In ancient and medieval times, stringed instruments such as the harp, lyre and lute were used with psalms and hymns.
Since there is a lack of musical notation in early writings,[citation needed] the actual musical forms in the early church can only be surmised. During the Middle Ages a rich hymnody developed in the form of Gregorian chant or plainsong. This type was sung in unison, in one of eight church modes, and most often by monastic choirs. While they were written originally in Latin, many have been translated; a familiar example is the 4th century Of the Father's Heart Begotten sung to the 11th century plainsong Divinum Mysterium.
Later hymnody in the Western church introduced four-part vocal harmony as the norm, adopting major and minor keys, and came to be led by organ and choir. It shares many elements with classical music.
Today, except for choirs, more musically inclined congregations and a cappella congregations, hymns are typically sung in unison. In some cases complementary full settings for organ are also published, in others organists and other accompanists are expected to transcribe the four-part vocal score for their instrument of choice.
Contemporary Christian worship, as often found in Evangelicalism and Pentecostalism may include the use of contemporary worship music played with electric guitars and the drum kit, sharing many elements with rock music.
Other groups of Christians have historically excluded instrumental accompaniment, citing the absence of instruments in worship by the church in the first several centuries of its existence, and adhere to an unaccompanied a cappella congregational singing of hymns. These groups include the 'Brethren' (often both 'Open' and 'Exclusive'), the Churches of Christ, Mennonites, Primitive Baptists, and certain Reformed churches such as the Free Church of Scotland (Presbyterian), although during the last century or so, several of these have reviewed and revised this stance.
Accompaniment is generally absent in worship by Eastern Orthodox congregations.
Thomas Aquinas, in the introduction to his commentary on the Psalms, defined the Christian hymn thus: "Hymnus est laus Dei cum cantico; canticum autem exultatio mentis de aeternis habita, prorumpens in vocem." ("A hymn is the praise of God with song; a song is the exultation of the mind dwelling on eternal things, bursting forth in the voice.")[2]
The Protestant Reformation resulted in two conflicting attitudes to hymns. One approach, the regulative principle of worship, favoured by many Zwinglians, Calvinists and other radical reformers, considered anything that was not directly authorised by the Bible to be a novel and Catholic introduction to worship, which was to be rejected. All hymns that were not direct quotations from the bible fell into this category. Such hymns were banned, along with any form of instrumental musical accompaniment, and organs were ripped out of churches. Instead of hymns, biblical psalms were chanted, most often without accompaniment, to very basic melodies. This was known as exclusive psalmody. Examples of this may still be found in various places, including the "free churches" of western Scotland.
The other Reformation approach, the normative principle of worship, produced a burst of hymn writing and congregational singing. Martin Luther is notable not only as a reformer, but as the author of many hymns including Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott (A Mighty Fortress Is Our God) which is sung today even by Roman Catholics. Luther and his followers often used their hymns, or chorales, to teach tenets of the faith to worshipers. The earlier English writers tended to paraphrase biblical texts, particularly Psalms; Isaac Watts followed this tradition, but is also credited as having written the first English hymn which was not a direct paraphrase of Scripture.[3] Later writers took even more freedom, some even including allegory and metaphor in their texts.
Charles Wesley's hymns spread Methodist theology, not only within Methodism, but in most Protestant churches. He developed a new focus: expressing one's personal feelings in the relationship with God as well as the simple worship seen in older hymns. Wesley wrote:
Wesley's contribution, along with the Second Great Awakening in America led to a new style called gospel, and a new explosion of sacred music writing with Fanny Crosby, Lina Sandell, Philip Bliss, Ira D. Sankey, and others who produced testimonial music for revivals, camp meetings, and evangelistic crusades. The tune style or form is technically designated "gospel songs" as distinct from hymns. Gospel songs generally include a refrain (or chorus) and usually (though not always) a faster tempo than the hymns. As examples of the distinction, "Amazing Grace" is a hymn (no refrain), but "How Great Thou Art" is a gospel song. During the 19th century the gospel-song genre spread rapidly in Protestantism and, to a lesser but still definite extent, in Roman Catholicism; the gospel-song genre is unknown in the worship per se by Eastern Orthodox churches, which rely exclusively on traditional chants (a type of hymn).
African-Americans developed a rich hymnody from spirituals during times of slavery to the modern, lively black gospel style.
The Methodist Revival of the eighteenth century created an explosion of hymn writing in Welsh, which continued into the first half of the nineteenth century. The most prominent names among Welsh hymn-writers are William Williams Pantycelyn and Ann Griffiths. The second half of the nineteenth century witnessed an explosion of hymn tune composition and choir singing in Wales.
Along with the more classical sacred music of composers ranging from Mozart to Monteverdi, the Roman Catholic Church continued to produce many popular hymns such as Lead, Kindly Light, Silent Night, O Sacrament Divine and Faith of our Fathers.
Many churches today use contemporary worship music which includes a range of styles often influenced by popular music. This often leads to some conflict between older and younger congregants (see contemporary worship). This is not new; the Christian pop music style began in the late 1960s and became very popular during the 1970s, as young hymnists sought ways in which to make the music of their religion relevant for their generation.
This long tradition has resulted in a wide variety of hymns. Some modern churches include within hymnody the traditional hymn (usually describing God), contemporary worship music (often directed to God) and gospel music (expressions of one's personal experience of God). This distinction is not perfectly clear; and purists remove the second two types from the classification as hymns. It is a matter of debate, even sometimes within a single congregation, often between revivalist and traditionalist movements.
The meter indicates the number of syllables for the lines in each stanza of a hymn. This provides a means of marrying the hymn's text with an appropriate hymn tune for singing. In practice many hymns conform to one of a relatively small number of meters (syllable patterns). Care must be taken, however, to ensure that not only the meter of words and tune match, but also the stresses on the words in each line. Technically speaking an iambic tune, for instance, cannot be used with words of, say, trochaic meter.
The links below are restricted to either material that is historical or resources that are non-denominational or inter-denominational. Denomination-specific resources are mentioned from the relevant denomination-specific articles.
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| Translations: Hymn |
Dansk (Danish)
n. - salme, hymne
v. tr. - lovprise
v. intr. - synge salmer, lovprise
Nederlands (Dutch)
kerkelijk gezang, loflied/ -zang, hymne, lofzang zingen, loven
Français (French)
n. - cantique, (fig) hymne (à)
v. tr. - entonner un hymne
v. intr. - entonner un hymne
Deutsch (German)
n. - Hymne, Kirchenlied, Loblied
v. - besingen, lobpreisen
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (θρησκ.) αίνος, ύμνος, υμνωδία
v. - (θρησκ., μτφ.) υμνολογώ, εξυμνώ
Italiano (Italian)
inno, inneggiare
Português (Portuguese)
n. - hino (m)
v. - cantar hinos
Русский (Russian)
псалом, гимн, петь гимны, псалмы
Español (Spanish)
n. - himno
v. tr. - celebrar con himnos, celebrar con alabanzas
v. intr. - cantar himnos, cantar alabanzas
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - hymn, psalm, lovsång
v. - lovsjunga, sjunga en psalm
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
赞美诗, 圣歌, 唱赞美诗赞美, 用赞歌表达, 为...唱圣歌, 唱赞美诗, 唱赞歌
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 讚美詩, 聖歌
v. tr. - 唱讚美詩讚美, 用讚歌表達, 為...唱聖歌
v. intr. - 唱讚美詩, 唱讚歌
한국어 (Korean)
n. - 찬송가
v. tr. - (찬송가를 불러) 찬송하다
v. intr. - 찬송가를 부르다
日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 賛美歌, 聖歌, 賛歌
v. - 賛美する, 賛美歌を歌う
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) ترتيله, ترنيمه (فعل) يسبح الله بالتراتيل
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - פיוט, המנון, מזמור כנסייתי, שיר הודיה לאל
v. tr. - הודה (לאל) בשירה
v. intr. - שר מזמור תהילה לאל (בכנסיה)
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