Browsing by Author "Lee, Mi Ou"

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    An Examination of the Origins of Certain Hymn Tunes, the Piano Arrangements that Exist, and a Determination of Their Suitability in Current Church Music Practice
    (2022-04-22) Lee, Mi Ou; Gottschalk, Arthur
    The inclusion of select hymn tunes from the standard hymnody, written by famous Classical composers, is an integral part of the modern-day hymnal. The lack of awareness, among many Christians, of the connections between these hymns and their original composers and authors is often overlooked by church musicians. This research explores the origins of these hymn tunes and the suitability of their arrangements in a liturgical music context. Of particular interest are Antioch (“Joy to the World”), Ein Feste Burg, Herzlich tut mich verlangen, Hymn to Joy, Judas Maccabeus (“Thine is the Glory”), Lyons (“O Worship the King”), O Welt ich muss dich lassen, and Wachet auf. This research details these works, some piano arrangements of these works, and provides commentary on their current or potential use in a contemporary church service. Furthermore, this review identifies the original composers, any recent research that may point to a different composer, who the author of the text is, and when it came to be in a hymn setting. A general knowledge of music literature suggests that as early as the Twelfth Century, church musicians borrowed from secular music and appropriated the tunes to make hymns. Additionally, when adopting these sacred tunes into their own arrangement, these church musicians were aware of the original tunes written by the famous Classical composers and provided a new aesthetic through the use of different harmonies and rhythmic figurations. In concluding, this paper provides an overview for musicians of varying abilities, and of varying denominations of Christianity, to find an array of works suitable to play during a worship service, not necessarily limited to traditional church hymnals.