Help, Looking for Good Traditional Hymnals

[puriteen18]

Does anyone here know of a good traditional hymnal still in print?

I've recently accepted the job of the music director at a local ARP. The duties include accompanying the congregational singing, getting a new hymnal, putting a choir together.......and ?helping the pastor with his yard work?

Anyway, the congregation is using the 1960s Blue Trinity, and for several reasons, I will not take the time to mention, want a new hymnal.

There are big "fundamentalist" influences from the Churches of Christ and the Southern Baptists around. We are trying to steer this congregation back to a firm Reformed structure of worship.

I've had mentioned to me to replace Old Blue with the new Red edition of the Trinity.

I don't really care for the new Trinity though. Some of the texts have been "modernized", and I'm not ashamed to admit that this bothers my traditionalist leaning.

Also the harmonies are just as bad as the harmonies in the old Blue, and are extremely awkward to play. I don't know where this harmonies originated since they are definately not the standard found in most, if not all other hymnals.

Here are a few of the hymnals I am considering:

Traditional Reformed
Rejoice in the Lord - Eerdmans Pub.
Cantus Christi - Canon Press
Rejoice and Sing - Oxford
The Hymnal (compiled by Buckley) - Westminter John Knox

"Old School" Episcopal and Methodist
Hymns Ancient and Modern - Canterbury/Cambridge
Cokesbury Hymnal - Abington

Modernized, albeit a Good Collection
Praise Hymnal - www.praise.org.uk


This particular church has also used these hymnals/psalters in the past:

Bible Songs -an old 1930's type Psalter- (the ARP was Psalter-only until about forty years ago, I understand)

Worship and Service Hymnal - Hope 1965

Hymns of Faith -Tabernacle- 1980
_____________________________

If anyone has some familiarity with any of the above mentioned books, or knows of others I would greatly appreciate any help one could other.

I'll probably just end up ordering one copy of each and then deciding which ones to present to the session.

 

[JonathanHunt]

Tyler

I would urge you against considering Praise! It is vastly modernised and the tampering with grand old hymns utterly changes the meanings in many cases. It also contains many vaccuous and worthless modern choruses.

I would urge you to consider, if you want a traditional, reformed, hymnbook:

Psalms and Hymns of Reformed Worship

JH

 

[JonathanHunt]

Originally posted by jenson75
Could try Psalms & Hymns of Reformed Worship from Metropolitan Tabernacle or Our Hymn Book compiled by CH Spurgeon. Available from http://www.tabernaclebookshop.org/

Christian Hymns is another popular hymnal.

Gadsby Hymns is still in print with the Gospel Standard Baptists.

Beat you to the punch, brother!

Christian Hymns is now out in a new edition. Some like it, some don't. I have not read it yet so I can't comment!

JH

 

[Puddleglum]

If the modernization of the newer Trinity bothers you, don't waste your time looking at Praise! Seriously, the only reason to consider looking at Praise! is to convince you that the Trinity is actually pretty good.

I don't mind the new Trinity - yes, there are songs in there which I don't think belong, and some tunes and arrangements that aren't what I would choose - and that cause me some degree of agony when someone requests one of them when I'm accompanying for the service. But, overall (comparing the Trinity to other hymnals - the older Christians Hymns (haven't seen the new one), Praise!, the old Trinity, and Grace), the newer Trinity seems to have a fairly good balance.

Plus, you can get a spiral-bound pianist version which is REALLY nice - it stays open & flat on the piano without any effort from the pianist.

If you're looking for something more conservative, I'd see if Grace Hymns is in print. It's a Reformed Baptist hymnal. I've used it, and enjoyed it. And it is more traditional than the new Trinity. But it was out of print a few years ago, and with the new Christian Hymns and Praise! I don't know if they're going to publish anymore - maybe our brothers across the pond know. (It's another British publication).

Alternatively, stick with what you have, and make a supplement yourself. I've know churches that have done this and been pleased with it. You don't have to sing the ones you don't like in the old Trinity (unless you do pianist torture - I mean requests!), and you can sing some good hymns that aren't in it. And you can add more as you go along.

 

[JonathanHunt]

Grace Hymns is out of print I think.

Also, the old Christian Hymns is no longer in print.

The only hymnbook currently available in the UK that does not tamper with hymns and does not include questionable choruses etc is the one I have referenced, and I recommend it.

My ideal hymnbook would be the old Christian Hymns, and Psalms and Hymns of Reformed Worship, merged. But that ain't gonna happen!

JH

 

[puriteen18]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I really wasn't expecting this much, but I'm glad to have it.

Ah, I did not know that Gadsby's was still in print. That is very tempting, but don't know if it would go over with this church. Mind you, if I could have it anyway I wanted I would have Gadsby's and the New Version Psalms of David. Add a choir gallery and a wine-glass pulpit and we would have met perfection.

Then I have to remember that I suffer from TR syndrome, and that we are in the 21st century.

I may order a copy of the Gadsby anyway, just to see.