Saturday, January 12, 2008

Ten Great Hymns Every Christian Should Know

Here are ten great hymns I think every Christian should know:
He Who Would Valiant Be
Words: Dearmer, after John Bunyan, in The English Hymnal, 1906
Music: Monks Gate, arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams
accessed from Australian Churches of Christ Hymn Book, 458

Jesus is All the World to Me

also known as
He's My Friend
Words and music by Will Thompson, 1904
accessed from A C C H B, 114

All People That On Earth do Dwell
Words ascribed to William Kethe
Tune: The Old Hundredth
Music: Louis Bourgeois
[from Four Score and Seven Psalms of David, published in Geneva, Switzerland, 1561, or 1551]
accessed from The New Church Hymnal, published by Lexicon, 1976, 277

I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
Words: Horatius Bonar, 1846
Music: Vox Dilecti by John B Dykes, 1868
[wonderful tune, which changes mode from minor to major as we get to the second half of each verse, wonderfully creating a musical picture of the change Jesus makes when we come to him]
Alternative tune: Kingsfold, folksong collected and arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906

What A Friend We Have In Jesus
Words: Joseph M Scriven, 1855
Music: Charles C Converse, 1868
Alternative tune: Blaenwern by William P Rowlands, 1905
accessed from Churches of Christ Hymn Book, 429

Soldiers of Christ Arise
Words: Charles Wesley, 1741 [in Character of a Methodist]
Tune: From Strength to Strength, by E W Naylor
accessed from A C C H B, 444

My Song is Love Unknown
Words: Samuel Crossman in The Young Man' Meditation, 1664
Tune: Love Unknown, John Ireland, 1918
accessed from Together in Song, 341
alternative tune: Calkin [also known as St John] by John Calkin, 1887
accessed from A C C H B, 135

Jesus, Lover of my Soul
Words: Charles Wesley, 1740
Tune: Aberystwyth [also known as Parry], Joseph Parry, 1879
Words accessed from A C C H B, 315
Music accessed from Together in Song, 211

How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds
Words: John Newton, 1779 from Olney Hymns, which he co-authored with William Cowper [pronounced Cooper]
Music: St Peter [also known as Reinagle] by Alexander Reinagle, 1836
accessed from A C C H B,440

Be Thou My Vision
Words: Dallan Forgaill, 8th century AD in Ireland, translated by Mary Byrne, 1905 and versified by Eleanor Hull, 1912.
Tune: Slane, of Irish folk origin, harmonised by David Evans, 1927
accessed from Together in Song, 547

If you are able to read music, it is wonderful to be able to sing [and play, if you can] through some of the old hymns which have stood the test of time.
You can find more information about these hymns at Cyber Hymnal