Date: Jan07

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Hymns - Good or Bad?

Psalm 147:1
“a song ... a song of praise ...”
a song of praise addressed to God

A. Textual Characteristics of Good Hymns

1. Faithful to the Scriptures
2. Reverent and devotional
   a. A proper view of the holiness of God (I Pet. 1:15-16)
   b. A proper view of the position of the Son and Holy Spirit
3. Clear in expression of spiritual meaning (I Cor. 14:14-15; Eph. 1:17-18)
4. Poetic and lyrical in expression
5. Simple inform with ease of movement
6. High in quality (Phil. 4:8)
7. Based on mutual experience

“The health and energy of Christian life should be strengthened and Christian growth and development aided. Anemic, trite or sickly sentimentalism make no contribution in this regard.”

B. Musical Characteristics of Good Hymns

1. Strong tune
   a. Singable
   b. Easily learned
   c. Simple, logical form
   d. Pleasing rise and fall more – more steps than leaps
   e. Predominant use of basic note values, i.e. quarter notes in 4\4 time
   f. Continuity and unity – it holds together
2. Comfortable in range
3. Unity of text and tune
   a. Accents
   b. Climax
   c. Mood
4. Suitable change of harmony within the phrase
5. Relatively longer rhythmic patterns
6. A more melodic bass line and some melodic character to the inner voices.
   

The text and tune should combine to impress the singer as providing a worship experience, not an entertainment.

C. Musical Characteristics of Inferior Hymns

1. Excessive emphasis on unique or manneristic rhythmic elements
   a. Short rhythmic\melodic figures
   b. syncopation
   c. Repeated long note short note patterns from phrase to phrase
   d. “fast” waltz
   e. fox trot or quick step
2. Unnecessary chromaticism – “sliding” melodies that “embellish” without a reason
3. Infrequent change of harmony within the phrase
4. Excessive “echo” effects

Musical elements must not call attention to themselves. They should exist to support, enhance and elevate the meaning of the text.