Singing in Church, School and Home

I have received a number of mails regarding my post on the English Choral Tradition, most of which link the demise of the BCP services and the rise of the 'worship band'. I have had a few who claim that the modern music has 'the anointing' and the 'old stuff' is exactly that - old and stuffy!

I have various editions of Hymns Ancient and Modern (HA&M) and one, early copy, makes note that some hymns, "Which never really found favour," and those that had been removed, "On the assumption that they were not likely to last much longer!" (even though some might consider them popular)

There are comments regarding the inclusion of 'new' songs which, causing people to move from plainsong, caused quite a stir but the books, "Sought not to break fresh ground or exploit novel ideas," but:

"The hope is that it may prove to be, as it was before, a consolidation of all that has been gained over many a long year since the wholesome practice of hymn-singing won an accepted place in Church, School and Home."

Many have moaned at the modern songs that have appeared in the various editions of HA&M and yet over time they became accepted and took their place as 'standards'. The same is true of some of the modern songs that abound (although there is much doggerel and trite scribbling to be overcome as well - but that was ever the case). As for anointing, I believe that people can be anointed in the task of writing songs but don't believe songs 'possess anointing'. They might bring us into a place where God can touch us and where we, realising our inadequacies, revelling in our salvation or brought into wonder, love and praise - let Him. But that is very different from the song possessing the anointing itself.

We need to be flexible in what we sing (after all, as Sumner puts it, the organ is the King of all instruments and (my opinion) the voice is the most flexible of all). Bach or Berio, Kendrick or Keble - We need to sing together and praise God for all we are and with all we have.

So, let's hear one of those modern songs (according to someone in the nineteen fifties:



One man's modern doggerel is another's sublime experience!

Pax