Comments on: The LDS Hymnbook: 2043

By: V. Hilton

V. Hilton — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 08:37:08 +0000

One more final comment. I am almost 100% positive our (US) patriotic songs are not in other countries hymn books. Maybe England. And our faith teaches us to support our government and leaders and to pray for them. I don’t see anything wrong with the patriotic songs. London has a beautiful hymn called I Vow To THee, My Country. The first verse is patriotic and the second verse is about God.

We need to remember that “man” is compiling our music, not God himself And that of course the future hymn books will be tweaked and adjusted as needed. For the church as a whole and for each language. I think they base it more on languages than culture or geography.

By: V. Hilton

V. Hilton — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 08:25:56 +0000

I was looking for LDS flute solo music and came upon this post. I find the conversations kind of silly. As far as I know it is okay to sing folk music and other hymn like music in church from your culture.

The Bishop can approve music that is hymn like for use in sacrament meeting etc. in the children’s primary hymn book and the nursery book it says that singing cultural music is appropriate and okay. I have a Japanese hymn book and they don’t have as many songs in their hymn book as we do. And I do believe that the hymn books are already different regionally. I think they include the standard songs and then have some for there region.

Most people are just not aware of this. Also, everytime the hymn book is updated they take out songs and add some. This doesn’t mean that the songs removed are not hymns anymore. Come thou Font was in the origional and no longer in the current one. But I have heard it sung in many wards recently. Any song printed in the church magazines is considered church approved etc.

I think we need to remember that the Lord has given us guide lines (hymn like) and leaders (Bishops)to help us and that it is okay to express our joy of the gospel through music no matter what part of the world we are from.

By: Maryanne

Maryanne — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:36:12 +0000

I say address the issue of what hymns to get rid of, and the problem of strange patriotic choices in one blow, by getting rid of all patriotic and national hymns in the hymnbook. (OK, so this probably wouldn’t cut out neough hymns, but it’s a change i’d be happy to see.)

The gospel of Jesus Christ is about transcending nationalism, among other differences. Sing your anthems at your backyard BBQ or at a parade on national holidays. I say they have no place at church.

By: BiV

BiV — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:58:32 +0000

Latter-day Prophets:

…Gordon B. Hinckley led the way, then Thomas S. Monson, our Prophet today.

There might be room for one more prophet, then you’d better get your house in order for the Second Coming!

By: Nick Literski

Nick Literski — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:54:35 +0000

Re: “Hie to Kolob”…there is no end to “There is no end to…”(s) Love, love the tune. Hate, hate the lyrics. Maybe I’d like “O My Father” if the tune wasn’t so tedious. But probably not; I’m not much of a fan of the poetry of ERS, either.

Don’t worry, both of these hymns will be either abandoned or substantially rewritten by 2043, due to doctrinal statements that have been declared mere “speculation by a few early leaders.”

FWIW, I think “If You Could Hie to Kolob” is the most beautiful, and uniquely Mormon song in the present hymnbook. I hate to see it gi, but I think its days are limited.

By: Paula

Paula — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:31:34 +0000

Ann, you can also sing the Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner to Gilligan’s Island, which somehow seems appropriate.

By: Chad Too

Chad Too — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 21:12:47 +0000

My wife will sometimes do the meter switcheroo with the ward choir as a means of testing how well they’ve memorized their parts. We’ll sing the text of “Oh Beautiful for Spacious Skies” to the tune of “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear,” for example.

By: Bill

Bill — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:57:43 +0000

The sixth one is also very singsongy.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:40:44 +0000

Alexander, once I had my ward choir sing “O Little Town of Bethlehem” to the RVW “Forest Green” tune (included in our hymnbook as “I Saw a Mighty Angel Fly”), as is often done in England. A wag in the baritone section dubbed it “I Saw a Town of Bethlehem.”

Bill, you do make a good point about the mnemonic advantage of the distinct tunes in the Watkins AofF songs. And to be fair, they aren’t all bad. But the second one is fairly excruciating.

Anyway, I’d kind of like to see President Faust’s “This Is the Christ” in a future edition of the hymnal.

By: Ward Organist

Ward Organist — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:29:47 +0000

If we have to sing “A Key Was Turned in Latter-Days” in Relief Society, I prefer to sing it to the tune of “Abide With Me ‘Tis Eventide.”