Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Ways and functions of intermedial relationships between text and tune in hymns

Selander, Inger LU (2002) International Conference on Cultural Functions of Interart Poetics and Practice, 2002 62. p.261-274
Abstract
In stanzic songs like hymns for congregational singing, the intimate relationship between the text and the tune that we find in through-composed art songs is rarely achieved. In the tradition of the Lutheran churches the music has mainly been the servant of the text. However, the work of the hymnal committee of the Church of Sweden, which compiled the hymnal of 1986, shows two major criteria for the combinations of texts and tunes. The first criterion is unity of text and tune, and the second one is the function of the hymn in the service. From an aesthetic point of view, the interrelation of text and tune may be considered in five parameters: meter and rhythm, structure, mood, semantics, and style. This is what I intend to discuss here.... (More)
In stanzic songs like hymns for congregational singing, the intimate relationship between the text and the tune that we find in through-composed art songs is rarely achieved. In the tradition of the Lutheran churches the music has mainly been the servant of the text. However, the work of the hymnal committee of the Church of Sweden, which compiled the hymnal of 1986, shows two major criteria for the combinations of texts and tunes. The first criterion is unity of text and tune, and the second one is the function of the hymn in the service. From an aesthetic point of view, the interrelation of text and tune may be considered in five parameters: meter and rhythm, structure, mood, semantics, and style. This is what I intend to discuss here. The second criterion, the function of the hymn, i.e. 'singability' for a congregation, and aptitude for a specific cultural context, has often been the decisive one. Singability is most often discussed in terms of the tune. The tune must fit into the liturgy and the tradition of the congregation. Liturgy and tradition vary widely between countries, as well as within different parts of a country, according to time and cultural habits. Sometimes one hymn-text in the hymnal has been given two different tunes for different kinds of services or culturally different congregations. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Cultural functions of intermedial exploration
volume
62
pages
261 - 274
publisher
Rodopi
conference name
International Conference on Cultural Functions of Interart Poetics and Practice, 2002
conference location
Lund, Sweden
conference dates
2002-05-12 - 2002-05-14
external identifiers
  • wos:000188969000020
  • scopus:85179680221
ISSN
0929-6999
ISBN
9789042014305
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b8af1252-57ad-4b5e-b782-895f5856019e (old id 1406603)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:52:09
date last changed
2023-12-25 07:44:30
@inproceedings{b8af1252-57ad-4b5e-b782-895f5856019e,
  abstract     = {{In stanzic songs like hymns for congregational singing, the intimate relationship between the text and the tune that we find in through-composed art songs is rarely achieved. In the tradition of the Lutheran churches the music has mainly been the servant of the text. However, the work of the hymnal committee of the Church of Sweden, which compiled the hymnal of 1986, shows two major criteria for the combinations of texts and tunes. The first criterion is unity of text and tune, and the second one is the function of the hymn in the service. From an aesthetic point of view, the interrelation of text and tune may be considered in five parameters: meter and rhythm, structure, mood, semantics, and style. This is what I intend to discuss here. The second criterion, the function of the hymn, i.e. 'singability' for a congregation, and aptitude for a specific cultural context, has often been the decisive one. Singability is most often discussed in terms of the tune. The tune must fit into the liturgy and the tradition of the congregation. Liturgy and tradition vary widely between countries, as well as within different parts of a country, according to time and cultural habits. Sometimes one hymn-text in the hymnal has been given two different tunes for different kinds of services or culturally different congregations.}},
  author       = {{Selander, Inger}},
  booktitle    = {{Cultural functions of intermedial exploration}},
  isbn         = {{9789042014305}},
  issn         = {{0929-6999}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{261--274}},
  publisher    = {{Rodopi}},
  title        = {{Ways and functions of intermedial relationships between text and tune in hymns}},
  volume       = {{62}},
  year         = {{2002}},
}