The best hymnal ever to appear in the English-speaking world is finally online: Hymnal 1940. It is not the full book. Someone went to the trouble of sorting through what is and is not under copyright control. Still, it is a marvel.
9 Replies to “Hymnal 1940 is online”
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Do we know when the service music will be available?
I recently out of curiosity opened a long-neglected cabinet at the Methodist church I work for and there, in pristine condition, were several copies of the 1940. Who knows how long they'd been there. I asked permission, and got it, to take them and add them to my collection. Gave one away to a worthy recipient.
Have you another to spare? Perhaps I am worthy, I don't know. Certainly no one had a greater love for that hymnal, which I was lucky enough to grow up with, having been born to an Episcopalian mother in 1946–so our hymnals in the church were still bright blue in my childhood, with that new smell and feel. For a time in high school I was the organist for our church.
Over the years I suffered through succeeding variations of what was considered to be music, as the church(es) I attended entertained what they fancied as "more relate-able" or "modern" music. What many children hear now in worship services, as what they hear pretty much anywhere these days, makes me sorry. What I know they are missing makes me grieve.
I wish I had been able to keep my mother's hymnal when she passed away several years ago, but circumstances then prevented me. In the event you have one to part with, and feel I might be the right recipient, I would be glad to pay the postage to have it sent me. I am in Rhode Island. In any case, congratulations for this find, a true treasure.
As an Episcopalian, it cheers me to see the kind words for The Hymnal, 1940. I only wish my brethren were as enlightened!
I ask with great timidity, since it's a bit off-topic, but I will sin boldly. When I sang in the choir at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church (Mission, Kansas), we had a book that we drew simple chorales from to sing in the summer time. It had a couple of pieces by Thomas Tallis and Mozart's "Ave Verum Corpus," I remember. We called it The Green Book, because it was. If anyone could give me its real title, I would be delighted, because then I could look for it online and in used bookstores!
Good Heavens! I have loads of them to spare around my church. Send me your info if you have not already gotten a copy. I'd be happy to send one.
I could be wrong, but it may have been "The English Hymnal". I am trying to get my hands on a copy, so I can't be sure, but it is definitely and resolutey green. There are several editions; little ones with lyrics only (had that one at school), a larger one with words and melody, and a full music edition (which is the unicorn I am trying to find).
Good luck to you!
is there a site where I can hear the music played from the 1940 Hymnal, melody edition/
Andrew Remillard has a youtube channel, with many (if not all) of the 1940 hymns recorded. I use it a lot for my choir, as most of them are unfamiliar with the hymns. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6BRCej5GRFLlovf… I like his recordings because he is just playing the hymns as written on the piano and he often plays through to make it really easy to practice all of the verses.