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The History of our Hymnal
"Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs."
- - Psalm 100, 2
The Bible tells us over and over again about the importance of music and hymns in worship, both in the Old and New Testaments. This has been continued down through the ages to the present day. Lutheran hymnody is rich with hymns from various ethnic backgrounds including: German, English, Welsh, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, Danish, Dutch, French, Greek, Icelandic, Latin, Marathi, and Syriac as well as numerous American contributions. As we sing our hymns, let us keep in mind the words of Hebrews 13, 15: "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess His Name."
As a congregation, Mighty Fortress has decided to use the 1958 Service Book and Hymnal of the Lutheran Church, which effectively carries forth a liturgical and hymnological heritage all the way from the days of early Lutheranism. Above all, the hymnal is both doctrinally and theologically sound.
For those who are from 30-something on, they remember it as an old friend. For the younger folks, they are finding it a refreshing and new experience. Those who grew up with its "first cousin," the 1941 Lutheran Hymnal, find that it is a close parallel in many ways (our congregation uses material from this hymnal as well). If you might be from a non-Lutheran Christian tradition, you need not feel intimidated or apprehensive. You will find a lot of hymns and texts that you will remember from your own background and tradition. The following article gives a bit of background and history for our hymnal of choice, the 1958 Service Book and Hymnal. ----------------------------- Service Book and Hymnal (SBH): 41 Years later Author: James Gerhardt Sucha Published on: October 22, 1999 INTRODUCTION The Service Book and Hymnal (SBH), which was introduced in 1958, is still fondly remembered by many in the [Lutheran Church]...as the hymnal that made a big impact on Lutheran worship, and many lives. Mention the red hymnal to any ...[Lutheran] baby-boomer who grew up with it, and it generates a smile and a memory. The SBH was replaced by the Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW) in 1978 [by some Lutheran congregations], but many congregations still use it as the main worship book, or along side [other hymnals]...today. It is also missed by many people today who loved the hymnal and its contents. BACKGROUND Before 1958, all of the different ethnic Lutheran bodies had their own distinct hymnals and traditions. At that time, there was [The Lutheran Hymnary (1918) and] the Concordia Hymnal (1932) of the Norwegian Lutherans, The American Lutheran Hymnal (1930) of the American Lutheran Church (ALC), The Hymnal (1925) of the Augustana Synod, The Common Service Book & Hymnal, (1917) of the United Lutheran Church, and other hymnals from Finnish and Danish Lutheran congregations. A committee to study the diversity of the hymnals and traditions began in the early 1940's under the direction of noted Lutheran scholar Dr. Luther D. Reed. Dr. Reed had already served on a commission that produced the 1917 Common Service Book & Hymnal, and he was no stranger to Lutheran customs and traditions of all synods. An invitation to join the panel was expressed to the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod (LC-MS), but they declined the invitation. The Missouri Synod had just completed their own hymnal in 1941 entitled, "The Lutheran Hymnal" and found no need to join the talk process. In 1945, the panel expanded to formally call themselves The Joint Commission on Worship, with representatives from all participating Lutheran bodies. Their goal, to integrate the heritage of all Lutheran bodies into one book for one church, would start them on a journey for twelve years. Dr. Reed headed the commission, and saw to it that each body of Lutherans would have a voice in the hymnal. It was decided to retain the old archaic style of language in the hymnal instead of updating the English in it, a decision that actually made the melodies of the liturgy much more meaningful with the [text]. However, the decision to use the old forms of English shortened the life of the SBH to only 20 years. The SBH offered three settings of liturgy, matins, vespers, burial of the dead, graduals, wedding services, and over 600+ hymns. FIRST SETTING The Commission on the Liturgy, an offshoot of the main body of the Commission on Worship, summoned the help of Episcopal Church musician Harold Gilbert to refine the Common Service music used for First Setting. The Common Service was found in all of the participating bodies hymnals already, and was retained to have consistency within the Lutheran churches. Gilbert was an expert in chants and worship in the Episcopal Church, and had helped that church with its new hymnal, The Hymnal 1940, during that time. Since Lutherans had adopted Episcopal chants in the late 1700's when they came to this country and wanted worship services in English, it seemed natural to have Mr. Gilbert help refine these for Lutheran worship. By 1888, the Common Service officially used chanting for the service style, and embraced by many Lutheran bodies, including the Missouri Synod. Gilbert softened the melody lines of the "who made heaven and earth" melody, and added two versions of a Gloria Patri. The first Gloria Patri was adapted by Gilbert from the Episcopal Plainchant Book (1899), and was originally written by Henry Smart. This became the most used out of the two that he had crafted. The Kyrie used a new text form adopted by the Commission, to stretch it out to four responses and an "Amen." This same form now in it's updated text form is still used in LBW today. Gilbert's friend Arnold Richardson loaned him a melody that he had written for Episcopal worship in the 1920's. This version of the Kyrie sounded like a flower blooming when sung, and was a favorite in ALC/ LCA churches for response. The three-fold Kyrie from the American Lutheran Hymnal was offered as well as an alternate. The Gloria In Excelsis posed some problems for Gilbert. Lutherans using the familiar Scottish chant had one version, whereas other Lutherans were using a chant by John Stainer. The Scottish chant was picked over the other for retention and getting the text across that would stick with people. Gilbert softened down the Episcopal version, and customized it for the Lutheran church. It was bright, cheery, and retained well in the memories of people who sang it. An alternate chant was offered for the Gloria as well, and was written by Gilbert and noted Episcopal hymnist Leo Sowerby. This chant used glorious chords for the words, but was seldom used by the Lutheran churches, which used First Setting. Gilbert gave his touch to other Lutheran pieces such as Merbecke's Lenten response, and he reharmonized Johann Freylinghausen's 3/4 time "Create In Me" to a version that flowed and expressed the words of Psalm 51, and would sing well in four-part harmony. This beloved version is still in use today in ELCA churches as #732 in the With One Voice (WOV) supplement. Communion liturgy pieces were directly from the Lutheran heritage, and were crafted by Regina Holmen Fryxell, who will be discussed in the next setting informative. The alternate addition of a communion prayer of thanksgiving, written by Dr. Reed, was supplanted by C. Winfred Douglas' adaptation of an ancient plainsong melody of the Lord's Prayer. This melody was used in Roman Catholic circles, and used by early Lutherans and Episcopalians. The tail end of this melody was featured in this setting. The setting was finished out by using John Blow's Anglican chant for the Nunc Dimittis, a chant that was normally used in funeral services, but now was used in this service. It was a popular chant that retained in people's minds, so therefore it was used for this part of the service. The committee finalized the service by updating the melodies for responses taken directly from the Common Service Book and Hymnal (1917). The "Amens" for this setting featured various ones that were found in prior hymnals, and an addition of an adapted tracker version taken from hymnist T. Tertius Noble. First Setting, known as the "Anglican Setting," was very successful when tested out in congregations and used for 20 years in ELCA churches. Unfortunately, it was not included in the LBW when published in 1978. It retained very well in the memories of people who sang it, even the Gilbert version of "Create In Me" to be included in the With One Voice supplement in the 1990's. In 1994, the Association of Lutheran Free Churches (ALFC), a group that had broken away from the Lutheran Church of America (LCA) in 1962, published a new hymnal that resembles the SBH and LBW. First Setting was used for The Ambassador Hymnal (TAH), although updated in text and transposed in key in places. The Service Hymnal, A Lutheran Homecoming that is expected to be completed in 2000, will feature a version of the Common Service, based on the Lutheran past, and First Setting in the SBH. SECOND SETTING There is a wonderful story behind Second Setting that most people don't know about and is worth noting. In 1948, it was decided that there needed to be an additional setting for the hymnal, expressing the rich heritage of the Swedish Augustana tradition of worship. Dr. Conrad Bergendoff, president of Augustana College-Rock Island, was a committee member on the commission. He and Dr. Reed were in need of someone to research and express the heritage of the Northern European Lutheran heritage. They paid a visit to the home of Fritiof Fryxell (pronounced Fritch-off) Fryxell and his wife Regina in Rock Island on a sultry summer night in 1948. Fritiof was world famous for having named the Grand Tetons of Wyoming, and was written up in LIFE magazine for his work helping the War Department in geography during World War 2. Regina had performed a recital in Washington D.C. on the pipe organ in 1944 during their stay there. Together, the Fryxells both taught and inspired people at Augustana- he in geology and she in music, French and English. That night, Regina was asked to carry on the task of taking on this assignment to express the heritage of the Lutheran faith. Regina was the daughter of a Swedish Lutheran pastor, had obtained two degrees simultaneously at Augustana in music and English in 1922, and had studied organ at Juilliard. She was no stranger when it came to church music, as many of her choral anthems were published, and she had studied and worked for Episcopal musician Leo Sowerby. She managed to juggle being the mother of three, teaching full time, and playing organ on Sunday at her church to jump into the work of Second Setting. This study took her into a ten-year comparative analysis of the Lutheran traditions, in which she secured hymnals from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Bohemia, and Germany. She crafted versions of liturgy that she found, and included the history on each piece to educate Lutherans on the heritage. Regina would craft the melodies, and then guinea pig students and faculty at Augustana College to get feedback to make proper adjustments. She believed that word should be carried in the melody line to the fullest extent to make...an impact on people. What she crafted and later refined was glorious. Originally, the setting was written in four-part harmony, but it was determined that it would be able to be learned faster in unison. Regina reworked the compositions so that they would sing in unison capacity with ease. Many people who knew Regina thought that the things that happened in her life emerged in her music. She was a very positive, smiling person, but behind that smile lived a person who had survived tragedy and managed to live on. The Fryxells had lost two of their sons to tragic accidents, and many feel these tragedies and pain reflected in the richness of Regina's compositions. So successful was Setting Two, that the melodies were retained for the LBW Setting Three. People today can even recite her melodies from memory. The fact that she wanted us to know our Lutheran heritage was successful, and many learned where pieces of the liturgy came from, and could identify with them also. Most of all, Regina's melodies hit the heart and made you feel that you were going through a journey through time. They also enhanced people's faith toward the God they worshiped and loved. Setting Two was known as the "Continental Setting," because it featured music from continental Northern Europe. Every piece that Regina crafted had a history to it from the Lutheran past. The Gloria Patri was derived from using the German and Augustana versions. Three versions for the Kyrie were offered, with the first two from Regina. She adapted the old Orbis Factor Kyrie that was used in the Swedish traditions, and this even wound up in the LBW. The second version came from Bohemian Lutherans. The Gloria in Excelsis was a masterpiece, a version that was based from the early Lutheran church and pastor Nicklaus Decius in 1539. The Gloria came from an old Easter Gloria that was derived from a Latin mass in the Roman Catholic Church. Decius, a friend of Luther, had used it in his early German masses. The "Alleluias" were derived from Prussian (Poland) and Roman Catholic sources. The second "Alleluia" was derived from a Latin Sanctus in the De Angelis mass. Many sources of the liturgy were interpreted from the Swedish Mass Book of 1942. What was published in the communion sections was also featured in the communion sections of First Setting. Regina reworked the Bach Sanctus from 1725 that had been a Lutheran mainstay for hundreds of years. Her version of it inspired Ronald A. Nelson when he did his Setting Two-LBW version. The Agnus Dei was offered in two versions that touched the souls of communicants at the altar. The Swedish version is the one that tugs at the heartstrings with its haunting melody. The setting is finally capped off with the celebration "Song of Simeon" (Nunc Dimittis) and the reprise of the heartwarming Gloria Patri melody that one sang in the first part of the liturgy journey. The end of the service is grand with the familiar Danish three-fold "Amen," which Regina adapted. In the LP [phonograph record] that was used for educating congregations on the service, Regina is featured as the organist. Regina Fryxell's setting had a big influence on liturgy to come in the future, as beforehand, the settings were all chanted or plainsong. Currently, this setting was re-created from the 1963 organist edition of the liturgy, and will be featured in the forthcoming The Service Hymnal- A Lutheran Homecoming, due out in 2000 for ELCA, AALC, and other Lutheran churches. THIRD SETTING A third setting to the SBH? Yes, there was a third setting composed and produced. However, space limitations in the final cut prevented it from being published in the book. What was published was called the "Plainsong Setting," and was sold in separate books that were small versions of the red volumes of the SBH. Germanic ALC churches used this setting mostly in the Eastern United States, and kept the volumes in the pews next to the SBH. This setting was completed with the help of Ernest White, an Episcopal musician versed in polyphonic plainsong of the Middle Ages. Research had found that Lutherans in German churches did indeed use old plainsong melodies when the church first started. Many of these melodies came directly from what they knew already in the Roman Catholic circles. White went to work in the early 1950's crafting his melodies, adapted from the masses of the Catholic church and Lutheran hymnbooks from Germany. Masses from Latin sources such as the Orbis Factor were updated and translated into old English. Included were the creeds, sung to plainsong melodies from the middle ages. In the LP recording of the Service Book and Hymnal when it was introduced in 1958, this setting is featured. The complexity of the unison melodies and the constant sound of the plainsong make it interesting for the first five minutes, but makes one realize why the chorale was invented. Plainsong is an artform, but chorale was invented to make harmony and to add to the service. This particular setting never caught on with other ALC/LCA churches when produced, except for the German Lutheran congregations in the Ohio and Pennsylvania regions. Most congregations who used it dropped it over the years only to use the two settings in the SBH. Similar fate has happened with Setting Three in the LBW, with the first two settings being the most used. MATINS, VESPERS AND OTHER ORDERS OF WORSHIP The Commission with the help of Harold Gilbert completed these services. They included introits, responses, and an order for Burial for the Dead. Much of this music was already featured in past hymnals, and slightly updated without making too many changes. However, for the Lutheran Church of America (LCA) Regina Fryxell published a separate set of music for seasons, introits, and a book for weddings- all published by Fortress Press. These were very successful books that wound up being used in ALC churches as well. HYMNS One of biggest successes of the SBH was the choice of hymns that the Commission compiled. In case there was an overlapping hymntext widely used by many branches of the Lutheran churches participating in the hymnal, the Commission saw to it that up to three tunes were used for the text to cross-marry and meet congregation's repertoires. The Commission was careful to be multi-ethnic even back in the 1940's when making their lists for the hymnal. Hymns never used in Lutheran hymnals found their way into the SBH and were very successful. American hymns were added to enrich the worship experience of people who were immigrants and first generation ethnic-Americans. This was the first time that a Lutheran hymnal would be truly Americanized from a variety of historic ethnic-rich sources. The Commission made sure that the best harmonies and texts from a variety of sources were in the SBH. Hymns from Greek, Spanish, French, English, Irish, German, Dutch, Bohemian, Romanian, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, and Scandinavian countries were included. Many of the American hymns in the SBH came from Episcopal, Baptist, and Methodist sources, and featured gospel-related texts. The Commission made sure the best harmonizations were used to insure that the average churchgoer could sing it. The inclusion of over 20 Johann Sebastian Bach hymns enriched the SBH greatly, and helped Lutherans discover the greatest Lutheran composer ever. Suggestions on singing the hymns were given at the start of the hymns in SBH to help congregations sing them effectively. Space limitations required that some hymns be doubled for repeat marks to fit on one page. The only negative thing about the hymns in the SBH was the fact that the titles were not placed on the headers of the pages, and the numbers for more than three hymns remained the same. When searching for a hymn that had more than one tune, one would have to thumb through to find the right one. However, the 600+ hymns in the SBH were a joy to sing for congregations. The SBH was laid out in the same style print that was adopted for the 1917 Common Service Book and Hymnal (CSBH). Many other Lutheran denominations featured service music in the back of the hymnal and had different organization of church year compared to the organized version in the CSBH. The LBW follows the same format, with the addition of canticles after the psalm sections, and prayers in the forward part of the LBW. The cover in red was chosen because of Pentecost and Holy Spirit in the Trinity. The gold ball and cross logo was designed to represent that the cross and what was in the hymnal was global, not just to one denomination. CONCLUSION In conclusion, the SBH was a very successful hymnal, more so than it's successor, the LBW has been. Careful consideration was taken into account for transition, and retaining the heritage that was existing, adding to it, and blending it into a mixture of different Lutheran cultures to create the first North American Lutheran hymnal involving many different ethnic heritages. The reason the SBH was successful is that it had music that was singable, memorable, and the words expressed made a lasting impact on those who used the hymnal. Today, in the pocket congregations that still use the SBH, the feeling of something that is theirs to cherish and to hold on to remains. It reflected who people were in congregations, where they come from, and their unique heritages. Many congregations who still use the SBH tried out the LBW, and refused to give up something that reflected the fabric of their church. In the 1990's some ELCA churches have even returned the SBH back to the pewracks to be used alternately with the green LBW and WOV. These churches have found that the books are all different in their own ways, and have their own unique features about them to be included in worship together. This way though, they can have the past, present and future all in one place to express who they are as Lutherans. |
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