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See Timeline of American Mainline
Hymnody
See American Mainline
Hymnody
There are really two streams of American Hymnody:
1. hymns coming from a literary tradition (i.e., written down)
2. hymns coming from an oral tradition (i.e., folk hymnody)
This is a bit simplistic because through the history of American hymnody
after about 1800 the two traditions often intermingled. For example,
folk hymns
were collected, written down, and published in Wyeth's Repositor
of Sacred Music, Part 2nd (1820) and again in the Social
Harp (1855). Indeed, many collections from the shaped-note
tradition have a smattering of folk hymns (see Harmonia
Sacra, 1832 - 1862). Similarly, some folk hymns are nothing
more than standard texts by such hymn writers as Watts, Wesley, Newton
and others -- set with traditional American folk melodies (see NEW
BRITTAIN).
Here are two generalizations which may prove helpful:
- Mainline American hymns are those coming from a literary
tradition and disseminated through denominational hymnals from the
late 1800's and into the 20th century.
- The "oral tradition" of folk hymnody wound its
way through camp meetings, became intermingled with the Singing
School manuals and Sunday
School songs of the mid-1800's and found its fullest expression
in American Revivalism
and the Gospel
Song of the late 19th century and American Evangelicalism,
contemporary Christian music and praise and worship music
of the late 20th century. Hymns from this tradition tended not to
be disseminated through standard hymnals until after about 1955. Instead
they were often transmitted orally (learned at revival meetings) or
were printed in non-denominational collections (gospel
songbooks, singing school manuals, chorus books, etc.).
Here are some more generalizations:
- Mainline American hymnody is that hymnody which was most
influenced musically by the tradition of European classical music.
- That hymnody which is not "mainline" was most influenced
musically by American folk and popular music from the early
to mid-1800's and finally manifested itself in the fully developed
gospel song of the late 19th and early 20th century.
- Gospel hymnody today is generally indistinguishable from
American popular music.
- Mainline hymnody today continues to be influenced by classical
music traditions.
- 20th century American mainline hymnody is that hymnody which
is found most typically in the hymnals of the larger denominations
such as Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal, etc., and who
follow fully or partially, the CHURCH YEAR. That is, they tend
to be LITURGICAL
in their worship forms.
- The counterpart to 20th century American mainline hymnody is the
gospel song and its step-children -- contemporary Christian
music and praise and worship music. Congregations which
mainly use gospel hymnody (in whatever form it takes and by what ever
name it may go by) tend to be theologically conservative or fundamentalist,
Evangelical,
and NON-LITURGICAL
in their worship forms.
OK, let's cut to the chase:
Today there are two streams of American hymnody: MAINLINE
and GOSPEL. Mainline is that hymnody which came out of and
is still influenced by CLASSICAL MUSIC. Gospel is that hymnody which
originated in and continues to be influenced by AMERICAN POPULAR
MUSIC.
So, does this mean that the distinction between MAINLINE and GOSPEL
hymnody is specifically a MUSICAL difference? The answer is, "sort-of."
For example, a great hymn by Fanny Crosby or Thomas Chisholm could be
set musically in such a way as to be indistinguishable from a MAINLINE
hymn. However, gospel hymns tend to have specific characteristics that
set them apart TEXTUALLY as well as MUSICALLY.
See American Main-Line Hymnody
Timeline
See American Main-Line Hymnody
Outline
See What Is a Gospel
Song
See Gospel
Hymnody -- A Quick Overview.
See Gospel Hymnody
Some American denominations tend to use ONLY mainline hymns: Lutheran,
Episcopal,
Presbyterian.
Some use a balance of gospel hymns and mainline hymns: Baptist.
Some use some gospel hymnody but tend to stick mainly
to mainline hymnody: Methodist,
Disciples,
UCC. Some use
mainly gospel but throw in some mainline hymns: Nazarene;
Churches
of Christ; Assemblies of God, Church of God, and other Pentacostal
churches
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