Type of Submission
Performance
Keywords
psalmody, worship wars, William Billings, early American music, hymns, church music
Proposal
“To Keep In Tune So Long: ‘Worship Wars’ and the Development of Anglo-American Psalmody, 156-1800” details the cross-integration of cultural changes, class relationships, market trends, and Protestant church music through the historical lens of Anglo-American psalmody, the forerunner to the modern canon of English hymnody. This performance presentation will examine the music from a cultural, theoretical, and liturgical perspective, connecting it to the broader discussion of the “worship wars” happening in the current world of church music.
The paper begins with a discussion of the cultural background of this style of church music, especially Al such Psalmes of Dauid (1549), a publication by Thomas Sternold and John Hopkins that was the foundation of the accepted canon of metrical psalms known as the “Old Version.” Composers and publishers such as Thomas Este and Thomas Ravenscroft sought to codify the “common tunes” used in churches based on local traditions and market trends. As psalmody was brought to America, it became a symbol of class status and a tool for propaganda during the American Revolution. Even during the decline of psalmody, composers continued to innovate in word painting and harmony.
The second section will analyze the musical from a theoretical perspective, and highlight four pieces that illustrate the different styles that emerged in the history of Anglo-American psalmody. The first is “Purge Me, O Lord,” by Thomas Tallis, showing how English composers blended motet polyphony and psalm tune homophony. The second is “Cambridge Tune” by Thomas Ravenscroft, illustrating how the common Englishman sang these tunes. The third is “Creation” by William Billings, showing the rugged American style that developed in the 1700s. The final piece is “Kedron” by Amos Pilsbury, showing the intersection between folk music and harmonic development. A small ensemble will perform these pieces.
Finally, this presentation will consider the liturgical angle, connecting the historical treatment of Anglo-American psalmody with the modern “worship wars,” highlighting similarities in generational boundaries and class distinctions, showing how “there is nothing new under the sun,” (Ecclesiastes 1:9, MEV) and that shifts in culture have always impacted Protestant music.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Copyright
© 2024 A. J. Higgins. All rights reserved.
To Keep In Tune So Long: "Worship Wars" and the Development of Anglo-American Psalmody, 1560-1800
“To Keep In Tune So Long: ‘Worship Wars’ and the Development of Anglo-American Psalmody, 156-1800” details the cross-integration of cultural changes, class relationships, market trends, and Protestant church music through the historical lens of Anglo-American psalmody, the forerunner to the modern canon of English hymnody. This performance presentation will examine the music from a cultural, theoretical, and liturgical perspective, connecting it to the broader discussion of the “worship wars” happening in the current world of church music.
The paper begins with a discussion of the cultural background of this style of church music, especially Al such Psalmes of Dauid (1549), a publication by Thomas Sternold and John Hopkins that was the foundation of the accepted canon of metrical psalms known as the “Old Version.” Composers and publishers such as Thomas Este and Thomas Ravenscroft sought to codify the “common tunes” used in churches based on local traditions and market trends. As psalmody was brought to America, it became a symbol of class status and a tool for propaganda during the American Revolution. Even during the decline of psalmody, composers continued to innovate in word painting and harmony.
The second section will analyze the musical from a theoretical perspective, and highlight four pieces that illustrate the different styles that emerged in the history of Anglo-American psalmody. The first is “Purge Me, O Lord,” by Thomas Tallis, showing how English composers blended motet polyphony and psalm tune homophony. The second is “Cambridge Tune” by Thomas Ravenscroft, illustrating how the common Englishman sang these tunes. The third is “Creation” by William Billings, showing the rugged American style that developed in the 1700s. The final piece is “Kedron” by Amos Pilsbury, showing the intersection between folk music and harmonic development. A small ensemble will perform these pieces.
Finally, this presentation will consider the liturgical angle, connecting the historical treatment of Anglo-American psalmody with the modern “worship wars,” highlighting similarities in generational boundaries and class distinctions, showing how “there is nothing new under the sun,” (Ecclesiastes 1:9, MEV) and that shifts in culture have always impacted Protestant music.
