Old Songs for an Old Man

For some months I have used a book by Richard H Schmidt to meditate on some of classic hymns of the Church.  There are 40 of these hymns in this book, Sing to the Lord an Old Song: Meditations on Classic Hymns, (Forward Movement, Cincinnati, Ohio, 2019).  

Most mornings I read the texts of each hymn, trying to concentrate on the message and recreate the tune from my memory.  Schmidt provides  reflections on each stanza which usually speak to my own soul's needs and wonderings. I find it quite instructive to read the short blurb about the author of the hymn, and the composer of the tune (never the same person).  I am curious about the historical context and relevance of the hymn and why might it have endured and meant so much to so many for so long - in many cases for centuries.  

Then with the use of technology there is the added advantage of listening on my I-Phone to wonderful recordings of most of these hymns by dialing them up on You-tube.  I prefer choral renditions accompanied by organ or orchestra. Altogether, this reading and listening guides my morning prayers, and the tune frequently stay with me as I find myself humming and singing the first lines of the hymn a couple of hours later.  

I am drawn to these traditional hymns because of the richness of their poetry and soundness of theology as well as the emotional responses that arise within my heart from the music. Even as I know some of these hymns by heart from the many times I've sung them in worship, often since childhood, there are a number of them that were new to me. I was glad to make their acquaintance. 

The first line in Schmidt's Preface says it well for me, "Tears don't often come to my eyes in church, but when they do, it's usually because of a hymn - not a sermon, not a biblical or liturgical text, not the beauty of the architecture or the stained-glass window, but a song."  

Preferring the old and classic hymns puts me in the category of my (older) generation who choose "traditional" as compared to "contemporary" worship settings.  It is not that I don't like to sing "praise" or "renewal" songs.  In fact, I sometimes like to strum my guitar and sing these songs, especially Taize, alone or along with others.  But, as the only music used in liturgical worship,  I sometimes find the repetitive and stock phrases of praise songs to lack the depth and challenge of classical hymnody and writing.  I especially object to their use as performance during worship.  I find that the poetry and composition of classic hymns lends itself to reflection and meditation, and especially to prayer.  I very much dislike the thought that these time-tested hymns may be becoming lost as churches search for ways to be "relevant" and grab the attention of the next generations.  I believe that people of all generations seek deep and meaningful ways to relate to and be with the divine presence, and the old songs should be in the mix of our human attempts to worship and commune with our God.

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