Sacred Melodies for Social Worship (Classic Reprint) Hardcover – January 23, 2024

Sacred Melodies for Social Worship: A 19th-Century Hymn Book Edited by Hiram MattisonThis historical collection gathers hymns and tunes prepared for congregational singing, presented with a practical hand for churches and social worship. The preface explains the challenges of representing tunes sung in different places and the decision to preserve the authors’ original forms, rather than force uniformity or modern edits. It presents a candid view of how the book was compiled, including the limits of space and the authors’ aim to honor a wide range of devotional song.The edition focuses on evangelical hymns and their melodies, acknowledging imperfections in some texts while aiming to kindle devotional feeling. It describes a careful selection process from thousands of tunes—choosing those judged best suited for the design of the volume, and noting that some worthy contributions were left out due to space and price constraints. It also highlights the generous support of publishers and friends, and it credits collaborators who helped advance the work. The aim is to promote the Gospel and the glory of God through song. Notes on how tunes vary by locality and why exact musical rendering can differHonest discussion of hymn poetry and the choice not to revise known versesExtensive selection from a broad pool of tunes to fit the book’s scopeAcknowledgments of contributors and the publishers’ support for the projectIdeal for readers of historical hymnody, church music directors, and anyone exploring mid-19th-century American sacred song. Read more