Processional hymn

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A procession before a Pontifical High Mass (1903). Mass at St Louis Cathedral NOLA for LA Purchase Centennial.jpeg
A procession before a Pontifical High Mass (1903).

A processional hymn, opening hymn, or gathering hymn is a chant, hymn or other music sung during the Procession, usually at the start of a Christian service, although occasionally during the service itself. The procession usually contains members of the clergy and the choir walking behind the processional cross. [1] Occasionally, a service will also contain a recessional hymn, although in the Protestant tradition this is usually an organ voluntary. [2]

Contents

The genre first appears in the early Middle Ages, and is a distinct genre from breviary hymns, often containing a refrain. With its longer cathedrals and churches, England was particularly rich in these and several are to be found in the Sarum Processional. [3]

In The English Hymnal nos. 613 to 640 are described as "Processional" and nos. 641 to 646 are "Suitable for use in procession". The processional hymns include "Of the Father's Heart Begotten" (Corde natus ex parentis, by Prudentius), "Ride On, Ride On in Majesty!"(by H. H. Milman), "Hail thee, Festival Day!" (Salve, festa dies, by Venantius Fortunatus) and "Jerusalem, my happy home" (by F.B.P. c. 1580). [4]

Recessional hymn

A recessional hymn or closing hymn is a hymn placed at the end of a church service to close it. It is used commonly in the Catholic Church and Anglican Church, an equivalent to the concluding voluntary, which is called a Recessional Voluntary, for example a Wedding Recessional.

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Hymnody in continental Europe developed from early liturgical music, especially Gregorian chant. Music became more complicated as embellishments and variations were added, along with influences from secular music. Although vernacular leisen and vernacular or mixed-language carols were sung in the Middle Ages, more vernacular hymnody emerged during the Protestant Reformation, although ecclesiastical Latin continued to be used after the Reformation. Since then, developments have shifted between isorhythmic, homorhythmic, and more rounded musical forms with some lilting. Theological underpinnings influenced the narrative point of view used, with Pietism especially encouraging the use of the first person singular. In the last several centuries, many songs from Evangelicalism have been translated from English into German.

Church music during the Reformation developed during the Protestant Reformation in two schools of thought, the regulative and normative principles of worship, based on reformers John Calvin and Martin Luther. They derived their concepts in response to the Catholic church music, which they found distracting and too ornate. Both principles also pursued use of the native tongue, either alongside or in place of liturgical Latin.

Protestant liturgy or Evangelical liturgy is a pattern for worship used by a Protestant congregation or denomination on a regular basis. The term liturgy comes from Greek and means "public work". Liturgy is especially important in the Historical Protestant churches, both mainline and evangelical, while Baptist, Pentecostal, and nondenominational churches tend to be very flexible and in some cases have no liturgy at all. It often but not exclusively occurs on Sunday.

References

  1. Winfred Douglas, The Hale Lectures - Church Music in History and Practice Studies in the Praise of God, (Read Books, 2008) ISBN   978-1-4437-3063-1 pp.176-178
  2. Richard J. Mouw, Mark A. Noll, Wonderful words of life: hymns in American Protestant history and theology (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004) ISBN   978-0-8028-2160-7, p.158
  3. Charles Herbermann (ed.) Processional hymn in the Catholic Encyclopedia , (Robert Appleton Company, 1913)
  4. The English Hymnal; with tunes. London: Henry Frowde, 1907; pp. 790-837