A Belfast event will mark the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland’s 75th Anniversary
There will be A Hymn Festival entitled “Hymnody: A Living Tradition” in Belfast Cathedral on Saturday 17th September.
The event will also include a workshop on the use of hymnody. Both the workshop and the festival will be conducted by John Barnard. This festival will consist of hymns that have been composed (words or music) in the last 75 years (i.e. during the lifetime of the Hymn Society). Christopher Idle will be the guest speaker.
The local contact for the event is Bishop Edward Darling : darling-moira@utvinternet.com
The celebrations started in Paris where Belfast man, John Crothers organised a celebration with organ recitals at st George’s Anglican Church. The Charles Woods Summer school also held a service in the Methodist Church.
The Hymn Society was founded in 1936 for the purpose of:
• encouraging study and research in the field of hymnody;
• promoting good standards of hymn-singing;
• encouraging the discerning use of hymns in worship;
• sponsoring relevant publications.
It is ecumenical, its members being drawn from a wide spectrum of Christian tradition and practice. The Society’s members come from all over the world and include leaders of worship and church musicians, writers of words and tunes, people interested in editing hymn-books, scholars and researchers, as well as those simply wishing to use hymns with greater understanding. The Hymn Society is administered by an executive committee.
Members receive the quarterly Bulletin and Occasional Papers. These contain a wide variety of articles and reviews as well as news and correspondence – all of these providing a unique record of the progress of hymnody for more than half a century. Back numbers (all of which are kept in print) and classified Indexes to the first sixteen volumes, covering the period 1937-2002, are available for purchase.
An annual residential Conference is held in a three day period in July. This consists of lectures and discussions on hymnological topics and hymn-singing is a prominent feature. The Conference culminates in an Festival of Hymns, usually in a local church, chapel or cathedral, when all present enjoy singing hymns often linked to a specific theme or occasion.
The Society maintains links with The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, and with the European-based International Fellowship for Research in Hymnology (International Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Hymnologie). Friends from both these organisations attend its conferences; they in turn welcome members’ participation in their own gatherings. Links are also maintained with the Royal School of Church Music.
Membership of The Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland is by subscription:
http://www.hymnsocietygbi.org.uk/