I have this resource and I enjoy reading the Psalms/Hymns, where would I find the music to these? I notice some are written in "Common Meter" (C.M.) I thought this would mean a particular tune, but I am not sure.... any help with this? Thanks
I don't have any ideas about getting the music... "Meter" isn't about the tune, but about the timing. Hymns written in CM can often be interchanged with other tunes which are compatable with CM. (try singing Amazing Grace to gilligan's island, for example)
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_metre
Any tune book can be used with Watts. For much of the time, words and tunes have been separated into independent books. Different churches and congregations have made different choices the common one as far as their congregants are concerned. I'd think that the Bristol Tunebook, the Darby tunebook or the Missionary tunebook would be the appropriate choices. Or be more practical, pick up an Episcopal or Methodist hymnal and use the meter index in back to find tunes that may fit.
To clarify alabama24's response: Common meter (and it's many relatives) describes the accent and syllable pattern of the hymn. That is to say that it is a technical poem related to poetry. Common meter also describes the tunes written that fit that poetic meter assuming a one note-one syllable match. The English hymn/tune coding is less precise than the German system so that a tune may fit but still feel awkward to sing to there is a bit of "feels right" to it.
The Soul Stirrers, I believe it was, recorded a wonderful example of an unexpected pairing that works: Amazing Grace to the tune of There is a House in New Orleans.
It would be great if Logos had a meter index for all its hymn resources, and I wish it had more of them with music included.
Wow... thanks for all the replies. This explains some things....
To be specific, Common Meter hymns have four lines. Lines 1 and 3 have eight syllables, whilst lines 2 and 4 have six syllables. Long Meter (LM) has four eight syllable lines, whilst Short Meter (SM) has four six syllable lines. You'll also come across DCM (double common meter), which is 8.6.8.6.8.6.8.6, and many others.
It would be wonderful if Logos could produce something like this: http://hymnquest.com/
Yes, yes! They should enter that market next now that they've done Proclaim.
Available Now
Build your biblical library with a new trusted commentary or resource every month. Yours to keep forever.
