Hymnals, also called hymnbooks (or hymn books) and occasionally hymnaries, are books of hymns sung by religious congregations. The following is a list of English-language hymnals by denomination.
Additional Hymns set forth by the House of Bishops at the request of the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies (1866)[54]
Daily Hymns: 32nd Anniversary of the Sunday Schools (1868)[55]
The Church Hymnal: a collection of hymns from the Prayer book hymnal (1869)[56]
The Book of Common Praise: with music for the Book of Common Prayer (1869)[57]
A Church hymnal: compiled from "Additional hymns," "Hymns ancient and modern," and "Hymns for church and home," as authorized by the House of Bishops (1870)[58]
The Parish hymnal: for "The service of song in the House of the Lord" (1870)[59]
The Hymnal: revised and enlarged as adopted by the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America in the year of our Lord 1892 (1892)[73]
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged (U.S.), 1892[74]
Church Hymnal (1853) by William Cooke and William Denton[136]
Hymns used at the Church of S. Leonard, Sunningwell, and the chapel of S. Swithun, Kennington, Diocese of Oxford (1855)[137][138]
Lyra Germanica: Hymns for the Sundays and Chief Festivals of the Christian Year (1855) by Catherine Winkworth[139]
A Hymnal for use in the English Church (1855)[140]
Hymns collected for the use of Saint Leonard's Church Flamstead (1856)[141][142]
Portions of the Psalms of David, with hymns on various subjects, selected and arranged for the use of the Congregation of the Parish Church of Bromley St. Leonard (1857)[143]
Songs of Grace and Glory[153] (1871) – an ultra-Calvinist book[154] edited by Reverend Charles Busbridge Snepp (1823–1880),[155] Vicar of Perry Barr in Birmingham, England[156]
The Psalms of David: with the Ten Commandments, Creed, Lord's Prayer, &c. in metre (1767)[229][230]
The Psalms of David: with hymns and spiritual songs: also, the catechism, confession of faith, and liturgy of the Reformed Church in the Netherlands (1789)[231]
The Psalms and Hymns: with the catechism, confession of faith and liturgy of the Reformed Dutch Church in North America (1814)[232]
Additional Hymns, Adopted by the General Synod of the Reformed Dutch Church in North America (1831)[233]
The Psalms and Hymns, with the Catechism, Confession of Faith, and Liturgy, of the Reformed Dutch Church in North America (1839)[234]
Sabbath School and Social Hymns of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of the U.S.A. (1843)[235]
Additional Hymns, Adopted by the General Synod of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in North America, at their Session, June 1846 (1847)[236]
Young Singer's Friend: or, the Lee Avenue collection of hymns and songs (1859)[237]
The Psalms and Hymns, with the Doctrinal Standards and Liturgy of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in North America (1860)[238]
Note: Not all congregations use a hymnal from their own denomination. For example, there are churches in the Evangelical Lutheran Synod that use LCMS hymnals (from before the Synodical Conference was dissolved[254]) as well as WELS hymnals.
The Christian Songster: a collection of hymns and spiritual songs, usually sung at camp, prayer, and social meetings, and revivals of religion. Designed for all denominations (1858)[367]
A Collection of Hymns, for the use of the United Brethren in Christ: taken from the most approved authors, and adapted to public and private worship (1858)[368]
Hymns for the Sanctuary and Social Worship: with tunes (1874)[369][370]
Golden Songs: for the Sabbath School, Sanctuary and Social Worship (1874)[371]
The Praise Offering: Designed Expressly for Prayer, Experience, Revival and Camp Meetings. (1876)[372]
Songs of the Cross, for the Sabbath-school (1876)[373]
Golden Leaves: a collection of choice hymns and tunes adapted to Sabbath-schools, social meetings, Bible classes, &c. (1880)[374]
Gates of Praise: for the Sabbath-school, praise-service, prayer-meeting, etc. (1884)[375]
Notes of Triumph: for the Sunday School (1886)[376]
The People's Hymnal: for use in public and social worship (1890)[377]
Songs of Refreshing: adapted for use in revival meetings, camp meetings, and the social services of the church. (1891)[378]
The Sanctuary Hymnal, published by Order of the General Conference of the United Brethren in Christ (1914)[379]
The Church Hymnal: the official hymnal of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ (1935)[380][381]
Wesleyan Hymn and Tune Book: Comprising the Entire Collection of Hymns in the Hymn Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (1859)[419]
Hymns for Schools and Families, Specially Designed for the Children of the Church (1859)[420]
A Collection of Hymns for Public, Social, and Domestic Worship (1875)[421]
New Life: or, Songs and Tunes for Sunday-Schools, Prayer Meetings, and Private Occasions (1879)[422]
The New Hymn Book: a Collection of Hymns for Public, Social, and Domestic Worship (1881)[423]
Grace and Glory: a choice collection of sacred songs, original and selected, for Sabbath-schools, revivals, etc. (1882)[424]
Prayer and Praise: or Hymns and Tunes for Prayer Meetings, Praise Meetings, Experience Meetings, Revivals, Missionary Meetings and all special occasions of Christian work and worship (1883)[425]
New Life No. 2: songs and tunes for Sunday schools, prayer meetings, and revival occasions (1886)[426]
Hymn Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (1889)[427]
The Young People's Hymnal, adapted to the use of Sunday schools, Epworth leagues, prayer meetings, and revivals (1897)[428]
Hymn and Tune Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (Round Note Ed.) (1902)[429]
The Heart and Voice: or, Songs of Praise for the Sanctuary (1865)[455]
New Hymn and Tune book: an Offering of Praise for the Methodist Episcopal Church (1866)[456]
The Centenary Singer: a collection of hymns and tunes popular during the last one hundred years (1867)[457]
The New Song: consisting of very choice notes of redemption, embracing new original, and also selected songs, appropriate for prayer and revivial meetings (1875)[458]
Gems of Praise (Choice Collection of Sacred Melodies) (1876)[459][460]
First Hymn Book of the Unitas Fratrum (1501). In "the Bohemian tongue", compiled by Bishop Luke of Prague, printed in Prague.[522] Other editions: 1505 and 1519.[523]
First English Moravian Hymn Book (1741).[522] Other editions: 1746, 1754, eleven others, 1849 edited by James Montgomery and 1912 (with a supplement in 1940).[522][523]
The Liturgy and the Offices of Worship and Hymns of the American Province of the Unitas Fratrum, or the Moravian Church (1908).[524] "The synod of 1903 authorized the Executive Board of the Church to introduce the Liturgy [section one, 119 pp.] into the same book with the Offices of Worship and Hymns [section two, 435 pp., including an Appendix]." (p. v) The Liturgy and Hymns "are the result of a series of resolutions adopted by the Provincial Synods of 1864, 1867, 1868, 1870, and 1873." (p. iv) The Offices of Worship and Hymns are the Third Edition, Revised and Enlarged (1891). Also contains an Index to the First Lines of all the Stanzas (to p.475), and an Alphabetical List of Tunes (to p.479).
The Moravian Hymn Book authorized for use in the British Province of the Moravian Church (1969). Contains: Acknowledgments, Contents, Preface, 710 numbered hymns including 140 of Moravian Church origin, the rest being from "...the whole Christian tradition of hymnody...", Index to first lines, Index of authors and translators.[522] This Hymn Book is also used in the English speaking Caribbean.[523] It includes a collection of Liturgies (revised 1960). A music edition was published in 1975.[523] A version without the liturgy is also available[525]
Sing Out Today (1994) a collection of hymns by contemporary writers – words only. The music edition includes writers from the British Province only.[525]
Moravian Book of Worship (1995) the service book of the Moravian Church in North America.[525]
The Hymnal Published by Authority of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication and Sabbath-School work, 1895.
Hymns of the Holy Eastern Church: translated from the service books with introductory chapters on the history, doctrine, and worship of the church[541][542]
"Union Hymnal" (ed. Cantor Alois Kaiser), Central Conference of American Rabbis (1897)
"Union Hymnal for Jewish Worship" (ed. Rabbi Harry H. Mayer), Central Conference of American Rabbis (1914)
"Union Hymnal: Songs and Prayers for Jewish Worship," Third Edition Revised and Enlarged (ed. Abraham Wolf Binder), Central Conference of American Rabbis (1932)
"Union Hymnal: Songs and Prayers for Jewish Worship," Part II—Musical Services, Third Edition Revised and Enlarged (ed. Abraham Wolf Binder), Central Conference of American Rabbis (1932)
"Union Songster: Songs and Prayers for Jewish Youth" (ed. Eric Werner), Central Conference of American Rabbis (1960)
A Selection of Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs, from the Most Approved Authors (1847)[592]
A Collection of Hymns, Designed for the Use of the Church of Christ (1847)[593][594]
A Collection of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs Suited to the Various Occasions of Public Worship (1851)[595]
A Collection of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs: suited to the various occasions of public worship and private devotion of the church of Christ: with an appendix of German hymns (1869)[596][597][598]
A Collection of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs: suited to the various occasions of public worship and private devotion, of the church of Christ (1872)[599][600]
A Collection of Hymns: designed for the use of the Church of Christ (1873)[601]
Philharmonia (1875) by Martin D. Wenger, reprinted and now updated by Old Order Mennonite Conference of Ontario.[602][603]
Bible School Hymns and Sacred Songs for Sunday Schools and Other Religious Services (1883)[604]
A Collection of Psalms and Hymns: suited to the various occasions of public worship and private devotion (1884)[605]
Hymns and tunes for public and private worship, and Sunday schools compiled by a committee (1890)[606]
Church and Sunday school hymnal, a collection of hymns and sacred songs, appropriate for church services, Sunday schools, and general devotional exercises. Compiled and published under the direction of a committee appointed by Mennonite conferences, Musical Editor – John David Brunk (1902)[607]
New Harmonia Sacra (1915) by Joseph Funk and sons[608]
Life Songs: a collection of sacred songs for Sunday schools, young people's meetings and evangelistic services (1916)[609]
Life Songs: a collection of sacred songs for Sunday schools, young people's meetings and evangelistic services by John David Brunk Samuel Frederick Coffman[609] (1916)[610]
Children's hymns and songs by Joseph Kennel (1924)[611]
The Sheet Music of Heaven (Spiritual Song); The Mighty Triumphs of Sacred Song (1925) by Clayton F. Derstine[612][613]
Church hymnal, Mennonite, a collection of hymns and sacred songs, suitable for use in public worship, worship in the home, and all general occasions (1927)[614]
A Collection of Psalms and Hymns Suited to the Various Occasions of Public Worship (1928)[615]
Select hymns and gospel songs taken from the Church hymnal for use in conferences and special meetings (1929)
Songs of cheer for children, a collection of hymns and songs suitable for use in the primary and junior departments of our Sunday schools, authorized by Mennonite General Conference, compiled by Music Committee (1929)[616][617]
Life Songs No. 2 (1938)
Selections from Life songs No. 2 (1942)
Junior hymns for juniors in church, Sunday school, and Summer Bible school (1947)[618][619]
Handbook to The Mennonite Hymnary, by Lester Hostetler (1949)[620]
Collection of Hymns Designed for the use of the Church of Christ by the Reformed Mennonite Church (1949)[621][622]
Songs of the Church by Walter Eli Yoder, Herald Press (1953)[623]
The Song Book of The Salvation Army – Contains the words only.[641]
The Tune Book of The Salvation Army – Two Editions for accompaniment either by means of Piano or Brass Band: Piano Version, and Brass Band (varying parts: Solo Cornet, Euphonium, etc.)
Gospel Liturgy: a prayer-book for churches, congregations, and families, Universalist Church in America (1861)
Social Hymns and Tunes, American Unitarian Association (1869)
Vestry Harmonies: a collection of hymns and tunes for all occasions of social worship, Universalist Church in America (1871)
Services for Congregational Worship, American Unitarian Association (1898)
Praise and Thanks A Hymn Book for the Young People's Christian Union of the Universalist Church, Unitarian Publishing House (1903)[642]
The Unitarian Faith Set Forth in Fifty Unitarian Hymns, American Unitarian Association (1914)
Hymns of the Church, Universalist Church in America (1917)
The Beacon Song and Service Book, American Unitarian Association (1935)
Hymns of the Spirit, Universalist Church in America and the American Unitarian Association (1937)
LRY Songbook, Greater Washington Area Federation of LRY for the 1962 Summer Conference of the Middle Atlantic Regional Council of Liberal Religious Youth in the Year MCLXII (1962)[643]
Hymns for the Celebration of Life, The Unitarian Universalist Association (1964)
Liberal Religious Youth Ohio Valley Federation Songs for Triangle Club of All Souls Unitarian Church, Assembled by Mike Selmmanoff (1964–65), Reprinted by E.O. Davisson (1966)[644]
Hymns for Living, General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches (1985)
Hymns of Faith and Freedom, Unitarian Christian Association (1991)
Songs of Joy, Ukrainian (1932). N.B. The title in English is at the head of the Ukrainian title.
The official sacred music of most of the Roman Catholic Church (specifically, the Roman Rite) is in the form of Gregorian chant, and appears in the Roman Missal and the Roman Gradual. The Missal contains all that is to be sung during Mass by the priest at the altar, while the Gradual contains all the music sung by the choir. The standard Roman Gradual contains complex Gregorian Chant while the Graduale Simplex substitutes easier Gregorian chants. All of these are in Latin, and are published for use throughout most of the Latin Rite (the vast majority of Roman Catholic parishes).
Of Eastern Catholic rites, several of these have hymnals and service books translated in whole or in part into English. The Byzantine Rite Catholics generally use the same music as the Eastern Orthodox, although some specific Catholic translations of some hymn books into English do exist. All of the Byzantine Rite churches, and their Eastern Orthodox counterparts, use essentially the same lyrics in their hymns; the primary difference between different Byzantine Rite Catholic churches, such as between Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church and the Melkite Catholic Church of Antioch, is in the form of the music used. The churches of the Rusyn ethnic group, which following the Union of Brest became Eastern Catholics developed a form of congregational singing known as Prostopinije; recently, many Rusyns in the United States and central Europe have rejoined the Eastern Orthodox church, but Prostopinije remains in use by both groups of Carpatho-Rusyn heritage, and has been adapted for use in both traditional and modern English.
Of the other Eastern Catholic Rites, the hymnals and service books of the Maronites have been translated into English, however, for other Eastern Catholic rites, often only the Divine Liturgy has been translated into English, frequently without seasonal propers.
The Latin Rite contains three other liturgical traditions still in use: the subtly different Rite of Braga, which is mostly like the Tridentine Mass but differing in a few minor points, historically used in Portugal before the introduction of the Novus Ordo Missae, and the substantially different Ambrosian Rite, used by most Catholic parishes in Milan and some adjoining regions, and the Mozarabic Rite, which is also very different from the Roman Rite; at one time it was the standard liturgy throughout most of Spain during the period of Moorish occupation; later, its use dwindled, and it is now celebrated daily in a single chapel in the Toledo Cathedral built especially for that purpose; it sees very limited use elsewhere. These rites have only partially been translated into English, and are never celebrated in English, the diaspora from their locales having adopted the Roman Rite.
There are also several monastic rites slightly different from the old Tridentine Mass, such as the Dominican Rite and the Carthusian Rite. The latter remains in use, exclusively in Latin; the former was translated entirely into English, but is always celebrated in Latin; its use has become rare, but it is still celebrated on occasion. There exist official English translations of the Missal and Breviary of the Dominican Rite, but not of the other distinctive monastic usages.
It has been the practice to publish hymnals of songs in the vernacular language for more than 400 years, and many of these now contain some Latin Gregorian chants. They include the following:
Schafer, Linda Powell, ed. (2003). The St. Michael Hymnal (3rded.). OCLC54666463.
O'Connor, Michael Dominic (2011). Schafer, Linda Powell (ed.). The St. Michael hymnal (4thed.). OCLC773942725.
Essex: McCrimmon
Celebration Hymnal for Everyone, published by McCrimmons Publishing Co Ltd., first edition 1994, second edition with supplement 2005, "conforms to the English translation of the revised roman Missal 2010".[646]
Celebration Hymnal: songs and hymns for worship, published by Word Music/Integrity Music (1997).[647] This is different from Celebration Hymnal for Everyone published by McCrimmon Publishing Co Ltd. (1994, 2005 with Supplement).
Keswick Hymn Book, Marshall, Morgan & Scott (1938)
Hymns Selected and Original for the use of Teachers and Scholars or The Sunday School Union Hymn Book, pub. John Heaton of Leeds, ed. John Peele Clapham (1833, many editions, and now online)
The Eastern Orthodox Church uses hymnals or service books consisting chiefly of the words to hymns; separate volumes, which vary by jurisdiction (for example, the Russian Orthodox Church or Greek Orthodox Church) contain the actual musical notation. Byzantine Chant is the original musical tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church, but this developed into a large number of regional variations, including the tonal, polyphonic four-part harmony of the Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian churches, and the three part melodies of the Church of Georgia.[649]
All of the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches share a common set of hymnals, which provide the basic text for the hymns. The Octoechos contains the hymns sung in each of the eight tones, used throughout most of the year; the Triodion contains the special hymns and liturgical propers of Lent and Holy Week, the Pentecostarion, also known as the Flowery Triodion, contains the equivalent proper hymns for Pascha (Easter), Bright Week, and the period of time lasting through the liturgical season generally known as Eastertide in the West, including the feast of the Ascension, Pentecost and culminating on the first Sunday after Pentecost, All Saints Day (according to the Byzantine liturgical calendar.[650]
The Menaion contains the hymns for various holidays and feasts throughout the year. Variants of it include the Festal Menaion, containing only the most important feasts of the Lord and of the Theotokos, the General Menaion, which provides abstract services for particular classes of saint, and the Monthly Menaion, a twelve volume set, all of which has been translated into English, containing all the proper hymns (canons, troparia, kontakia) for the feast says of individual saints throughout the year. Lastly, the Irmologion, not specifically translated into English but included in other volumes, such as some editions of the Octoechos and Pentecostarion, contains the Irmoi, a standard set of responsaries sung during the canons at Matins.[651]
All of these works aside from the Irmologion exist in English translations, in various forms, including anthologies. One of the oldest and most comprehensive is The Divine Prayers and Services of the Orthodox Church, compiled by Fr. Seraphim Nassar, which contains substantial excerpts from the Octoechos, the Menaion, the Triodion and the Pentecostarion.
Like the Byzantine Rite, the West Syriac Rite uses an eight mode system of chant similar to Byzantine Chant and Gregorian Chant, however, traditionally this was not notated, but rather, the melodies were passed down via oral tradition. The principal hymnal of the Syriac Orthodox Church is the Beth Gazo ("Treasury"); proper hymns for various feasts are also found in the books of the liturgy, the Shi'mo, or Divine Office, and the Fanqitho, which replaces the Shi'mo in Great Lent, Holy Week, Pascha and during major feasts throughout the church year. Of these, only the book of the Liturgy containing the Anaphoras in various forms and the Shi'mo, have been translated into English.[652]
The Coptic Rite also lacks a system of musical notation; its system of chant, Tasbeha, is somewhat less complex than West Syriac Chant; it is not based on eight modes, but rather a few sets of melodies for use on different occasions; it is passed down primarily as oral tradition, and certain portions of it, for example the chanting of the priests, rely on improvization based on the use of standard musical phrases. The Coptic Euchologion contains the hymns of the Divine Liturgy, whereas the books of the Annual Psalmody and the Khiak Psalmody contain the hymns of the divine office, the latter specifically for the season of Advent. There is also a book of offices for Holy Week, and various books containing special services such as funerals, marriages and ordinations, all of which have been translated into English. There also exist trilingual hymnals containing the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil set to Western notation.[653]
In contrast, both the Armenian Rite and Ethiopian Rite make use of musical notation, which in the case of the Ethiopian church is ancient, dating back to the 6th century; however, these churches serve their liturgies exclusively in Classical Armenian and Ge'ez respectively, and consequently, very little of their hymnals or other service books have been translated into English. The hymnals and service books of the Ethiopian church are particularly obscure.[653]
The Assyrian Church of the East, the Ancient Church of the East, the Chaldean Catholic Church and the Syro Malabar Catholic Church use the East Syriac Rite, which like the West Syriac Rite lacks a system of musical notation and is instead passed down through oral tradition; it makes use of the following hymnals: the "Turgama" (Interpretation), containing hymns sung by deacons during the liturgy (our Graduals and Sequences), the David (Dawidha = Psalter), "Khudhra" (= "cycle", containing antiphons, responsories, hymns, and collects for all Sundays), "Kash Kõl" (= "Collection of all"; the same chants for week-days), "Kdham u-Wathar" (= "Before and after"; certain prayers, psalms, and collects most often used, from the other books), "Gezza" ("Treasury", services for feast-days), Abu-Halim (the name of the compiler, containing collects for the end of the Nocturns on Sundays), "Bautha d'Ninwaie" (= "Prayer of the Ninevites", a collection of hymns ascribed to St. Ephraem, used in Lent). The Baptism Office ("Taksa d'Amadha") is generally bound up with the Liturgies. The "Taksa d'Siamidha" has the ordination services. The "Taksa d'Husaia" contains the office for Penance, the "Kthawa d'Burrakha" is the marriage service, the "Kahneita", the burial of clergy, the "Annidha" that of laymen. Lastly the "Khamis" and "Warda" are further collections of hymns (see Badger, "The Nestorians and their Rituals", London, 1852, II, 16–25). Naturally not every church possesses this varied collection of books, and most have not been translated into English. Nonetheless, there are 19th century translations available of the Divine Liturgy and the Divine Office.[654]
Note from the Wikipedia article Liturgy: Frequently in Christianity, a distinction is made between "liturgical" and "non-liturgical" churches based on how elaborate or formal the worship; in this usage, churches whose services are unscripted or improvised are called "non-liturgical". Others object to this distinction, arguing that this terminology obscures the universality of public worship as a religious phenomenon.[1]
Evans-Freke, Victoria; Harland, Edward Church Psalter and hymnal (1875). The Song of praise: or Psalm and hymn tunes. Princeton Theological Seminary Library. London: George Routledge and Sons.
Jacques, Reginald; Willcocks, David (1961-08-24). Carols for Choirs 1. . . . for Choirs Collections. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-19-353222-9.
Hoffman, H. S.; Clarke, Hugh Archibald; Reformed Episcopal Church (1888). Hymnal with music for children. Princeton Theological Seminary Library. Philadelphia: Reformed Episcopal Publication Society.
Hauge's Evangelical Lutheran Synod, United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America (1913). The Lutheran Hymnary. Harvard University. Augsburg Publishing House.
United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America. (1898). Church and Sunday-school hymnal /. Princeton Theological Seminary Library. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House.
The Liturgy and the Offices of Worship and Hymns of the American Province of the Unitas Fratrum, or the Moravian Church. Bethlehem: Moravian Publication Office. 1908.
Brethren, Church of the (1899). A collection of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs ... for ... The Fraternity of the Brethren. Brethrens̓ Pub. House. OCLC17151474.