How To Compose A Hymn Tune

As the previous article observes, a well-crafted hymn tune is essential for expressing the meaning of a text. Composing hymn tunes, then, is an important task that ultimately makes a hymn text singable and "pray-able. " To write an effective tune, the composer must meet poetic, musical, and liturgical criteria. "Sing to the Lord a new song" proclaims the Psalmist in Psalm 98. Ever since the days of the Psalmist, composers and poets have been faithful to this command and have been inspired to write "new songs" to praise God and edify the church. The following thoughts reflect how I have been motivated and what methods I have used to provide the church with a "new song" to sing. I began writing hymn tunes the same year that I began directing my first church choir. I was looking for hymns that would serve as choral closings for a service, and I grew frustrated. Although I found some excellent evening hymns, they were set to some very disappointing tunes. Brashly thinking that I could …