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A Panorama of Christian Hymnody

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"Panorama of Christian Hymnody" was the life's work of eminent British hymnologist Eric Routley, however, when it was published back, I believe, in the 1970's, it was in a miserable edition with small print and poor production values. What Paul Richardson has done here is produce the volume Routley undoubtedly hoped for. It is a magnificent survey of hymn texts from the Middle Ages through the mid-20th century with copious annotations showing scriptural allusions and poetic devices and techniques. Chapters of the volume are organized chronologically as well as by national schools, and each chapter begins with a scholarly introduction which connects developments in hymnology to the larger canvas of world history, art, and literature. Here, in Panorama, one can, for example, read the entire original text, brilliantly translated, of the Pietist hymn, "Ah Holy Jesus", and realize how the text sung today has but a shadow of the emotional thrust the hymn had in the 17th century. The surveys of Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley, by themselves, are worth the cost of the entire book. Routley's exposition on the influence of the Oxford Movement and "Hymns Ancient and Modern" is outstanding. Surprisingly, he does equally impressive work illuminating American hymnody of the 19th and 20th centuries.

It was never Routley's intent to have one volume also provide a survey of the music of hymns. Panorama's focus, therefore, is on hymns only, not hymn tunes. "Let the People Sing" by Paul Westermeyer, also published by GIA, is intended as a companion volume to "Panorama" and addresses the development of Hymn tunes over the centuries.

"Panorama of Christian Hymnody" is an essential resource in the understanding and appreciation of Christian hymns as devotional literature. It should be studied thoroughly and on the bookshelf of every church musician, pastor, and seminarian. Dr. Stan McDaniel, DMA in Church Music, University of Southern California, Adj. Professor of Sacred Music, East Carolina University