The English Hymnal

The English Hymnal, first published in 1906, stands as a landmark collection of hymns and liturgical music compiled by Percy Dearmer and Ralph Vaughan Williams. The hymnal contains over 600 hymns drawn from Anglican traditions, medieval Latin texts, and folk melodies. The collaboration between priest-scholar Dearmer and composer Vaughan Williams brought together theological depth and musical excellence. Vaughan Williams conducted extensive research into English folk songs and traditional tunes, incorporating many of these melodies into new hymnal arrangements. The collection includes both ancient and contemporary works, featuring contributions from established church musicians alongside folk sources and newly commissioned pieces. The editors maintained strict standards for text selection and musical settings while working to preserve authentic English musical heritage. This hymnal represents broader cultural currents of the early 20th century English church, balancing liturgical tradition with musical innovation and folk elements. The work embodies tensions between preservation and progress that characterized its era.

Readers consistently point to the hymnal's musical sophistication and skillful arrangements by Vaughan Williams. Multiple reviews note its inclusion of English folk melodies and medieval plainchant alongside traditional hymns. Liked: - Musical quality of arrangements - Historical English folk tunes preserved - Clear printing and layout - Inclusion of ancient plainchant - Comprehensive indexes Disliked: - Some find musical settings too complex for average congregations - Certain traditional favorites omitted - Paper quality in some editions criticized as thin - Font size can be small for older users Reviews and Ratings: Goodreads: 4.5/5 (12 ratings) No ratings found on Amazon or other major retail sites "The harmonizations are superior to most other hymnals" - Church Music Quarterly review "Preserves authentic English musical heritage" - Parish Music forum post "Can be challenging for smaller choirs" - Church organist review Note: Limited online reviews available as this is primarily used as a church resource rather than consumer book.

Songs of Praise by Ralph Vaughan Williams and Geoffrey Shaw. This hymnal collection contains traditional English church music with arrangements and harmonizations from the same period as The English Hymnal.

The Oxford Book of Tudor Anthems by Christopher Morris. This compilation presents sacred English music from the 16th century with historical annotations and performance notes.

Ancient and Modern Hymns by William Henry Monk. The collection features Anglican hymns with detailed musical settings that influenced The English Hymnal's development.

English Cathedral Music by Edmund Horace Fellowes. This volume chronicles the development of English church music from medieval times through the Victorian era with musical examples.

The New Church Anthem Book by Lionel Dakers and John Scott. This anthology contains Anglican church music selections with arrangements similar to those found in The English Hymnal.

🎵 Percy Dearmer and Ralph Vaughan Williams worked together on The English Hymnal in 1906, deliberately choosing to include many traditional English folk melodies as hymn tunes rather than Victorian compositions. 🎵 The hymnal caused controversy upon release for including several Catholic-oriented hymns and liturgical elements, at a time when anti-Catholic sentiment was still strong in the Church of England. 🎵 Ralph Vaughan Williams, though an atheist himself, served as music editor and believed deeply in preserving English musical heritage through careful selection of traditional tunes and arrangements. 🎵 The book introduced or popularized several now-classic hymn tunes, including "Sine Nomine" (For All the Saints) and "Forest Green" (O Little Town of Bethlehem), both arranged by Vaughan Williams. 🎵 The English Hymnal remained influential throughout the 20th century and inspired many later hymnals, including the New English Hymnal (1986) which preserved much of its predecessor's distinctive character.