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Papers by Gillian Ruth Warson

On Acton Court, Gloucestershir

The aim of this study is to discuss developments in the presentation and singing of hymns from th... more The aim of this study is to discuss developments in the presentation and singing of hymns from the minimal involvement of late eighteenth century congregations to the full participation expected in the late twentieth century. One source of important musical, social and cultural details illustrating developments in hymnody is found in a range of representative novels. This information is corroborated by other written accounts such as diaries, census material and church records. Early on in the research three handwritten part-books were discovered, dating from 1837 to 1911. This primary source material is vital in the discussion concerning changes in hymn and psalm tunes, and provides substantive evidence that such part-books are forerunners of published hymnbooks. Furthermore a direct link is established between local manuscripts and fictional writing as the provenance of the earliest part-book is traced to the family of novelist Flora Thompson. Further developments in hymnody are seen in the examination of children's hymns. A case study is presented of the flourishing tradition of hymn singing at Bicester Methodist Sunday School. One innovation was the formation of a harmonica band, and detailed notebooks and concert plans reveal the range of the band's sacred and secular programme. A fieldwork survey was conducted to investigate the hymn singing preferences of regular worshippers from five Christian denominations in Bicester. Whilst the responses reveal few differences between the groups, there is compelling evidence that the popularity of certain published hymnbooks has led to a common ownership of hymns, enabling them to be enjoyed both in and out of worship. This study therefore reveals the clear line of development from psalmody to hymnody, from handwritten manuscripts to published hymnbooks. The social context in which both texts and tunes are considered provides a clear illustration of the importance of hymns to the singing population. FROM PSALMODY TO HYMNODY: THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PRIN'T'ED HYMNBOOKS WITHIN HYMN SINGING COMMUN[TVES. TABLE OF CONTENTS CIJAPTER ONE-INTRODUCTION "'" l\. ims ofthc research. V Definition of terms. V Brief history oi' psalmody. "'" IntrodLtction to the rural choirband. V The importance of personal recollection of hymn singing by novelists. V The introduction of Hvrnns Ancient and Modern. V Introduction to handwritten manuscripts. V 1-[vmnbooks for children. V Introduction to the Anniversary hymns at Bicesler Methodist Church. VI {ymn singing in the community and the Red Rhythmics harmonica hand. """ F ieldwork survey. CIIAP'TER T'WQ-METHODOLOGY V '1he collection of the data. o Secondary source material, including novels and accounts of hymn singing. o Primary source material, including handwrittcr, manuscript hooks, hymn sheets from Bicester Methodist Church, personal papers from members of Bicester Methodist Church. o Fieldwork: questionnaire distributed and responses analysed. "'" Analysis of the data. "'" Presentation of the data. CHAPTER THREE-THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HYMNS AND HYMN SINGING AS THEY ARE REPRESENTED IN LITERATURE. V Novelists' use of hymns to establish traits of character. V Early novels-Tobias Smollett. V Oral tradition in hymn singing-Thomas Hardy. V Differences between Anglican and Methodist hymn singing-George Eliot. V Hymns tailored to suit the context of the novel-George Eliot. V Performance of hymns in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as illustrated by novelists including George Eliot, Charlotte Bronte, Washington Irving and Thomas Hardy. V Differences between the romance of novelists and the reality of diarists: Holland, Skinner and Woodforde. V The transition from handwritten, local compositions to the introduction of the hymnbook as discussed by novelists such as George Eliot. V Changes in the Anglican Church as a result of the Oxford Movement as seen in the work of Samuel Butler. V The ousting of the choirband as seen in the work of Samuel Butler, Thomas Hardy. V The treatment of hymns by children's novelists, and a child's perception of the introduction and use of the hymnbook as seen in the work of Laura Ingalls Wilder. V The use of hymns to illustrate situations on which religion has little or no bearing as seen in the work of Howard Spring, Barbara Pym. V The importance of hymn singing in a modem way of life as seen in the work of Mary Sheepshank. V The most recent developments in hymn singing in church and community as seen in the work of Mary Sheepshank, Diana Saville.

On Acton Court, Gloucestershir

The aim of this study is to discuss developments in the presentation and singing of hymns from th... more The aim of this study is to discuss developments in the presentation and singing of hymns from the minimal involvement of late eighteenth century congregations to the full participation expected in the late twentieth century. One source of important musical, social and cultural details illustrating developments in hymnody is found in a range of representative novels. This information is corroborated by other written accounts such as diaries, census material and church records. Early on in the research three handwritten part-books were discovered, dating from 1837 to 1911. This primary source material is vital in the discussion concerning changes in hymn and psalm tunes, and provides substantive evidence that such part-books are forerunners of published hymnbooks. Furthermore a direct link is established between local manuscripts and fictional writing as the provenance of the earliest part-book is traced to the family of novelist Flora Thompson. Further developments in hymnody are seen in the examination of children's hymns. A case study is presented of the flourishing tradition of hymn singing at Bicester Methodist Sunday School. One innovation was the formation of a harmonica band, and detailed notebooks and concert plans reveal the range of the band's sacred and secular programme. A fieldwork survey was conducted to investigate the hymn singing preferences of regular worshippers from five Christian denominations in Bicester. Whilst the responses reveal few differences between the groups, there is compelling evidence that the popularity of certain published hymnbooks has led to a common ownership of hymns, enabling them to be enjoyed both in and out of worship. This study therefore reveals the clear line of development from psalmody to hymnody, from handwritten manuscripts to published hymnbooks. The social context in which both texts and tunes are considered provides a clear illustration of the importance of hymns to the singing population. FROM PSALMODY TO HYMNODY: THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PRIN'T'ED HYMNBOOKS WITHIN HYMN SINGING COMMUN[TVES. TABLE OF CONTENTS CIJAPTER ONE-INTRODUCTION "'" l\. ims ofthc research. V Definition of terms. V Brief history oi' psalmody. "'" IntrodLtction to the rural choirband. V The importance of personal recollection of hymn singing by novelists. V The introduction of Hvrnns Ancient and Modern. V Introduction to handwritten manuscripts. V 1-[vmnbooks for children. V Introduction to the Anniversary hymns at Bicesler Methodist Church. VI {ymn singing in the community and the Red Rhythmics harmonica hand. """ F ieldwork survey. CIIAP'TER T'WQ-METHODOLOGY V '1he collection of the data. o Secondary source material, including novels and accounts of hymn singing. o Primary source material, including handwrittcr, manuscript hooks, hymn sheets from Bicester Methodist Church, personal papers from members of Bicester Methodist Church. o Fieldwork: questionnaire distributed and responses analysed. "'" Analysis of the data. "'" Presentation of the data. CHAPTER THREE-THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HYMNS AND HYMN SINGING AS THEY ARE REPRESENTED IN LITERATURE. V Novelists' use of hymns to establish traits of character. V Early novels-Tobias Smollett. V Oral tradition in hymn singing-Thomas Hardy. V Differences between Anglican and Methodist hymn singing-George Eliot. V Hymns tailored to suit the context of the novel-George Eliot. V Performance of hymns in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as illustrated by novelists including George Eliot, Charlotte Bronte, Washington Irving and Thomas Hardy. V Differences between the romance of novelists and the reality of diarists: Holland, Skinner and Woodforde. V The transition from handwritten, local compositions to the introduction of the hymnbook as discussed by novelists such as George Eliot. V Changes in the Anglican Church as a result of the Oxford Movement as seen in the work of Samuel Butler. V The ousting of the choirband as seen in the work of Samuel Butler, Thomas Hardy. V The treatment of hymns by children's novelists, and a child's perception of the introduction and use of the hymnbook as seen in the work of Laura Ingalls Wilder. V The use of hymns to illustrate situations on which religion has little or no bearing as seen in the work of Howard Spring, Barbara Pym. V The importance of hymn singing in a modem way of life as seen in the work of Mary Sheepshank. V The most recent developments in hymn singing in church and community as seen in the work of Mary Sheepshank, Diana Saville.