Sunday, May 20, 2007

Introducing New Hymns

A lot of ideas have been introduced with LSB as to how to teach congregations new hymns and new liturgies. The choir can sing new hymns as anthems a few times. The organist can play new hymn-tunes during the offering and as preservice music, so that the melody subliminally slips into people's minds.

But I've seen one thing that really helps. When there's a new hymn, the choir or kantor sings ONE stanza, and then the congregation sings stanza 2. That way the people have heard it and get to try it. Then whatever they flub up, they hear again correctly when the choir/kantor sings stanza 3. Then it's easier for them to correct their own mistakes. It works pretty well.

2 comments:

  1. That is interesting, and pretty cool. Of course, you'd need a hymn with lots of stanzas to get it right! :)

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  2. Our organist plays the hymn through from start to finish first before we start to sing so we get an idea of what the melody is. Most of the time it seems to work.

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