Thoughts on Hymns: "I Heard The Bells"

In our introduction to this site we referenced "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" along with a few comments about diminished chords and chromatic scales. In addition to this, looking at yet another hymn - "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day" - may be helpful for several reasons. It has similar use of chords and also chromatic intervals are found in its melody. It too is typical for having so many chords to contend with (relating to its SATB arrangement for vocals). For guitar it can be a challenge to find chord voicing that complements what the melody and the harmonies are doing. And it is challenging too for playing on a piano or keyboard. (Following SATB arrangements and finding the notes, for me, seems like "herding cats." They - the alto, tenor and bass parts - keep moving about.) What I am finding fascinating is that it is these vocal movements that create the diverse harmonies and chords, and just like the melody, they too become a familiar and recognized part of the song. And to then hear just the melody, without its harmony, becomes lacking and less familiar. All this being said, there are other reasons why I find this song so interesting to use as an example for this post.
     Ignoring the music, for a moment, and considering just its words, its lyrics, brings up a profound realization. The story behind this song is very unique (written first as a poem) and very similar to other hymns whose words are powerful statements speaking of when they were written. Of course the story behind "Amazing Grace" is a prime example and probably the most familiar one. The story too behind the hymn "Now Thank We All Our God" is one worth reading. There are many others too (as can be found through a quick web search). All this brings to mind, what is a hymn? At times it seems the answer is found in the lyrics, and the stories behind the words, rather than in its music.
     "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day" was written in 1863 in the midst of the Civil War and during a time of many personal challenges for Henry Longfellow who first crafted these thoughts. (Would suggest you give this song a web search if you're not familiar with its story.) Years later this poem was put to music, and years after that to yet different music, years later yet again, etc. And currently (within the last few years) yet another new - contemporary - version of melody and music has been applied to these lyrics.... Again, what is a hymn?

 

     The hymnal shown above was my great-grandfather Dice's. It is full of hymns, and like the book of Psalms, no music. It does have a code system though (meter) for singing these words as song lyrics. Melodies - familiar hymn tunes - were then assigned to the lyrics for singing. To me, this places the significance more with the words themselves, and what they have to say, rather than the music. (Maybe there is a lesson here for different approaches to songwriting.)
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     So when music is added to the powerfully written words of Longfellow, maybe it is not a problem that over the years different melodies have been used. This song was introduced to me by someone who knew it with the music that was added by John (Jean) Calkin in 1872 - using a tune he had written earlier in 1848 (as seen in page below from The Celebration Hymnal).

Songsheet: I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day (pdf)

    My first step was to go through and try and figure out all the chords which is a challenge. This song did not seem like one that I would normally try to do with guitar, though with enough trying, I am now glad to add it to my growing list of favorite hymns. The video below, is from an initial attempt to see how they (guitar with hymnal score) worked together. For guitar playing this has since been refined. One of the chords I thought could be skipped turned out to be needed; this along with other refinements are being worked on.

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    So in light of this song being part of one of my initial blog articles, maybe the timing of when I first learned of it and its relevance to the upcoming Advent season is of added significance. And its story too continues for its appropriateness, even today, for its poetic lyrics and heart felt plea. Its relevance and its story lives on.
    Offered with humility and with thoughts of peace....
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