which hymns?

[shedophone]

Which hymns do you play at the start of your rehearsals and why?

With my band i tend to go for hymns with lots of flats, lots of sustained notes, or hymns i know and like?

Which hymns do you like/hate playing?
Do you think hymn playing is vital in a band rehearsal?

 

[Pythagoras]

Loads of hymns in the red book seem to be in 4 flats for bflat instruments. I like Melitta and St. Clements.

 

[Dawnys_flug]

Great topic Shedophone! I was thnking a similar thing the other day.

Our conductor Mark always makes us play number 6.(can't remember its name) in the 120 hymn tunes ff on our diaphrams!! It's a killer, but really works!!
We also usually play number 7. (again forgotten its name, i think it's blaewern or something along those lines :? also known as love divine ) for long notes either pp or ff. They really help control. It is also my fave hymn so that's nice!! :lol: Although i have another favourite but i don't have my hymn book with me so i'll tell you what it's called later!

I think that hymn playing is a vital part in a band rehearsal. I know that i don't feel totally warmed up and don't play very well until i've played a couple of hymns with the band as well as my other warming up exercises. It also helps stuff like tuning and balance.

 

[Straightmute]

Colne (no 10)

D

 

[jambo]

Lloyd, Crimond and Ellers....just 3 of my favourites. :roll:

 

[Big Twigge]

68....mostly just 68 :shock:

 

[Dave Payn]

I think hymns are a great tool for bands and highly useful for building ensemble and working on intonation. However, I'm not a fan (no direct criticism of anyone intended) of having all these well known hymns in flat keys if they weren't in flat keys to start off with. I think it makes some of them sound dull. You might use the old cliche that 'flat keys suit brass bands' but it does no harm for intonation training purposes, surely, to work on hymns in sharp keys too? There are awkward keys/fingerings/slide positions etc. on most instruments after all.

 

[twigglet]

68....mostly just 68 :shock:

10 years of the same hymn

 

[dyl]

Having read this thread, in the next Wem rehearsal, will Roger:

a) make the band play Hymn No. 68 for half an hour 'cos of the complaining from his band members;

or

b) just to be awkward, choose a completely different hymn tune!

My money's on a) - go for it, Roger!

(In true Banzai fashion) PLACE BETS NOW!

 

[dyl]

Just to bring the thread back on-topic, sorry for drifting it off-topic in the first place , my personal faves:

No. 6 (doh! My mind's gone blank, can't remember the name!), Blaenwern, Colne & Whitburn.

 

[PeterBale]

Having read this thread, in the next Wem rehearsal, will Roger:

a) make the band play Hymn No. 68 for half an hour 'cos of the complaining from his band members;

or

b) just to be awkward, choose a completely different hymn tune!

My money's on a) - go for it, Roger!

(In true Banzai fashion) PLACE BETS NOW!

Or

c) turn the book upside down and play 89 :!: :wink:

 

[andyp]

c) turn the book upside down and play 89 :!: :wink:

If you play 89 upside down would it be "Backward Agnostic Conscientious Objectors?

I'll get me coat..........

 

[Okiedokie of Oz]

The Deep Harmony Series is a classic, especially Deep Harmony. Spirit of the Living God is overplayed, but great to start the day.

I am not a big fan of the hymns in concert settings. Yes they sound pretty and different, but don't work you out the same way. The block chord style of the old hym sheet is great for listening and moving similtaneously.

 

[Dave Payn]

c) turn the book upside down and play 89 :!: :wink:

If you play 89 upside down would it be "Backward Agnostic Conscientious Objectors?

I'll get me coat..........

:lol: :lol:

Excellent! Gives me an idea.... (no offence intended) Guess the hymns from these 'opposites'

Shallow unison
God Help The King (OK: pretty obvious!)
O Leave all ye Sinners
Deafening Morning
Pebble of minutes
And did those arms in modern days
There is a Blue Plateau
Drop Down Your Clubs
Be Thou My Telegraph

 

[drummergurl]

i thought that u just picked a random nuber and played whichever hymn corresponded with the number

 

[VenusTromster]

i thought that u just picked a random nuber and played whichever hymn corresponded with the number

Random number normally works. I like it when an MD asks someone to pick a random number for a hymn and then goes, "I don't know that" , or "I don't like that one, turn to 7"

 

[Dave Payn]

i thought that u just picked a random nuber and played whichever hymn corresponded with the number

Random number normally works. I like it when an MD asks someone to pick a random number for a hymn and then goes, "I don't know that" , or "I don't like that one, turn to 7"

I know what you mean. Makes you wonder how MDs who say that know any hymns at all, if they don't want to play them because they don't know them! :?

 

[Roger Thorne]

68....mostly just 68 :shock:

10 years of the same hymn

Like I've said before, when you can play it properly we'll move on!

:wink:

 

[Roger Thorne]

No. 6 (doh! My mind's gone blank, can't remember the name!)

Belmont!

:wink:

 

[twigglet]

I like Aberyswyth (sp?!) number 1 (big twigge says 'and me!')

Thing is I think we peaked on 68 about five years ago ...no.1, no.1, no.1 (even with four flats AND two lines And two top F's!!)