Congregational Song Projects

 

I.Analyze the hymn tune, PROMISES (BH '91 No. 335) and evaluate it as a hymn tune.

  1. Background
    1. Composer--R. Kelso Carter (1849-1928); became Methodist minister in 1887 after teaching science, mathematics, and engineering
    2. Circumstances--one of many written by this composer; first included in his and John L. SweneyÍs Songs of Perfect Love (Philadelphia, 1886, #120)
    3. Intent--unknown
    4. Psychological--apparently intended to promote security in the believer (unusual for a minister who would become associated with the Holiness movement)
  2. Temporal Elements
    1. Notation--each verse begins with a "romping" feeling, ending with straight rhythms;; the same is basically true of the refrain
    2. Meter--11.11.11.10 with Refrain
    3. Tempo--lively; consistent, though a fermata is often observed in beat three of second-to-last measure of the refrain
    4. Rhythm--fairly strict; no outstanding elements (like isorhythms, syncopation, hemiola, etc.), just the dotted-eighth and sixteenth figure
    5. Duration--only one of importance (mentioned above), which is not notated (only observed, if at all, by common practice)
  3. Melodic Aspects
    1. Pitch Elements
      1. Strictly tonal and major
      2. Mixed motion and direction; points of rest always preceded by absence of the dotted rhythm (in both stanza and refrain)
      3. Climax in the fourth poetic verse and end of chorus
      4. Moderate range, mixed (but generally low) tessitura
    2. Form
      1. Phrases of moderate length
      2. All cadences in the stanzas end as periods (always on some kind of tonic); phrases are a bit longer in refrain
      3. Figures/Motifs--see 2.d.
    3. Timbre--range is moderate
    4. Character of the Melody
      1. Accentuation as a result of recurring dotted rhythm
      2. Buoyant mood
      3. Fermata often observed near end of refrain (see 2.c.)
    5. Text Relationship--set syllabically
    6. No non-harmonic tones or other non-tonal implied harmonies
  4. Harmonic Functions
    1. Almost all chords in root position
    2. Normal (if bland) chord progression
    3. Cadences--all terminal, but varying in "perfection" (verse 1: PT; verse 2: IT; verses 3, 4: PT; refrain, cadence 1: weak PT; cadence 2: PT)
    4. Inversions only appear at the very ends of the stanzas and refrain
    5. Largely closed position, doubling only ever between tenor and bass (occasionally incidental between other parts)
    6. No chromaticism or sufficiently developed seventh chords
    7. Very slow harmonic rhythm

 

Hymn tune analysis: very simple; harmonically boring, but melodically and rhythmically jaunty

 

II.Do a thorough musical analysis of WIE SCHÖN LEUCHTET (Reynolds, Price, and Music, A Survey of Christian Hymnody, No. 26) and evaluate it as a hymn tune.

  1. Temporal Elements
    1. Notation--somewhat regular, all things considered; inordinate amount of moving parts
    2. Meter--consistent, but uneven--8.8.7.8.8.7.4.8.4.8.
    3. Tempo--also irregular, with fermati on each terminal cadence
    4. Rhythm--No consistent sub-patterns, but melody is regular and on the beat
  2. Melodic Aspects
    1. Temporal Elements--notation quite regular
    2. Pitch Elements
      1. Primarily tonal
      2. Mixed motion and direction throughout
      3. Points of rest indicated by fermati
      4. No regular contour or climax
      5. Moderate to high range and tessitura
    3. Form of Melody
      1. Long phrases, with consistent antecedent/consequent
      2. Periods indicated by fermati
      3. Figures/Motifs--Figure in measure 3 modified for first two measures of 4.8.4.8. section; also used in next two measures somewhat more identically
    4. Character of the Melody--ambiguous dynamically and with regard to mood
    5. Text Relationship--syllabic setting
  3. Harmonic Factors
    1. Chord Progressions--constantly change on the beat, though at the PT cadences there is simply a suspension resolution of the dominant to tonic
    2. Cadences alternate between half and PT until 4.8.4.8., where all cadences are PT; consistently feminine
    3. Modulations--frequent "hints" of tonicization of dominant in both 8.8.7. sections; V/iii in 4.8.4.8. section
    4. Inversions--frequent
    5. Spacing and Doubling--variable
    6. Voice leading--see attached analysis
    7. Non-harmonic Tones--many, but all functioning as tonal variators
    8. Seventh chords--cadentially inconsistent
    9. Chromaticism--some modulation; frequent transition; very colorful
    10. Harmonic rhythm--VERY fast