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Hymns II
Over 200 hymns (arranged by topic with four-part harmony and guitar chords) are included in this work. Edited by Paul Beckwith, Hughes M. Huffman and Mark Hunt. Available in paper and cloth bindings.
204 pages, Spiral-bound
First published December 1, 1976
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 26, 2020
The church is built around the hymn. — Martin Bucer
The short response: If I had to flee my burning house and could only take one hymnbook with me, this is the one I would take. It's small and portable, and packed with magnificent hymns. It includes both high church and low church and is not issued by a denominational publisher.
The long and very-detailed response (mostly for my own pleasure). I sang aloud through every verse of every hymn. Here are some notes I took. Lists are in no order.
Composers I treasure:
Joachim Neander
Isaac Watts
Ludwig van Beethoven
John Newton
John Darwall
Margaret Clarkson
Christina Rosetti
J.S. Bach
Bernard of Clairvaux
George Handel
Charles Wesley
Timothy Dudley-Smith
Bryan Jeffrey Leech
Frances Havergal
John Milton
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Felix Mendelssohn
Franz Haydn
Jean Sibelius
Thomas Tallis
Hans Hassler
Traditional Melodies
Welsh, Hebrew, Irish, German, Silesian Folk, Southern Harmony, French Missal, French Carol, Gaelic, Old Basque Noel, Medieval, American, English, Swedish, Norse, German Canon, Spanish Chant, Traditional
New Tunes for Old Hymns, Not a Fan
32 O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing (many options are better)
71 Jesus Shall Reign (I love these words and I love the Truro tune, but not together)
72 At the Name of Jesus (Vaughan Williams' tune is better)
75 Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me (Richard Redhead's tune is perfection, stick with it)
New Tunes for Old Hymns, Winners
59 Who Is He in Yonder Stall? (much improved over the dreary tune)
85 Jesus, Lover of My Soul (Aberystwyth {bonus! minor key} preferred over Martyn or Refuge tunes)
94 Just As I Am (if ever words needed a new dress, these ones did)
107 I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (I love both old and new)
112 Take My Life, and Let It Be (Mozart's tune is sublime)
115 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (hurray for Rockingham!)
125 Trust and Obey (Marc Hedlin's new tune works)
139 What a Friend We Have in Jesus (I'm sure I've heard this at a royal wedding)
The 'I Approve' List
60 Empty He Came (Norman Warren's best, imho. When I heard my brother sing this a few years ago, and demanded to know the source, I discovered Hymns II. Color me thankful.)
104 Amazing Grace (includes my favorite verse: The Lord has promised good to me)
142 Let Us with a Gladsome Mind (I. love. this. one.)
159 For All the Saints (another Vaughan Williams jewel)
179 At Thy Feet, O Christ, We Lay (new words + new Welsh tune in a minor key {bonus})
Lightening Struck My Head Moment
180 Glory to Thee, My God (I like the Tallis tune, but prefer the familiar Old 100th by Bourgeois)
What astonished me, was the fact that The Doxology, the song of my life, is actually *the last verse* of Thomas Ken's Evening Hymn. HOW could I not have known this?
Misc Comments
Hymns II was published in 1976. I am saddened that our culture has changed so much in 40 years. This is a brilliant book of hymns, but would a similar book be published today? I think not.
When InterVarsity Press published Hymns II it highlighted three living composers: Marc Hedlin, Hughes Huffman, and Norman Warren. They had a few wonderful pieces, but I think it was indulgent to give them as much space as they got. Most are not enduring tunes. It happens. Huffman was one of the editors, understandable.
I was grateful to see a Psalms section, but it is thin. Also, there are 150 psalms, and the section included these psalms: 1, 23, 23, 29, 29, 42, 46, 46, 62, 67, 67, 90, 91, 91, 98, 104, 121, 121, 121.
For a book that originally sold for $3.95 and contains 200 hymns, this can't be surpassed. An excellent resource!
The short response: If I had to flee my burning house and could only take one hymnbook with me, this is the one I would take. It's small and portable, and packed with magnificent hymns. It includes both high church and low church and is not issued by a denominational publisher.
The long and very-detailed response (mostly for my own pleasure). I sang aloud through every verse of every hymn. Here are some notes I took. Lists are in no order.
Composers I treasure:
Joachim Neander
Isaac Watts
Ludwig van Beethoven
John Newton
John Darwall
Margaret Clarkson
Christina Rosetti
J.S. Bach
Bernard of Clairvaux
George Handel
Charles Wesley
Timothy Dudley-Smith
Bryan Jeffrey Leech
Frances Havergal
John Milton
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Felix Mendelssohn
Franz Haydn
Jean Sibelius
Thomas Tallis
Hans Hassler
Traditional Melodies
Welsh, Hebrew, Irish, German, Silesian Folk, Southern Harmony, French Missal, French Carol, Gaelic, Old Basque Noel, Medieval, American, English, Swedish, Norse, German Canon, Spanish Chant, Traditional
New Tunes for Old Hymns, Not a Fan
32 O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing (many options are better)
71 Jesus Shall Reign (I love these words and I love the Truro tune, but not together)
72 At the Name of Jesus (Vaughan Williams' tune is better)
75 Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me (Richard Redhead's tune is perfection, stick with it)
New Tunes for Old Hymns, Winners
59 Who Is He in Yonder Stall? (much improved over the dreary tune)
85 Jesus, Lover of My Soul (Aberystwyth {bonus! minor key} preferred over Martyn or Refuge tunes)
94 Just As I Am (if ever words needed a new dress, these ones did)
107 I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (I love both old and new)
112 Take My Life, and Let It Be (Mozart's tune is sublime)
115 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (hurray for Rockingham!)
125 Trust and Obey (Marc Hedlin's new tune works)
139 What a Friend We Have in Jesus (I'm sure I've heard this at a royal wedding)
The 'I Approve' List
60 Empty He Came (Norman Warren's best, imho. When I heard my brother sing this a few years ago, and demanded to know the source, I discovered Hymns II. Color me thankful.)
104 Amazing Grace (includes my favorite verse: The Lord has promised good to me)
142 Let Us with a Gladsome Mind (I. love. this. one.)
159 For All the Saints (another Vaughan Williams jewel)
179 At Thy Feet, O Christ, We Lay (new words + new Welsh tune in a minor key {bonus})
Lightening Struck My Head Moment
180 Glory to Thee, My God (I like the Tallis tune, but prefer the familiar Old 100th by Bourgeois)
What astonished me, was the fact that The Doxology, the song of my life, is actually *the last verse* of Thomas Ken's Evening Hymn. HOW could I not have known this?
Misc Comments
Hymns II was published in 1976. I am saddened that our culture has changed so much in 40 years. This is a brilliant book of hymns, but would a similar book be published today? I think not.
When InterVarsity Press published Hymns II it highlighted three living composers: Marc Hedlin, Hughes Huffman, and Norman Warren. They had a few wonderful pieces, but I think it was indulgent to give them as much space as they got. Most are not enduring tunes. It happens. Huffman was one of the editors, understandable.
I was grateful to see a Psalms section, but it is thin. Also, there are 150 psalms, and the section included these psalms: 1, 23, 23, 29, 29, 42, 46, 46, 62, 67, 67, 90, 91, 91, 98, 104, 121, 121, 121.
For a book that originally sold for $3.95 and contains 200 hymns, this can't be surpassed. An excellent resource!
December 12, 2022
Hymns II brings to singers and congregations a strong collection of some 200 hymns, well chosen, with a wonderful variety of song styles, with tradition and innovation alike. It's been nearly fifty years since its 1976 publication. It deserves to be republished.
Strengths:
A good number of Psalm settings in lovely and effective form.
Scripture paraphrases such as Luke 1's "Magnificat" in wonderfully singable form for congregations. Title: "My Soul Proclaims the Greatness of the Lord."
A theme hymn of the Urbana Conference, "Declare His Glory Among the Nations."
The gorgeous Christmas carol, "Thou Who Wast Rich."
There's no froth here: in both music and lyrics, it is substance through and through.
But alas: the book is now hard to find in quantity.
Strengths:
A good number of Psalm settings in lovely and effective form.
Scripture paraphrases such as Luke 1's "Magnificat" in wonderfully singable form for congregations. Title: "My Soul Proclaims the Greatness of the Lord."
A theme hymn of the Urbana Conference, "Declare His Glory Among the Nations."
The gorgeous Christmas carol, "Thou Who Wast Rich."
There's no froth here: in both music and lyrics, it is substance through and through.
But alas: the book is now hard to find in quantity.
Read
November 28, 2007forwards and backwards. From earliest memory,
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews