Standard tune names and editing more information

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Haruo's picture

I was just searching for some tunes that have more than one tune name in use, and in looking up VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN, aka ST. THEODULPH, I saw that the "More information" section has a paragraph or two obviously poorly scanned/OCR-softworn from the Psalter Hymnal, and I was wondering how to get in and correct, in particular, the part where it reads "...VALET WILL ICH DlR GEBEN.1t was com¬posed by..." to read "...VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN.[space]It was composed by..."

I haven't figured out how to get in and edit that part yet. But it really irritates me, so I will probably keep at it until either I figure it out or someone tells me it's not my job.

The occasion of my searching on this was our upcoming hymn sing at Fremont Baptist (Seattle), Oct. 18, which is entitled "We'll Sing of the Shepherd That Died". The title song (by Thomas Kelly) we'll be singing to a tune that our source hymnal calls "EBENEZER (Celeste)", which made me think of EBENEZER aka TON-Y-BOTEL, which led me on to the occasional case where ELLACOMBE is called AVE MARIA KLÄRER, and that made me think of ST. THEODUPLH... Also, most hymnals call the famous tune drawn from Beethoven's Ninth HYMN TO JOY, but some (mainly more recent ones) call it ODE TO JOY (not to be confused with the non-Beethoven AN DIE FREUDE in the 7th Day Adventist Hymnal...)...

What's the best source to go to to determine the canonical tune name where more than one is in use? I mean, I know better than to try to call FOUNDATION BELLEVUE outside Sacred Harp circles, or NEW BRITAIN McINTOSH except in the National Baptist churches... ;-)

...

Haruo


Comments

Haruo,

Editors can edit that text simply by clicking the "Edit" link on the upper right of the tune authority page. Of course, you have to be logged in.

Re: canonical tune names, are you asking how to determine what Hymnary.org considers the canonical name--or how Hymnary.org decides what the canonical name should be?

For the former question, you should be able to search either name and come up with the canonical name on the tune authority page.

The latter question is interesting. At this point it is an editor's choice. Do you have any suggested guidelines?
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Harry Plantinga
CCEL Director

Hymnal companions are a good source of information on hymn tunes (and texts). I especially like Marilyn Stulken's Companion to the Lutheran Book of Worship. She has also written a companion to Worship, a Roman Catholic hymnal. Marilyn is my organ teacher, a good friend, and an extraordinary hymn scholar. I am sure there are companions to other denominational hymnals that would also be helpful. I suppose the best name for a hymn tune would be the one that is most widely used and most widely recognized. However, I would use New Britain rather than Amazing Grace, out of deference to historical usage. I think this is a judgment call that any of us as an editor is capable of making, and if we get stumped, we can always ask for a consult. There may actually be more than one right answer! That's my 2 cents worth. Peter