My Place 8

Making Jam, July 2, 2010

Round the Sphere Again: Hymns

Disappearing Treasure
David Kjos writes that the “most valuable memory of his religious upbringing” might be the hymns from the Concordia Hymnal. (The Thirsty Theologian) He plans to post hymns from it on Saturdays. I’m looking forward to reading them.

Done in a Classic Way
C. Michael Patton argues that something is missing when our churches don’t ever sing the old hymns in the classic (or epic, to use his term) way.

…[M]ore and more the great hymns of the faith are being ushered out. Now, even when they are played, their sound is contemporary. It is not really the same. The best way I can express it is that hymns are epic and epic songs need an epic sound. (Parchment and Pen)

I agree. But you already knew that, didn’t you?

Like Walking on Red Hot Embers and Broken Glass

Four years ago I posted a short biographical sketch of William Steig, the author-illustrator loved for his fine children’s books like  the Caldecott Award winning Sylvester and the Magic Pebble and (more well-known now, I’d think) Shrek! Recently Letters of Note posted a copy of a letter Steig wrote that describes his fear of public speaking. Caldecott winners, you see, were expected to give a short acceptance speech, and William Steig had an extreme fear of “formally [addressing] a group of people larger than two in number,” which, he says, “for me will be like walking on red hot embers & broken glass.”

Despite his fear, Steig managed to give a charming acceptance speech. You’ll find the text of that at the link above, too.