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PREFACE BBC SONGS OF PRAISE 1997
The first edition of Songs of Praise was published in 1925 by Oxford
University Press. The aim of the editors had been to compile a wide-
ranging and popular anthology of old and new hymns and songs
for use in different kinds of church services, schools, meetings, and
other gatherings. They included plenty of children's hymns, whilst
ensuring that the book was suitable for all ages: They were happy to
include items which had not previously been thought of as hymns
or songs for public worship. Musical arrangements were provided
which were straightforward and designed to underpin the melodies
and encourage congregational singing. The success of their en-
deavours may be seen in the continuing widespread use of the book
seventy years later.
The BBC television programme Songs of Praise reflects not just
the popularity of Christian hymns and songs, but also their rich
diversity. Throughout the various churches, and indeed outside
them, the repertoire of traditional hymns has been enlarged and
enriched by contemporary hymns, by modern worship songs, and
by music from around the world and from communities such as
those at Iona and Taize. The popularity of the programme bears
witness to the attractiveness of this ever-widening repertoire. Songs
of Praise has made churchgoers aware of songs and hymns from
beyond their individual denominational traditions, and has been
able to popularize newer music on a previously undreamed of scale.
The present volume, BBC Songs of Praise, combines the common
principles of the original book and the television programme.
However, it is neither a revision of the original Songs of Praise, nor
a
'book of the programme'. It is a totally new book, conceived afresh
to meet the needs of today's churches, schools, and all sorts of
worshipping communities. Our aim has been to enrich worship by
providing in a single volume a far broader range of words and music
from all Christian traditions than may be found in other antholo-
gies. As well as traditional hymns and modern worship songs, we
have included a wide range of modern hymns, music from Taize
and Iona, and older material in a more popular idiom, as well as
'world music' from outside Europe and North America. Where
different versions of particular texts, are established in the use
of different traditions, two or more versions are included. Indeed,
after the diversity of the material included, it is the number of
versions offered of many items which is a particularly striking
characteristic of this book.
Where sources have been available, we have examined the origi-
nal versions of music and words as well as the versions commonly
sung today, with a view to understanding and assessing why alter-
ations have been made and become accepted. Where there is no
good reason to do otherwise, we have reverted to original versions
and in particular have not updated older hymns where the language
is at one with the imagery and sentiments expressed by the author,
apart from a small number of cases where a particular expression is
incomprehensible to most worshippers today. The exception to this
general principle has been where masculine words have been used
to apply to women and men. If it has been possible to substitute a
gender-inclusive phrase which flows naturally and unobtrusively
within the verse, we have done so.
The five people named below are all associated with the TV
programme or with the publisher; we gratefully acknowledge the
advice and support of many colleagues and external advisers.
JULIAN ELLOWAY
KAREN GODDARD
DAVID KREMER
ROBERT PRIZEMAN
JAMES WHITBOURN
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