[Magdalen] Was: Prayers ANSWERED: Now, Chant.

[Cantor03 at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/21/2016 10:27:38 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
roger.stokes65 at btinternet.com writes:

What  became the standard general-purpose hymnal for the C/E traces its 
history  to a conversation between two clergymen on a train in 1858.  The  
first edition of "Hymns Ancient & Modern" appeared three years  later.>>>>>>
 
 
The upper class English of the 19th century and earlier seemed to  have
a strong aversion to hearing congregational singing involving the
hoi-polloi.  So there was at tendency to favor trained choirs to do  all
the singing.  Heaven forbid that the whole congregation, upper  and
lower classes should sing together as one.  Never mind that one  of
the main reasons for hymn singing in church is to foster a sense of
unity.  The elite did not want unity with the great unwashed.
 
This parallels, in a way, the development of Received Pronunciation
which came about as a way to separate the English classes by way  of 
their speech/accent. 
 
I am not aware of any such continental European class history, and  though
there is some tendency for the Parisians to push the idea that the  
Ile-de-France
accent is the preferred, and for the north Germans to look down on  the
Bavarian accent as second-rate, it all doesn't amount to much.
 
 
 
David Strang.