Where can I find that song?

Where Can I Find That Song? Researching Hymns Online

By Greg Scheer

There are a few databases that will allow anyone to find sources of particular songs or hymns. The most established are geared toward historical hymns, but more recent databases are becoming more comprehensive and global in scope, even to providing sources of different versions/keys, ability to print a song, ideas for performance, etc. Come to learn about the current state of research

Academic

http://hymntune.library.uiuc.edu/ - with an incipit system that is not for the faint of heart, Nicholas Temperley’s Hymn Tune Index is a great database for serious hymnologists. The database contains all hymn tunes printed anywhere in the world with English-language texts up to 1820, and their publication history up to that date.

http://www.psalmody.co.uk/index.html and http://www.wgma.org.uk/ - two West Gallery sites.

http://fasola.org/ and http://www.mcsr.olemiss.edu/~mudws/harp.html - two online centers for Sacred Harp singing.

General

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/ - 6,700 hymn texts, MIDI files and hymnist profiles. This is a great place to quickly look up a hymn, but not ideal for deeper research.

http://www.ccel.org/index/hymn.html - A number of public domain hymnals.

http://www.calvin.edu/worship/hymns/ - Articles and links from the CICW.

http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/ - A good collection of hymns, primarily from the Anglican tradition.

http://www.marietta.edu/~nda001//hymnody/ - A good portal to hymn resources on the internet.

http://www.smithcreekmusic.com/Hymnology/index.html - An overview of hymnology, hymnody and hymn resources.

http://www.lutheran-hymnal.com/, http://hymnuts.luthersem.edu/ and http://hymnuts.luthersem.edu/hymnal.htm - Ugly interface, but great hymnal companion to The Lutheran Book of Worship and other Lutheran hymnals.

http://www.sermonaudio.com/hymnlist.asp - a searchable hymn database aimed primarily toward preachers.

http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/ - an impressive collection of hymn scores in Sibelius Scorch format, which means the files are playable and transposable.

http://www.lds.org/cm/display/0,17631,4650-1,00.html - All the public domain hymns from the Latter Day Saints' hymnal is available in an attractive, intuitive user interface.

http://www.cgmusic.com/cghymnal/index.htm - index of hymns from the Church of God.

Psalmody/Lectionary

http://www.cgmusic.com/workshop/index.htm - A good collection of metrical Psalms.

http://www.sfts.edu/liebert/psalmsresources/Contemp-resources.cfm - Lots of great resources, including a downloadable index of modern Psalm songs.

http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/ - doesn't have music, but it's a great place to check the lectionary Psalm and readings for upcoming services.

http://gbod.org/worship/ - The United Methodist General Board of Discipleship provides excellent lectionary-based song suggestions, as well as many other helpful resources.

Instrumental Resources

http://campkirkland.com/thisthat.htm - listing of instrumental resources for churches

http://www.despub.com/ - David E. Smith has become one of the premiere distributors of sacred instrumental music.

http://www.barncharts.com/ and http://praisecharts.com/ publish arrangements for jazz and priase bands.

http://www.calvin.edu/worship/lit_arts/music/piano_arrangements.php -A shameless plug for my own piano arrangements of congregational songs.

Organizations

http://www.thehymnsociety.org/ - The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada is the chief organization for hymn scholars in North America. Publications include The Hymn. Their online book service is an excellent place to purchase hymnals and hymnal resources.

http://ccli.com/ - The best place to find information about the praise and worship genre. Membership required for database search.

http://www.licensingonline.org/ - An OCP backed licensing vehicle which doesn't include GIA copyrights.

http://www.onelicense.net/ - A GIA backed licensing vehicle which doesn't include OCP copyrights.

The Hymnary

http://www.hymnary.org - A new hymn and hymnal database co-sponsored by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and the Christian Classics Ethereal Library.