Old Songs for an Old Man
For some months I have used a book by Richard H Schmidt to meditate on some of classic hymns of the Church. There are 40 of these hymns in this book, Sing to the Lord an Old Song: Meditations on Classic Hymns, (Forward Movement, Cincinnati, Ohio, 2019) . Most mornings I read the texts of each hymn, trying to concentrate on the message and recreate the tune from my memory. Schmidt provides reflections on each stanza which usually speak to my own soul's needs and wonderings. I find it quite instructive to read the short blurb about the author of the hymn, and the composer of the tune (never the same person). I am curious about the historical context and relevance of the hymn and why might it have endured and meant so much to so many for so long - in many cases for centuries. Then with the use of technology there is the added advantage of listening on my I-Phone to wonderful recordings of most of these hymns by dialing them up on You-tube. I pr...