Salmevalg og salmesang

Abstract

The singing of hymns scores very highly when people are asked which aspect of a church service engages them most. At the same time, there has not been much research on how the leading of the singing of hymns affects singing in a service. This article is about hymn choice and hymn singing in four congregations in the Norwegian Church that have experienced increased attendance over the past few years. How is the leading of singing carried out, and which criteria are the basis for hymn choice in the four congregations’ services? Do they share any common features? The article provides an overview of literature on liturgical organ playing and analyses practical leading of singing from the starting point of sound/video recordings from services. In spite of large variations in hymn choice, from those bound strictly to the church year to a choice completely independent of the particular day’s texts, the analysis shows that the singing of hymns is an important element in how the quality of the service manifests itself. The following principles of organ playing and leading of singing recur: The playing is rhythmically steady, there is a good choice of tempi, and leading is on the whole predictable in such a way that the congregation feels confident in singing aloud.