better for this hymn, as a glance at the illustrations will show.

In the hymn "Ye servants of the Lord," the accent is on the second syllable (Ser); in “Soldiers of Christ, arise," the accent is on the first syllable, (Sol). In Laban the beat is right for the hymn; in Soldiers it is wrong. When, therefore, "Ye servants of the Lord" is sung to Soldiers the whole performance is out of joint. These hymns and their tunes Such cases

cannot be transposed without confusion.

are not infrequent, and when they occur it is a serious bar to good congregational music.

It is equally important also to adapt the tune to the sentiment of the hymn. Is the hymn joyful? Why sing it to a slow tune in a minor key? Is it serious and penitential? Why sing it to a glee?

For like reasons new tunes that are offered for old hymns deserve careful examination. They often give to the words new force and beauty.

4. Tunes should be sung at the rate in which they are written.

Some congregations have the bad habit of dragging; some habitually sing too rapidly. "Do you never sing a tune slowly?" asked the officiating minister in a series of Y. M. C. A. services. "Not often," was the reply, in substance, "the boys like to keep the thing hot!" But undue speed in sacred song is more reprehensible than undue slowness. Yet many congregations do not seem to know the difference between singing promptly and singing fast.

Some organists are to blame in this matter. They do not seem to understand that they should lead— they only follow. The chief reason why the organ should play the tune before it is sung is found in its interpretation. It shows the worshiper not only what the tune is, but how it is to be rendered. It sets the pace for the entire hymn and gives the shading at least for the first verse, and virtually says to the people, "Sing it in this way." This prelude ought to be such that, sung in any other way, even the best tune is injured-often well nigh ruined.

Other rules are already embodied in our notes concerning the changes which have been made in tunes; but they may be briefly added by way of recapitulation.

5. Avoid tunes of florid counterpoint.

6. Avoid tunes containing difficult melodic intervals.

7. Avoid tunes of too great range.

The staff indicates all the notes which can be sung by the average voice, and even such tunes as continue for several notes on the extremes should be barred.

In order to the determining of the best tunes something should be said in addition to the above with regard to the proper treatment of tunes.

What is it that makes a tune sacred or secular? This question is much in dispute. There may be some intrinsic differences, some characteristic elements whereby the two are differentiated, but they have never been actually defined. Critics have been very free in declaring "this is sacred" and "that is secular'; but so far they have not been able to give satisfactory reasons. We have many excellent hymntunes derived from old folk-songs, ballad-tunes, and operas; and so long as they do not suggest improper scenes and associations they are unobjectionable. Yet we all believe that there is a difference between sacred and secular music and every devout worshiper will insist upon maintaining it. What rule, then, can be given in this matter?

Without entering into the details of the controversy, it is enough for our purposes to show that very much-indeed almost everything-depends upon treatment. Into this a number of elements may enter, such as the key, the time, and the like. A tune which has a sacred character in one key may sometimes have a distinctly secular character in another; and therefore the leader should be cautious in transposing, as he is sometimes tempted to do. In like manner, a

tune sung or played in fast time may be a jig, which in slow time is a serious melody.

There are certain tunes in some books which make excellent dance music by such easy manipulation. The reverse also may be accomplished and dance music be transformed into the serious.

A striking illustration is given in the following tune. Let it be played as written, without attempting to analyze it.

9

-6

Probably not one person in ten will recognize this nor will any one object to it. It seems like dignified church music. Yet it is "Yankee Doodle!" Let it now be played rapidly in the ordinary key and mode, and the lesson of the illustration will be self-evident.

A similar illustration of the opposite tendency is given by Curwen in his Studies in Worship Music (first series), showing what may be done in the degradation of an eminently sacred tune, so that it may become emphatically secular.

Old Hundred in its original form is written as follows: