Meter (hymn)
Encyclopedia
A hymn meter or metre indicates the number of syllables for the lines in each stanza
of a hymn
. This provides a means of marrying the hymn's text with an appropriate hymn tune
for singing.
and hymn meters have different starting points but there is nevertheless much overlap. Take the opening lines of the hymn Amazing Grace
:
Analyzing this, a poet would see a couplet
with four iambic metrical feet
in the first line and three in the second. A musician would more likely count eight syllables in the first line and six in the second.
Completing that verse:
the hymnist describes it as 8.6.8.6 (or 86.86).
Conventionally most hymns in this 86.86 pattern are iambic (weak-strong syllable pairs). By contrast most hymns in an 87.87 pattern are trochaic
, with strong-weak syllable pairs:
In practice many hymns conform to one of a relatively small number of meters (syllable patterns), and within the most commonly used ones there is a general convention as to whether its stress pattern is iambic or trochaic (or perhaps dactylic
). It is rare to find any significant metrical substitution
in a well-written hymn; indeed, such variation usually indicates a poorly constructed text.
Often a longer verse will, in effect, be two short verses joined together or doubled. So:
A large number of hymns, including many well known ones, use other meters: examples are "Abide With Me" (10.10.10.10) and "Come Down, O Love Divine" (6.6.11.D).
(such as iambic, trochaic
) also conform.
Most hymnals include a metrical index of the book's tunes.
Stanza
In poetry, a stanza is a unit within a larger poem. In modern poetry, the term is often equivalent with strophe; in popular vocal music, a stanza is typically referred to as a "verse"...
of a hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
. This provides a means of marrying the hymn's text with an appropriate hymn tune
Hymn tune
A hymn tune is the melody of a musical composition to which a hymn text is sung. Musically speaking, a hymn is generally understood to have four-part harmony, a fast harmonic rhythm , and no refrain or chorus....
for singing.
Hymn and poetic meter
In the English language poetic metersMeter (poetry)
In poetry, metre is the basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines in verse. Many traditional verse forms prescribe a specific verse metre, or a certain set of metres alternating in a particular order. The study of metres and forms of versification is known as prosody...
and hymn meters have different starting points but there is nevertheless much overlap. Take the opening lines of the hymn Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace
"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn with words written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton , published in 1779. With a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins people commit and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God,...
:
- Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
- that saved a wretch like me.
Analyzing this, a poet would see a couplet
Couplet
A couplet is a pair of lines of meter in poetry. It usually consists of two lines that rhyme and have the same meter.While traditionally couplets rhyme, not all do. A poem may use white space to mark out couplets if they do not rhyme. Couplets with a meter of iambic pentameter are called heroic...
with four iambic metrical feet
Foot (prosody)
The foot is the basic metrical unit that generates a line of verse in most Western traditions of poetry, including English accentual-syllabic verse and the quantitative meter of classical ancient Greek and Latin poetry. The unit is composed of syllables, the number of which is limited, with a few...
in the first line and three in the second. A musician would more likely count eight syllables in the first line and six in the second.
Completing that verse:
- Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
- that saved a wretch like me.
- I once was lost, but now am found,
- was blind, but now I see.
the hymnist describes it as 8.6.8.6 (or 86.86).
Conventionally most hymns in this 86.86 pattern are iambic (weak-strong syllable pairs). By contrast most hymns in an 87.87 pattern are trochaic
Trochee
A trochee or choree, choreus, is a metrical foot used in formal poetry consisting of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed one...
, with strong-weak syllable pairs:
- Love divine, all loves excelling,
- joy of heaven to earth come down,...
In practice many hymns conform to one of a relatively small number of meters (syllable patterns), and within the most commonly used ones there is a general convention as to whether its stress pattern is iambic or trochaic (or perhaps dactylic
Dactyl (poetry)
A dactyl is a foot in meter in poetry. In quantitative verse, such as Greek or Latin, a dactyl is a long syllable followed by two short syllables, as determined by syllable weight...
). It is rare to find any significant metrical substitution
Substitution (poetry)
In English poetry substitution is the use of an alien metric foot in a line of otherwise regular metrical pattern. For instance in an iambic line of "da DUM", a trochaic substitution would introduce a foot of "DUM da".-Trochaic substitution:...
in a well-written hymn; indeed, such variation usually indicates a poorly constructed text.
Representation
All meters can be represented numerically. In addition, some of those most frequently encountered are named:- C.M. - Common MeterCommon metreCommon metre or Common measure, abbreviated C. M., is a poetic meter consisting of four lines which alternate between iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter Common metre or Common measure, abbreviated C. M., is a poetic meter consisting of four lines which alternate between iambic tetrameter (four...
, 8.6.8.6; a quatrain (four-line stanza) with alternating lines of iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter, which rhymes in the second and fourth lines and sometimes in the first and third. - L.M. - Long Meter, 8.8.8.8; a quatrain in iambic tetrameter, which rhymes in the second and fourth lines and often in the first and third.
- S.M. - Short Meter, 6.6.8.6; iambic lines in the first, second, and fourth are in trimeter, and the third in tetrameter, which rhymes in the second and fourth lines and sometimes in the first and third.
Often a longer verse will, in effect, be two short verses joined together or doubled. So:
- D.C.M. (also C.M.D.) - Doubled CM, 8.6.8.6.8.6.8.6.
- 8.7.8.7.D - equivalent to two verses of 8.7.8.7. Many of the strongest hymns are in this meter, such as Love Divine, All Loves ExcellingLove Divine, All Loves Excelling"Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" is a Christian hymn by Charles Wesley with a theme of 'Christian perfection."Judging by general repute, it is among Wesley's finest:"justly famous and beloved, better known than almost any other hymn of Charles Wesley."...
, Glorious things of thee are spoken.
A large number of hymns, including many well known ones, use other meters: examples are "Abide With Me" (10.10.10.10) and "Come Down, O Love Divine" (6.6.11.D).
Metrical index
Hymns written in a particular meter may be sung to any tune in that same meter, as long as the poetic footFoot (prosody)
The foot is the basic metrical unit that generates a line of verse in most Western traditions of poetry, including English accentual-syllabic verse and the quantitative meter of classical ancient Greek and Latin poetry. The unit is composed of syllables, the number of which is limited, with a few...
(such as iambic, trochaic
Trochee
A trochee or choree, choreus, is a metrical foot used in formal poetry consisting of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed one...
) also conform.
Most hymnals include a metrical index of the book's tunes.
External links
- "Hymn" in Encyclopedia Britannica Online.