O for a thousand tongues to sing

My blest redeemer’s praise

The Methodists of the eighteenth century had a considerable influence on other denominations, especially in the singing of hymns many of which have become favourites. The founders of Methodism were musical and placed considerable importance on the role of music in their worship

John and Charles Wesley were very appreciative of music and the latter had two sons - Charles junior and Samuel, musical prodigies, who gave an annual series of subscription concerts at their father’s house. These were attended by many famous people, including the Bishop of London and the Archbishop of Canterbury on occasions. Charles became organist at various London churches and Samuel was one of the first champions of Bach’s music. His son was Samuel Sebastian who sang a s a chorister at the Chapel Royal and became a organist at Winchester and Gloucester Cathedrals.

In 1760 the Archbishop commended the Methodist singing tradition to his clergy. “The Sectarists gain a multitude of followers with their better singing” The high reputation of Methodist music had a big impact on standards within the established church.

The ‘Old Methodist Tunes’ still feature amongst the most popular tunes in the present day. A parish clerk complained that the Anglican admiration of Methodist singing was going so far that their tunes were “creeping into the churches”. She alleged that on certain occasions Anglican congregations would pay the clerk and organist to stay away so that that “their people may supply their places and so have every Thing performed in their own way”. The bright rhythms and varied metres of Wesley hymns was refreshing to the Anglicans who had long endured the unvarying rhythms of Sternhold and Hopkins.Many of the eighteenth century Methodist tunes are extremely florid and others use fugal techniques probably influenced by the popular Handel choruses. The last line of the words was often repeated in such a way as to be taken up by the men and women in succession and then together. A good example of this is the last line of ‘O for a thousand tongues to sing’ (‘the triumphs of his grace’, etc.). A common arrangement was to have the men and women occupying separate sides of the building in choir-like fashion .Men were often considered to be musically incompetent and lazy so that the most florid parts of the melody were sung by women alone.” Let no man sing with them unless he understands the notes and sings the bass as is written down in the book”. Many men could not bring themselves to be silent and would join in the florid melodies often to the detriment of the singing. Wesley hated slow and dragging singing - “this drawling way naturally steals on all who are lazy”

The Methodists decreed in 1780 ‘Let no organs be placed anywhere till proposed in Conference’.

In the latter part of the eighteenth and the early nineteenth centuries the Methodists, like the Anglicans, tended to use orchestral instruments to accompany their worship. However, in the Methodist church, their use was not officially approved. In 1805 the Conference decreed ‘Let no instruments of music be introduced in the singers’ seats except a bass viol, should the principal singer require it’.

Conference refused as late as 1808 to ‘sanction or consent to the erection of any organs in our chapels’ Where they already existed they were no longer to ‘overpower or supersede the congregational singing’. No voluntaries were to be played during the service. In the Anglican church organ music was often played while the clergyman was in the vestry changing his gown for the sermon. Somehow this practice had spread to the Methodist church where no gown changing justified it! A Liverpool chapel was allowed, after a heated four hour debate at Conference, on a petition submitted by the congregation. Organ voluntaries, however were banned and the organ was to be of the simplest possible design ‘with such stops as will assist congregational singing’.

In 1827 a very large organ was erected in Brunswick Chapel, Leeds This caused many disturbances elsewhere and the affair took on a legalistic colouring as to the rights of self-government .Hundreds of adherents left and set up a separate b ody called the Protestant Methodists and this put a stop to the erection of organs for some years.

Whilst on the subject of organ voluntaries, certain words by the founder of Methodism are interesting. He describes the Anglican mid-service voluntary as being ‘an unreasonable and unmeaning impertinence’. Yet of a visit to a church in Manchester he says ‘I found an uncommon blessing when I least expected it - namely, while the organist was playing a voluntary’ At another church in Macclesfield 31 years later on a Good Friday whilst helping the clergyman to administer communion to a congregation of thirteen-hundred people, he “heard a low, soft, solemn sound, just like that of an Aeolian harp which so affected many that they could not refrain from tears. Strange that no organist (that I know) should think of this”. He said to the organist “If I could ensure a similar performance to yours this afternoon I would have an organ introduced into every one of our chapels”.

The organ gradually assumed a much more important role in Methodist worship often taking pride of place, elevated behind the minister. A good example of this in Bristol is Shirehampton Methodist Church. The magnificent former Central Hall in Old Market Bristol, was an example in the grandest style.