Hymn Frequency
Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 3:12 pm
So I wondered which hymns are sung most frequently in Sacrament meeting. I decided not to ask the Board since it would vary from ward to ward, not to mention from region to region. Instead, I recorded the hymns sung in my ward sacrament meetings over the course of about a year (less the Sundays I was visiting my parents). Here's how it broke down:
Because sacrament hymns are sung every week, I expected them to be overrepresented. Thus, I considered them separately. I defined 'sacrament hymns' as hymns #146, #169–197 (as recommended in the Topics at the back of the hymn book). Out of a total of 50 sacrament hymns sung during the period of observation, one (#172) was sung six times; two (#187 and #193) were sung five times; one (#188) was sung four times; five (#146, #169, #171, #173, and #195) were sung three times; four (#170, #180, #181, and #196) were sung twice; seven (#175, #176, #184, #186, #191, #192, and #194) were sung only once; and the remaining ten (#174, #177–179, #182, #183, #185, #189, #190, and #197) weren't sung at all.
Because Christmas hymns are sung only in December, I expected them to be underrepresented. Thus, I considered them separately, as well. I defined 'Christmas hymns' as hymns #201–215. Only four Christmas hymns were sung (that's only one per Sacrament meeting, even though with opening, closing, and rest hymns we could've sung up to twelve): #201, #205, #207, and #213. The remaining eleven (#202–204, #206, #208–212, #214, and #215) weren't sung at all.
Because some hymns are arranged for a limited vocal range, I expected them to also be underrepresented. Thus, I considered them separately. I defined 'limited arrangement hymns' as those hymns which say '(Women)' (e.g. #309–318) or '(Men)'/'(Men's Choir)' (e.g. #319–327 and #329–337) plus #328 since it's written in Bass and Tenor clefs. Out of twenty-nine hymns, only one (#335) was sung. The remaining twenty-eight hymns (#309–334, #336, and #337) weren't sung at all.
Because patriotic hymns are only sung in July, I expected them to be underrepresented. Thus, I considered them separately, as well. I defined 'patriotic hymns' as hymns #338–341. None were sung.
You may wonder who was choosing these hymns. I wonder too. Apparently they hated both Christmas and America.
Anyway, on to the bulk of the hymns. Of the remainder of the hymns, three (#85, #131, and #270) were sung six times; four (#2, #62, #89, and #136) were sung four times; three (#112, #218, and #263) were sung three times; twelve (#1, #5, #30, #65, #86, #98, #138, #158, #222, #243, #251, and #274) were sung twice; forty-seven (#4, #6, #16, #21, #26, #31, #36, #44, #49, #54, #64, #79, #83, #84, #92, #94, #110, #114, #117, #120, #122, #128, #134, #137, #139, #140, #151, #154, #155, #219, #220, #237, #240, #248, #249, #252, #254, #258, #272, #277, #284, #287, #291, #292, #301, #304, and #305) were sung once; and the remaining two-hundred-and-fourteen hymns (#3, #7–15, #17–20, #22–25, #27–29, #32–35, #37–43, #45–48, #50–53, #55–61, #63, #66–78, #80–82, #87, #88, #90, #91, #93, #95–97, #99–109, #111, #113, #115, #116, #118, #119, #121, #123–127, #129, #130, #132, #133, #135, #141–145, $147–150, #152, #153, #156, #157, #159–168, #198–200, #216, #217, #221, #223–236, #238, #239, #241, #242, #244–247, #250, #253, #255–257, #259–262, #264–269, #271, #273, #275, #276, #278–283, #285, #286, #288–290, #293–300, #302, #303, and #306–308) weren't sung at all.
The general omissions that surprised me were (and particularly those in bold): #3, #7, #19 (We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet), #27 (Praise to the Man), #29 (A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief), #41, #52, #56, #58, #60 (Battle Hymn of the Republic), #66, #67, #78, #81, #97, #100 (Nearer, My God, to Thee), #103, #105, #106, #108, #111, #113, #116 (Come, Follow Me), #124, #129, #130, #141, #142, #143, #144, #152 (God Be with You Till We Meet Again), #165, #166, #199, #200, #221, #223, #239 (Choose the Right), #241 (Count Your Blessings), #242, #246, #250, #255, #259, #260, #264, #280, #293, #294 (Love at Home), #298, #300 (Families Can Be Together Forever), #302, #303 (Keep the Commandments), #308 (Love One Another).
I'm not sure if it was the music conductor choosing the hymns or a member of the bishopric, but dang! They avoided some really good hymns! Now we have a new bishopric and a new music conductor, so I'm hoping we get a better dose of Christmas hymns this December.
Because sacrament hymns are sung every week, I expected them to be overrepresented. Thus, I considered them separately. I defined 'sacrament hymns' as hymns #146, #169–197 (as recommended in the Topics at the back of the hymn book). Out of a total of 50 sacrament hymns sung during the period of observation, one (#172) was sung six times; two (#187 and #193) were sung five times; one (#188) was sung four times; five (#146, #169, #171, #173, and #195) were sung three times; four (#170, #180, #181, and #196) were sung twice; seven (#175, #176, #184, #186, #191, #192, and #194) were sung only once; and the remaining ten (#174, #177–179, #182, #183, #185, #189, #190, and #197) weren't sung at all.
Because Christmas hymns are sung only in December, I expected them to be underrepresented. Thus, I considered them separately, as well. I defined 'Christmas hymns' as hymns #201–215. Only four Christmas hymns were sung (that's only one per Sacrament meeting, even though with opening, closing, and rest hymns we could've sung up to twelve): #201, #205, #207, and #213. The remaining eleven (#202–204, #206, #208–212, #214, and #215) weren't sung at all.
Because some hymns are arranged for a limited vocal range, I expected them to also be underrepresented. Thus, I considered them separately. I defined 'limited arrangement hymns' as those hymns which say '(Women)' (e.g. #309–318) or '(Men)'/'(Men's Choir)' (e.g. #319–327 and #329–337) plus #328 since it's written in Bass and Tenor clefs. Out of twenty-nine hymns, only one (#335) was sung. The remaining twenty-eight hymns (#309–334, #336, and #337) weren't sung at all.
Because patriotic hymns are only sung in July, I expected them to be underrepresented. Thus, I considered them separately, as well. I defined 'patriotic hymns' as hymns #338–341. None were sung.
You may wonder who was choosing these hymns. I wonder too. Apparently they hated both Christmas and America.
Anyway, on to the bulk of the hymns. Of the remainder of the hymns, three (#85, #131, and #270) were sung six times; four (#2, #62, #89, and #136) were sung four times; three (#112, #218, and #263) were sung three times; twelve (#1, #5, #30, #65, #86, #98, #138, #158, #222, #243, #251, and #274) were sung twice; forty-seven (#4, #6, #16, #21, #26, #31, #36, #44, #49, #54, #64, #79, #83, #84, #92, #94, #110, #114, #117, #120, #122, #128, #134, #137, #139, #140, #151, #154, #155, #219, #220, #237, #240, #248, #249, #252, #254, #258, #272, #277, #284, #287, #291, #292, #301, #304, and #305) were sung once; and the remaining two-hundred-and-fourteen hymns (#3, #7–15, #17–20, #22–25, #27–29, #32–35, #37–43, #45–48, #50–53, #55–61, #63, #66–78, #80–82, #87, #88, #90, #91, #93, #95–97, #99–109, #111, #113, #115, #116, #118, #119, #121, #123–127, #129, #130, #132, #133, #135, #141–145, $147–150, #152, #153, #156, #157, #159–168, #198–200, #216, #217, #221, #223–236, #238, #239, #241, #242, #244–247, #250, #253, #255–257, #259–262, #264–269, #271, #273, #275, #276, #278–283, #285, #286, #288–290, #293–300, #302, #303, and #306–308) weren't sung at all.
The general omissions that surprised me were (and particularly those in bold): #3, #7, #19 (We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet), #27 (Praise to the Man), #29 (A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief), #41, #52, #56, #58, #60 (Battle Hymn of the Republic), #66, #67, #78, #81, #97, #100 (Nearer, My God, to Thee), #103, #105, #106, #108, #111, #113, #116 (Come, Follow Me), #124, #129, #130, #141, #142, #143, #144, #152 (God Be with You Till We Meet Again), #165, #166, #199, #200, #221, #223, #239 (Choose the Right), #241 (Count Your Blessings), #242, #246, #250, #255, #259, #260, #264, #280, #293, #294 (Love at Home), #298, #300 (Families Can Be Together Forever), #302, #303 (Keep the Commandments), #308 (Love One Another).
I'm not sure if it was the music conductor choosing the hymns or a member of the bishopric, but dang! They avoided some really good hymns! Now we have a new bishopric and a new music conductor, so I'm hoping we get a better dose of Christmas hymns this December.