Format for Meter of Hymns

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BarryJ
Posts: 178
Joined: 03 May 2014 03:33
Location: Gunnison, Colorado, USA

Format for Meter of Hymns

Post by BarryJ »

There is apparently a template {{meter|xx}}, but I have not been able to find a list of allowable fields. Looking at a few examples, apparently "86. 86" exists, but not "86. 86. 86. 86". Or is that the right format, should I be using C.M. and C.M.D. instead? (Or C. M., or CM?). Personally I would prefer the numerical format, because a lot of hymns don't fit the meters abbreviated with letters. This is a relatively new topic for me, I'm certainly no expert.
Barry Johnston
Gunnison, U. S. A.
Richard Mix
Posts: 183
Joined: 31 Jan 2010 04:51

Re: Format for Meter of Hymns

Post by Richard Mix »

It's confusing. Using numbers instead of letters is supposed to be more intuitive for the uninitiated but I can remember to type Category:Hymn meters http://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Category:Hymn_meters more easily than remembering the dots and spaces. http://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Cate ... ._D_(C.M.D.) for CMD or 86.86. 86.86 seems like the worst of both worlds!
BarryJ
Posts: 178
Joined: 03 May 2014 03:33
Location: Gunnison, Colorado, USA

Re: Format for Meter of Hymns

Post by BarryJ »

Yes, it is confusing and difficult. Thanks, Richard Mix, for pointing out "category:hymn meters" to me. (I'm just learning the CPDL system). That is just what I needed.
There are several websites that deal with hymn meters, such as https://www.ccel.org/cceh/cceh_ind.htm (the best I know of so far).
These systems of course date from a time when people carried hymnbooks with only words in them, and they had to learn the music to go with them; knowing the meter of a hymn helped leaders choose an appropriate tune. I use it more often in reverse, coming upon a tune that clearly has words that don't match. An example here would be William Billings' "Redemption" (1781), in which a fairly upbeat, melodic tune in a strong major key with uplifting harmony is paired with words about death and woe.
Thanks again for the help in navigating CPDL.
CHGiffen
Site Admin
Posts: 1781
Joined: 16 Sep 2005 21:22
Location: Hudson, Wisconsin, USA

Re: Format for Meter of Hymns

Post by CHGiffen »

One needs to realize that Short, Common, and Long meter designations apply only to iambic texts. For example, by itself, 88. 88 refers to a tune with four lines, each with 8 syllables in trochaic rhythm (SwSwSwSw); on the other hand, 88. 88 (L.M.) also stands for a tune with four lines each with 8 syllables in iambic rhythm (wSwSwSwS). There is also 88. 88. D (anapestic), which stands for a tune with eight lines each with 8 syllables, each with anapestic rhythm (wSwwSwwS), as opposed to 88. 88. D (L.M.D.) in which each of the eight 8 syllable lines has iambic rhythm. It is the popularity of iambic meters that led to them being singled out as Short, Common, Long (or their doubled versions).

66. 86 (S.M.) - Short Meter - sorts as 06.06.08.06
86. 86 (C.M.) - Common Meter - sorts as 08.06.08.06
88. 88 (L.M.) - Long Meter - sorts as 08.08.08.08

66. 86. D (S.M.D.) - Short Meter Double - sorts as 06.06.08.06.06.06.08.06
86. 86. D (C.M.D.) - Common Meter Double - sorts as 08.06.08.06.08.06.08.06
88. 88. D (L.M.D.) - Long Meter Double - sorts as 08.08.08.08.08.08.08.08
Charles H. Giffen
CPDL Board of Directors Chair
Admin at & Manager of ChoralWiki
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