Hymns are a vital part of worship in most denominations. Congregational song has developed through the ages to include plainsong melodies, psalm settings, folk melodies, composed hymn tunes, gospel songs, sacred choruses, spirituals, and canons. All of these categories are included in this work. Wasson's index, by focusing itself exclusively upon hymntunes, is the most comprehensive collection of hymns and hymn materials that has been created to date. It also provides new information about the many hymns that have been written during the "hymnal explosion" of the last twenty-five years. Hymntune Index and Related Hymn Materials is an extraordinary resource for organists, church musicians, and librarians. Cataloging over 33,000 melodies sung by congregations world-wide, it provides the source of each and lists related materials. Included are incipits of the hymntune in the Tonic Sol-fa system, alternate titles for the same tune, hymnals by code and hymn numbers where the tune may be found, catalog reference numbers to the index key which lists material on the hymn tune, "other references" (such as sheet music), and Concertatos on the hymntune. Hymn materials include composer or arranger, publisher and publisher's catalog number, and the title. The index is helpful when looking for tunes by a particular composer or arranger, and also for noting the variations of a particular tune. It provides a broad range of hymntune based music, and allows the reader to compare tunes of similar melodic contours. An essential work for organists, pastors, and libraries with music collections.
