Hymnal
Collection of liturgical songs.
What it means
A hymnal (German Gesangbuch) is a collection of songs for worship and personal singing. It contains texts, usually melodies as well, often arranged by the church year and by thematic groups, plus liturgical chants, psalms, and prayers. Hymnals are published by churches and revised at longer intervals; in the process songs are added, deleted, or adapted in text and melody, which allows conclusions about changes in language and piety.
Musical use
For music history, hymnals are sources of the first rank. They transmit melodies that were worked out further in art music: in the chorale prelude, the chorale setting, the cantata, and the motet, the church hymn serves as a basis, and without knowledge of the melody and its text such settings remain incomprehensible. At the same time they show how the same melody circulated in different versions — with different rhythm, different key, or altered text. Whoever performs a work on a chorale should check which version the composer had before them.
Performance practice
For every chorale setting, look up the text of all stanzas; it determines tempo, weight, and phrasing more than any general rule. Take care that the congregational and the choral version of the same melody can differ in rhythm, and settle this before rehearsal. In hymn accompaniment on the organ, choose a registration that carries the congregation without drowning it, and play a prelude that clearly gives melody and key. Note the chosen number of stanzas and the tempo so that the agreement in the service goes smoothly, and note down the edition used as well, because congregations sing from different hymnals.