Yesterday I attended the Lake Creek 1st Ward.
Hymns:
#280 - Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning | Suggested: 76-92 | Actual: 85
#180 - Father in Heaven, We Do Believe | Suggested: 80-96 | Actual: 75
#23 - We Ever Pray for Thee | Suggested: 72-88 | Actual: 75
#98 - I Need Thee Every Hour | Suggested: 60-72 | Actual: 63
Thoughts:
These tempos are pretty respectable for a Utah ward. The Lake Creek 1st Ward meets at a chapel in Heber City and has LOTS of little kids in it. That having been said, you'd think it would be really noisy - but it's not. No one sings the hymns; I felt like I was a soloist. Also no one says "amen" at the end of the talks or prayers.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
3/13/2011 - Seattle 1st Ward
Today I attended the Seattle 1st Ward.
Hymns:
#116 - Come, Follow Me | Suggested Tempo: 69-76 BPM | Actual Tempo: 81 BPM
#123 - Oh, May My Soul Commune with Thee | Suggested Tempo: 69-88 BPM | Actual Tempo: 76 BPM
#178 - O Lord of Hosts | Suggested Tempo: 72-84 BPM | Actual Tempo: 80 BPM
#222 - Hear Thou Our Hymn, O Lord | Suggested Tempo: 84-92 BPM | Actual Tempo: 82 BPM
Thoughts:
The tempos of the hymns in the Seattle 1st ward were awesome - MUCH better than most wards I've attended in Utah. The members of the ward were very friendly and the sacrament bread was tasty. Also - the chorister had the congregation sing the "extra" hymns at the bottom of the page (that the First Presidency suggests that we sing). She signaled with her left hand that we were going to sing the additional verses as she conducted with her right hand. Near the end of the third verse (the last printed at the top), she held up four fingers on her left hand and that way everyone (including the organist) could tell we were going on, with no awkward pauses.
Hymns:
#116 - Come, Follow Me | Suggested Tempo: 69-76 BPM | Actual Tempo: 81 BPM
#123 - Oh, May My Soul Commune with Thee | Suggested Tempo: 69-88 BPM | Actual Tempo: 76 BPM
#178 - O Lord of Hosts | Suggested Tempo: 72-84 BPM | Actual Tempo: 80 BPM
#222 - Hear Thou Our Hymn, O Lord | Suggested Tempo: 84-92 BPM | Actual Tempo: 82 BPM
Thoughts:
The tempos of the hymns in the Seattle 1st ward were awesome - MUCH better than most wards I've attended in Utah. The members of the ward were very friendly and the sacrament bread was tasty. Also - the chorister had the congregation sing the "extra" hymns at the bottom of the page (that the First Presidency suggests that we sing). She signaled with her left hand that we were going to sing the additional verses as she conducted with her right hand. Near the end of the third verse (the last printed at the top), she held up four fingers on her left hand and that way everyone (including the organist) could tell we were going on, with no awkward pauses.
Welcome!
You know the feeling: You're sitting in the middle of the pew singing Come Come Ye Saints at a snail's pace thinking - if the pioneers had started this song in Nauvoo, they'd get to the Salt Lake valley and only be on the third verse. The chorister's arms are barely moving and your fellow saints are falling asleep mid-word. I feel your pain.
Last year I asked for one thing for my birthday - a pocket metronome with a mute switch. Since then I never attend Sacrament Meeting without it. I use the "tap-in" feature of said metronome to figure out the tempo of each hymn as we sing it and record the date, ward name, hymn # and tempo in my mini hymnal.
I then started this blog so that I have a place to report this data to you, my non-existent readers.
Enjoy.
Last year I asked for one thing for my birthday - a pocket metronome with a mute switch. Since then I never attend Sacrament Meeting without it. I use the "tap-in" feature of said metronome to figure out the tempo of each hymn as we sing it and record the date, ward name, hymn # and tempo in my mini hymnal.
I then started this blog so that I have a place to report this data to you, my non-existent readers.
Enjoy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)