- Best Known Tunes. For an evening song service, read excerpts of this article and then sing some of the hymns with tunes composed by Lowell Mason. The Index of Composers in the back of any hymnal will provide many examples. A few of Ms most popular are listed below. ANTTOCH ('Joy to the World') PH 40, PsH 337, RL 198, TH 195.
- Welcome to the home of over 3,000 tracks of church music. Played by leading organist John Keys, the tracks include accompaniments for hymns and worship songs, service settings and organ voluntaries. Available as CDs, downloads and MP3s on memory sticks.
Tunes starting with: M Right click lightblue area and 'save as.' To download the zip file. For more information about the zip file, hover cursor over the lightblue area. O=Organ, P=Piano, B=Band. Welcome to the home of over 3,000 tracks of church music. Played by leading organist John Keys, the tracks include accompaniments for hymns and worship songs, service settings and organ voluntaries.
Although the name Lowell Mason may be unfamiliar to many his hymn tunes are among the best known and best loved in our hymnals. It was Mason, for example, who composed the stately, reverent melody for 'When I Survey the Wondrous Cross' and the majestic strains of 'Joy to the World.'
But Mason's contributions to American music go far beyond his hymn tunes and arrangements. Thanks to his energy and direction in making music part of the public school curriculum, many more people have been given the opportunity to learn the basics of singing and playing musical instruments.
The Singing School
Although psalm-singing was very important in the worship services of the Puritans, the Bay Psalm Book, probably the first published songbook in America (1640), contained only the words of the psalms. For each psalm tune, choices (a very limited number) were indicated metrically.
Since these psalm-singing Calvinists had no tunes in their psalters and sang unaccompanied, they needed a song leader to 'line out' the tunes: the caller, typically the minister or a volunteer layperson, would sing each line, and the congregation would respond by imitating him.
Because of this system, congregational singing degenerated over the years to a level one Massachusetts minister described as 'an horrid Medley of confused and disordered noises.' Not surprisingly, numerous ministers and musicians became critical of the barbarous quality of singing that resulted from the crude 'lining out' practices and began to form singing schools and singing societies.
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, singing was frequently taught by an itinerant teacher to groups of adults who were talented and interested in learning to sing by reading notes rather than by rote, 'lining out' methods. Music classes typically were held in homes, churches, and town halls in the evenings. The singing teacher traveled among several towns in a week's time and relied on the use of Psalm tunes and hymn tunes for instructional music.
Church Musician, Scholar, Leader
Into this scene, Lowell Mason was born in Medfield, Massachusetts. As a youth, he played several musical instruments, including organ, piano, cello, and clarinet. From his middle teenage years through his early twenties, Mason expressed his musical talents and interests by teaching singing schools and conducting church choirs, bands, and community choirs. He also was a highly reputed vocal and instrumental soloist in church and community.
When he was 26, Mason married Abigail Adams and in the years that followed became a very popular church music leader. His musical talents, charismatic personality, and deep spiritual desire to praise God appealed to people of all ages—including children. He dedicated himself to improving congregational singing, which he believed contributed to the spiritual unity of the body of believers.
During a trip to Europe, Mason was influenced by Johann B. Pestalozzi, who was developing innovative educational ideas and practices for orphaned children. Pestalozzi's principles of education included a strong emphasis on singing for all children, not just the talented few. Many of Pestalozzi's ideas are reflected in Mason's Manual of Instruction, which suggests principles that are applicable still today for contemporary church singing:
- Teach children to sing before teaching them how to read notes.
- Encourage active participation in the creation of musical sounds—before giving an explanation of the music.
- Allow each child to progress at his or her own rate.
- Use music to promote positive attitudes and feelings about self.
Mason began collecting and composing hymn tunes during the years he served as organist and choirmaster at the Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, Georgia. Perhaps through his banking connections in England, he got ahold of William Gardner's Sacred Music, and through that collection introduced Americans to many tunes that have been in common use ever since, such as Haydn's LYONS ('O Worship the King'), ADESTE FPDELES ('O Come, All Ye Faithful'), and TALUS CANON ('All Praise to You, My God, This Night').
The Handel and Haydn Society in Boston agreed to publish Mason's first collection, which included many European tunes and others Mason arranged or composed himself. The collection was a great success, selling over fifty thousand copies in several editions. His popularity grew until eventually he left his post as a bank clerk in Savannah and moved back north to Boston, accepting the position of director of the newly established Boston Academy in 1832.
During Mason's long life he composed or arranged about 1600 hymn tunes, published in some eighty collections. His tunes are simple, direct, and uncomplicated, reflecting his interest in teaching children.
Founder of Public School Music
Perhaps Lowell Mason's landmark contribution was the introduction of vocal music as a regular part of the school curriculum in the Boston Public Schools. In 1836, Mason, with a group of prominent citizens, formally proposed to the school board that singing instruction become a regular part of the school curriculum. Singing, Mason told the board, is beneficial for developing moral character, for promoting personal happiness through faith and testimony, for healthful exercise of the lungs, and for teaching reading.
Although the school board supported and approved this proposal, the city council overlooked the necessity of making the music curriculum proposal legal and providing funds for its implementation. Again, Lowell Mason's strong spiritual belief in the importance of singing and praising God through music came through, and led him to offer to teach music in the Boston City Schools zvithout pay for one year.
On August 28,1838, the school board and city council officially adopted and funded music as a subject to be taught in the Boston Grammar Schools. Mason taught and supervised music there until 1841, when he resigned in order to spend his time composing and arranging tunes, and traveling to organize conventions for training teachers in the instruction of vocal music in church worship and school curricula.
Excerpt
Best Known Tunes
For an evening song service, read excerpts of this article and then sing some of the hymns with tunes composed by Lowell Mason. The Index of Composers in the back of any hymnal will provide many examples. A few of Ms most popular are listed below.
ANTTOCH ('Joy to the World')
[PH 40, PsH 337, RL 198, TH 195]
AZMON ('Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing')
[PH 466, PsH 501, RL 362-361, TH 164]
HAMBURG ('When I Survey the Wondrous Cross')
[PH 100-101, PsH 384, RL 292-293, TH 252]
OLIVET ('My Faith Looks Up to Thee')
[PH 383, PsH 262, RL 446, TH 528]
RIPLEY ('Praise the LORD! Sing Hallelujah!)
[PsH 146]
WESLEY ('Sing to the LORD')
[PsH 96, TH 62]
ZERAH ('The Glorious Gates of Righteousness')
[PsH 179]
Merry Christmas!
This may be a day of celebration for you, and I hope it is, what ever your faith may be.
But celebrating in the Christmas season may be a challenge for those who can’t get to church for some reason. Perhaps some are housebound and are not well enough to attend in person. Or maybe some have a newborn they don’t want to expose to others’ germs. Or maybe some are traveling far from their home church. Or perhaps the roads near them are icy and treacherous.
You still may be able to attend your home church by watching a live streaming video. Church services are available to watch live online and through apps.
Not all churches live stream their services, but you may be able to watch from afar if your church has live streaming available.
How to Find Out Whether Your Church Has Live Streaming Available
Your first stop in discovering whether your church has live streaming available is to head to the church website. Look for a link or a video that shows you how to live stream services.
Increasingly, churches are offering live streaming videos so those who can’t attend in person can still worship from afar.
If your church is interested in offering live streaming videos of its services, check out Capterra Church Management Blog, A Beginner’s Guide to Church Live Streaming.
Here are some sources for live streaming church services.
Sunday Streams
Sunday Streams is an app and website that lets churches live stream their services. People can watch these church services using both computers and mobile devices.
You also may be able to watch videos of past services in the archives section. Archives let you watch past services if you want to be reminded of especially moving services, or if you’re not available to watch during the time the service is live.
Archives also may contain special services, such as Christmas concerts, so you can enjoy them online, whether you were able to attend or not.
Ways to Watch Sunday Streams
Sunday Streams is available to watch on computers, phones, tablets, and on TVs. All versions of watching are free to watch but you must have a log in code to watch a church service.
Churches pay a monthly fee to stream their services on Sunday Streams. The church website can then provide a log in code to watch the service.
Computer
Sunday Streams lets churches stream videos through their websites so people can watch on their computers. Go to your church’s website to see whether there is a link to watch the service online.
You can watch full screen by clicking on the arrows in the bottom right corner of the video, or keep the video open in a smaller size on your computer.
Hover your cursor over the video to see icons for sharing, giving to your church, and getting the Roku Channel.
App
Sunday Streams has free apps for:
After downloading the app, you will need the Stream ID from your church to log in. Check your church’s website to find out whether they use Sunday Streams and, if they do, what the Stream ID is for them.
Social Media
Sunday Streams also lets churches share their live stream services using social media. Churches can share their videos live using Twitter, Facebook and blog posts. Check your church’s social media sites to see whether a live video stream is available.
TV
You can watch Sunday Streams on your TV by using the Sunday Streams app on an Apple TV or the Sunday Streams channel on Roku.
Bible
The Sunday Streams app also has a section with the Bible. You can follow along in the service with Bible readings by going to the Bible section of the app.
Included in the app are different versions of the Bible so you can follow along with the version your church uses.
You can also search through the Bible by chapter. The chapters are organized chronologically or you can sort them alphabetically.
More Information
You can find more information about Sunday Streams at the Sunday Streams website.
Tunes Mp3 Music For Your Church Services Pdf
Other Ways to Watch Live Streaming Church Services
Churches also have live streaming services available other places, such as Facebook and YouTube. Search for your church’s Facebook page to see whether live streaming video is available on Facebook.
You may be able to watch your church service on YouTube Live. Either search YouTube for your church name or look at your church website.
Other websites and that offer live streaming services include Periscope on Twitter, streamingchurch.tv, and Dacast.
Check your church’s website to see whether live streaming options are offered for their services.
YouVersion Bible App
If you’re far from home, you can use the Bible app to find church services near you. The YouVersion Bible app has a section to help you find church services near you. By allowing the app to access your location, you can see which church services near you are having services and follow along in the app.
Links to the Bible app can be found at the YouVersion Bible website.
The app can show you which scriptures are being read in the service, notes from the sermon, upcoming events and times for church services. Some churches let you listen along to the services as they happen. You can add your own notes to the app and save information for later.
To find church services on the Bible app, tap the More icon (three stacked lines), and choose Events.
You will be asked to give the app permission to access your location. If you agree, you will see a map with a list of services near you.
A red Live box will appear next to church services near you that are currently having services. You can also search for keywords, if you want to find a specific church name or denomination.
The YouVersion Bible app also has plans for reading the Bible in a year and videos about the Bible.
Mp3 Music Service
See Holy Bible, Holy Tech! to learn more about the YouVersion Bible app.
Your Thoughts
Tunes Mp3 Music For Your Church Services Facebook
Have you ever been unable to make it to church? Have you ever watched a live stream version of your church service? Does your church use Sunday Stream? Have you ever wanted to find a church service near you when you were away from home?
Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!
Tunes Mp3 Music For Your Church Services 2019
*Church photo (edited) courtesy of Lauren Manning via Flickr and Creative Commons