Hallelujah: The Poetry of Classic Hymns

by Anna Marlis Burgard and Richard Krepel

Book Overview

By setting their doubts, hopes, and gratitude to song, the authors of classic hymns have comforted and guided people for centuries. From soulful spirituals pleading for release to heartfelt hymns of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1587612267
• ISBN13: 9781587612268
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: Celestial Arts
• Length: 115 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 8.3" x 9.8"

Customer Reviews

Praises sing!

It is startling to find a book that celebrates hymnody without including music. The close connection of word and note is intrinsic to most people's connection with hymns. Choosing to print only the words invites the reader to view these lyrics through a new and revealing lens. I am delighted that the publishing house was willing to take the risk of printing this book, because... ...from the preface by Carl Daw (one of the best of our contemporary hymn writers) through Anna Marlis Burgard's excellent introduction, through the amazing and evocative artwork by Richard Krepel, to the notes on each hymn selected, "Hallelujah" sings! While the book is filled with grand old favorites, it also includes some less well-known pieces including Anna Steele's "Thou Lovely Source of True Delight," Elizabeth Condor's "Even Me," and and Louisa May Alcott's "A Little Kingdom I Possess." I was also intrigued to find a hymn by Francis Scott Key. The art work is both challenging and beautiful. For instance, the illustration for "Every Time I Feel the Spirit" includes the train from v.3, but it seems to be moving through a Japanese landscape created from kimono fabrics. And "Descend from Heav'n" depicts not the expected dove, but a male figure, dressed like a worker, playing with the cosmos. I would have wished only two things: first, that there were more contemporary hymns and second, that there were more hymns by women. I would welcome (and happily purchase) a second volume that might fill in these gaps.

A gem of a book.

This book is wonderful, a gem, and deceptive in its significance. Elegantly simple in its approach and breathtakingly successful in its execution, it works on all levels. I've known Anna Burgard, the editor and creative force behind this book, for over a decade, and have long been impressed by her abilities. She was the editor for my first book, and that experience served only to further imprint on me the depth of her intelligence, talent and counsel. There's a problem in having friends like Anna, though, in that the bar rises ever higher when it comes to the appeal "Dazzle me". So while I was looking forward to this book, I was cautious in signing off on her undertaking of a new and refreshing approach to a subject as old as Scripture. So much for what I know. The book is a compilation of hymns through the centuries; some well known, others less so, all worthy of inclusion. The text of the hymns are complemented by a narrative tracing the history of the time that influenced their writing, and anecdotal lines about each featured hymn. All of this is embellished by Richard Krepel's lyrical illustrations, so effortlessly superior to so much of today's loud and forgettable art. I had a number of interesting reactions to the book, and some surprising ones as well. Most curious was when I was about a quarter of the way through. I realized I was immersed in an experience quite rare today, participating in the enjoyment of something that may just turn out to be an instant classic. That's a pretty daring statement, so please indulge me. The phrase "instant classic" is not to be bandied about lightly. To qualify, something must meet special criteria. It should say something new about a subject about which you thought there's nothing left to be said. It should satisfy that delightful urge that almost never gets indulged these days - to see a great idea brought to fruition that's been hiding in plain sight, something waiting for someone to come along and put it together, after which everyone can stand around and say "It was obvious". And it helps when you find yourself thinking about it a long time after you've put it down. Hallelujah left that impression. One of the surprises I got with the book was something I can only describe as approaching transcendent. There's an feeling most can relate to that occurs sometimes when entering a house of worship, regardless of one's religious beliefs. Even I as a Jew have felt a sense of the spiritual when entering a cathedral, gazing up, and feeling the nearness of the Creator. Throughout history, regardless of culture and traditon, people have created myths, legends, and music to try and describe the indescribable, and understand that which cannot be completely understood. To that end, hymns have appeared as an important bridge to that reality. Starting as poetry, they have been coupled with music, and have earned a cherished place in our existence. Along the way though, we somet

Gorgeous Illustrations, well written

This book is just a true delight. The illustrations give these glorious old hymns a fresh resonance. The writing is historically informative but interestingly handled. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves songs in general.

A book to be thankful for

Scholarly yet warm, "Hallelujah" sets out to introduce the casual reader to the language of classic hymns and acheives it's goal admirably. What could be a dry exercise is in fact a gracious, gentle tour through the human voice of poetry and the nature of and need for devotion over 500 years. Burgard's notes and commentary are at once enlightening, entertaining and engaging. A lovely little book and here's hoping we hear a lot more from Burgard in the future.

The ultimate coffee table book because it will lift your spirits

When I first heard about this book, to be honest I couldn't imagine reading it. But once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. Wow! Anna Burgard knows her hymnals and what will lift your spirit, restore hope to the hopeless, put a smile on your face and force your thoughts inward. I loved this book. It has wonderful art to accompany the entries and you just feel warmth and love from each page. If you only buy one book this year, this should be the one. Honestly, it can be so much fun. My daughter and I took turns reading the hymns out loud, and it was like being at a poetry set. I envision families across America sitting in a circle reading from Hallelujah. At the end, everyone will surely shout, "Hallelujah!"