ANGLALINGVAJ MATERIALOJ HIMNOLOGIO ESPERANTA

Foreword to Adoru Kantante (Esperanto original)

The background music is a round, "Adoru kantante", composed by Hermann Stern especially for the hymnal.

     Jesus and His disciples sang hymns, chiefly psalms, when they attended worship services in the Temple in Jerusalem, and most likely psalms and other hymns when they attended services in a synagogue. They sang a hymn in the intimacy of the upper room (Mark 14:26 = Matt. 26:30). The earliest Christians sang hymns (Eph. 5:19,20; Col. 3:16). Quite naturally, thus, the singing of hymns soon became customary in Christian services. Equally naturally, Christians who have become Esperantists have grasped hold of opportunities to meet for worship in the international language, and they have needed suitable hymns in that language. Thus there began to appear, in various European countries, modest hymnals. Two of them became very popular in their respective spheres: Himnaro Esperanta in Britain, and Evangelia Kantaro in Sweden.
      Annual conventions [called "kongresoj", or "congresses"] of KELI [Kristana Esperantista Ligo Internacia, i.e. Christian Esperantist League International] were inaugurated in 1948, in Tostarp, Sweden. In them the singing of hymns played a large and important role. Because in the early years Swedish KELI members attended the conventions in large numbers, it was natural that they used mainly the Swedish book, Evangelia Kantaro; but beginning in 1958 more Britons began attending than before, and they began to use the British book, Himnaro Esperanta, alongside Evangelia Kantaro.
      As early as 1949, the annual meeting of KELI in Bournemouth established a "Songbook Commission" to prepare an international song collection, but in 1952 its work ceased and in 1957 the commission was disbanded. Part of its materials, however, served as a basis for the present book. (See details in H. A. de Hoog's Nia Historio [Our History], pp. 124-126.)
     At the 1952 congress a choir appeared, drawn from those in attendance, and performed various pieces, but mainly led the singing in the Worship Service and the meetings for edification. A choir became a regular feature of later congresses, and from this, as well as from the general love of singing, especially in harmony, there resulted the desire to have a common international Hymnal with music in four-part arrangement.
     This desire came into focus at the Jubilee Congress in Bishop’s Stortford, England, in 1961, when the annual meeting of KELI decided to publish such a book, and elected for that purpose a Hymnal Commission with five members, citizens of five countries, among them two members of the Academy of Esperanto. That Commission has worked for almost nine years, choosing melodies and hymns from many nations with the help of collaborators in several countries. They aimed to include melodies and hymns that were well known and loved in various countries; it was further purposed that the final collection should represent as fairly as possible the various ecclesiastical traditions and tastes to be found among Protestant worshippers. However, the present makeup of the membership of KELI, which is not simply proportional to the world’s Christian population, is also justifiably reflected in the selection made.
     The Commissioners decided that their first task should be the collection of appropriate melodies. Of those accepted, not all have the same musical value, but all have already brought great blessing to thousands of people in the places where they are used. Overly banal music, however, we did not accept, and we also strove for the highest possible quality in the matter of the four-part arrangements. Except in two or three cases the melodies appear in their original forms, even when evolution, in various countries, has popularized other forms (which, further, differ among themselves). For example, no. 94, „Old Hundredth“. The original forms will soon reveal to the singer their superior strength and their greater beauty in rhythm and melody.
     To avoid paying for permission to use copyrighted four-part arrangements of traditional and folk melodies, we asked several competent musicians to make special four-part arrangements for our book, or to permit the use of their works. They willingly agreed. For their valuable and skillful help we express our cordial thanks to Mr. Charles Palmer, Britain, for nos. 37, 52, 105, 162 and 173; to Harold kaj Monica Jenner, Britain, for nos. 44 and 145; to Pastor T. Ilmari Haapalainen, Finland, for nos. 160, 178, 187, 207, 214 and 257; to Mr. Friedrich Hänssler, Sr., Germany, for nos. 97, 209, 226 and 228; to Mr. Péter Balla, Hungary, for nos. 127 (mel. + arr.) and 190 (mel.); to Prof. Dr. Kálmán Csomasz Tóth, Hungary, for nos. 77 (mel. + arr.), 133 (mel. + arr.) kaj 190; to Mr. Adriaan Engels, the Netherlands, for no. 67; to Mr. Bertil Wallin, Sweden, for no. 108 (mel. + arr.); and to Mr. Hermann Stern, Germany, for the round on the title words of our book.
     Having chosen the melodies it was necessary to consider proposed texts, not only appropriate to the melodies but also suitable as to content and language. The members of the Commission very carefully checked the content and text of all hymns selected, and many required improvement or polishing. This necessitated a great deal of correspondence with authors and publishers. The warmest thanks is owed, and now given, to the surviving authors and translators of the hymns in this book. They all willingly and without complaint considered and discussed the proposals made to them.
     Many of the hymns have been taken, with permission, from the existing [Esperanto] hymnals: Evangelia Kantaro and its Aldono [Supplement] (Sweden); Evangelia Kantaro Eklezia (Germany); Himnaro Esperanta, 5th ed. (Britain); and Cent Himnoj (Norway). To the editors and publishers of those books we express our heartiest thanks.
     To facilitate the practical use of the book, and to provide historical dates probably desired by some, we give several indexes. The summary topical grouping of the hymns (on p. 7), and their ordering under the various headings, is somewhat arbitrary. So, in looking for a hymn on a specific topic one should consider not only the specific heading concerned, but also related headings. For example, the Swedish hymn „Nun tago benata“ [Den signade dag] we have listed under morning hymns (no. 225), although it could with equal propriety appear among the Christmas hymns.
     Above each hymn we have attempted in principle to cite as a title the first line in the original language of the writer whose name and dates appear beneath the text in issue. However, if the Esperanto version was made with the help of, or on the basis of, a translation in another national language, we have added the latter translation’s incipit as well (in parentheses in the Index on p. 270) and have parenthetically noted the national-language translator.
     On the left above the music we have indicated a concise tune name, if possible according to the British-American system. A list of those name is found on p. 278. To the right above the music stand the names of the composers, frequently identical with the arrangers.
     The last Index holds the greatest interest for the ordinary user of the book; it lists all the texts found in the book. There, too, in parentheses, one has the names of the authors of the Esperanto words, whether original or translated; multiple names indicate that the last one mentioned has more or less thoroughly revised the text as found here. Even where this is not specifically noted, Prof. W. J. Downes has given, throughout the book, particular attention to the language. Likewise, commissioner A. Burkhardt has given particular attention to the music, and has adapted many of the arrangements of German origin. Further, Downes and Burkhardt have, as a pair, edited the final contents, with the advice and consent of the other three commissioners, and have prepared it to be printed. They have also taken care of the proofs and all technical details. — The task was, in principle, to provide music written for a four-part choir, yet at the same time suitable for a keyboard instrument (piano, organ). We strongly desire the book to be used not only during congresses, in worship services and meetings, but also, and even more often, at home by oneself or with the family. This has required the adoption of a median, not specifically choral, style. Besides the rounds, which, with Christian content, are a novelty in some countries, some other pieces are not for a four-part choir, but for unison singing with optional piano accompaniment (e.g. nos. 37, 117, and others).
     We have been very sparing in our indication of alternative melodies, though the meter would permit many more substitutions. We would like to encourage the users to approach precisely those pieces that are so far foreign to them, and not just to pick out the familiar ones. The discovery of other — different and also unusual — forms and contents will surely provide the most striking proof of the ecumenical significance of „Adoru Kantante“.
     We point out that we have used the names Ciono, Jerusalemo kaj Jesuo [Zion, Jerusalem and Jesus] in various places in both assimilated and unassimilated forms, yielding three spellings for each name: [normal Esperanto forms, penultimate accent] Cióno, Jerusalémo, Jesúo; [elided forms, accented on last vowel] Ción’, Jerusalém’, Jesú’; and [unassimilated, penultimate accent] Cíon, Jerusálem, Jésu.
     On the left as the foot of each hymn that we have taken from one of the books mentioned above, there stands an indication of the source (book and number). If the source note appears in parentheses, this means that the hymn text in our book differs somewhat from that in the source-book. The authors or editors in each case have themselves proposed, at our request, the changes made, or have kindly approved our suggestions. We cite the sources as follows:

CH EK EKA EKE HE   KKP

Cent Himnoj, tr. H. A. Rosbach, Brumunddal, 1966. Evangelia Kantaro, pub. A. Wallin, Örebro, 1952. Aldono al EK, pub. K. O. Sandgren, Östansjö, 1962. Evangelia Kantaro Eklezia, tr. R. Hoppe, Auerbach, 1965. Himnaro Esperanta, pub. M. C. Butler, 5th edition, London, 1966. (for no. 63, the 4th edition, London, 1954) KELI-Kantaro „De Pietersberg“, Oosterbeek, 1954.

     If such a citation is lacking, that means that the hymn has not been published previously in a book, but has appeared only in a magazine, or on a stenciled sheet, or has been newly translated for our book. Therefore, many translations and some original hymns, written for this edition, are appearing in public for the first time. A large number of the melodies, musical arrangements, and hymn texts are copyrighted. Thus there is legal risk associated with their separate use. One is forewarned.
     Permission to use copyrighted hymns and music has been given by the persons and firms mentioned on p. 275, in addition to those mentioned above in this Foreword. An asterisk indicates that we have had to pay for the permission, but for the most part only a nominal sum. We have done our best to communicate with the owners of all the copyrighted pieces we have used, but in the cases of two or three owners we were unsuccessful, because they had moved and their present address could not be ascertained. If we have by chance transgressed against anyone’s copyright, we ask their pardon, and will make correction upon notification of the error.
     We members of the Hymnal Commission and our collaborators have worked long and hard, ever mindful of the gravity of our task, and ever dependent on the often and fervently sought help of God, to prepare this book, but it could not have been published without the financial assistance of many donors and prepublication subscribers, the majority of whom remain unknown. We heartily thank all who have thus contributed to the effort. Particular gratitude is owed to the publisher and editorial staff of the firm of Friedrich Hänssler KG in Neuhausen-Stuttgart, one of the most renowned music publishers in Germany, who for several years accompanied the creation of our book with advice and assistance, and at the end ensured the good technical presentation of the work.
     We launch this book with the fervent prayer that it may serve the greater glory of God; that it may bring great and oft repeated blessings to all its users both within KELI and without; and that God may graciously use it to win souls unto Himself and into His eternal Kingdom.

February, 1970

Å. Ahlrén, Sweden; A. Burkhardt, Germany; W. J. Downes, England; H. A. de Hoog, Netherlands; H. A. Rosbach, Norway

 

Table of Contents
Hymns	Nos.
Praise and Thanks Advent and Christmas Suffering of Christ Easter and Ascension The Holy Spirit God’s Word and the Church The Lord’s Day, Worship Seasons Thanks at Table	1 — 30 31 — 57 58 — 64 65 — 76 77 — 83 84 — 94 95 — 108 109 — 113 114 — 116	Petitions, Prayer Love for Jesus Confidence in God and in Christ Courage and Encouragement Christian Life, Service Morning Evening and Night Hope and Life Everlasting Close of Worship	117 — 146 147 — 163 164 — 178 179 — 194 195 — 222 223 — 229 230 — 247 248 — 259 260 — 262
The Lord’s Prayer (Our Father) Index of First Lines in the Original Languages Acknowledgment of Copyrights	p. 269   p. 270 p. 275	List of Esperanto Authors and Translators List of Tune Names Index of First Lines in Esperanto	p. 276 p. 278   p. 281

estas filia TTTejo de
Eldonejo Cigneto