The English Hymnal was published in 1906 for the Church of England under the editorship of Percy Dearmer and Ralph Vaughan Williams. The preface to the hymnal began with the statement, "A collection of the best hymns in the English language."

The high quality of the music is due largely to the work of Vaughan Williams as musical editor. The standard of the arrangements and original compositions made it one of the most influential hymnals of the 20th century.

The hymnal included the first printing of several arrangements and hymn settings by Vaughan Williams. Amoung the most famous is Sine Nomine, a tune to For all the Saints.

Reference

• English Hymnal with Tunes, 2nd ed. (London: Oxford University Press, 1933).
• Andrew Wilson-Dickson, The Story of Christian Music:From Gregorian Chant to Black Gospel: An Authoritative Illustrated Guide to all the Major Traditions of Music for Worship (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1992), 234.

External links

• 1956 audio interview with Vaughan Williams on his editing of the English Hymnal (from the BBC)
• On the success of the English Hymnal
• Summary regarding various editions of the English Hymnal