I decided to feature this blog for a time, because the author (a member of the ever-growing Preus clan) has so much information about Lutheran hymn-writers. Look at the right column of that blog and read how many are featured.
Hymns are often confessions of faith written during a time of crisis. For that reason, the most significant verses are often butchered or omitted. "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" was changed by liberal editors so that people no long sang "offspring of the Virgin's womb." The new words, still found in many print editions, became "offspring of the chosen one." Methodists did that to their own founder's hymn.
Lutherans would never omit or change hymns by Lutherans, would they? WELS did that in spades, especially with doctrinal verses. Compare the great old hymns with the Christian Worship version. I guess CW was DUI - Designed Under the Influence.
The notorious Iver Johnson was another big asset on the CW team, in case they needed special hymns for The Counseling Shepherd, like "Embracable Ewe."
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Narrow-minded Lutheran has left a new comment on your post "Source for Lutheran Hymn Writer Biographies and Pi...":
"Now Praise We Christ the Holy One" (TLH #104)is missing from the LSB. Too bad, because it's a beautiful hymn. We wouldn't want too many hymns by Luther in a Lutheran hymnal.
Narrow-minded Lutheran has left a new comment on your post "Source for Lutheran Hymn Writer Biographies and Pi...":
I have to issue a semi-correction. TLH #104 didn't make the cut for the intermediate LW either.
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Daniel Baker has left a new comment on your post "Source for Lutheran Hymn Writer Biographies and Pi...":
The one that upsets me the most in CW is "What is the World to Me?" They took out the best verses of the hymn.
"Jerusalem the Golden" is also missing about 80 verses, but that started in TLH, so you can't really blame CW as much.
