A riveting and engaging new Anglican hymnal designed for liturgical worship in churches across the Caribbean has just been released, and early reactions to this compilation suggest that the publication is destined to be a runaway hit among church congregations in the region.
International reggae icons Peter Tosh and Ernie Smith are included in the hymnal. So too are other Jamaican musical luminaries Noel Dexter, Father Richard Ho Lung, Rev Easton Lee and the late Professor Barry Chevannes. Hypnotic gems like By the Rivers of Babylon (Edward B Henry) are bound to breathe new life into the musical ministry of Anglican churches from Bermuda and the Bahamas to Barbados and Barbuda.
This exciting new hymnal is simply called the CPWI Hymnal (Church in the Province of the West Indies). It replaces the almost over-used and now weary institution, Hymns Ancient & Modern (A&M) that was first introduced in 1861. The CPWI hymnal successfully attempts to combine sedate, old favourite hymns with an astonishing repertoire of lyrically and rhythmically mesmerising songs by Caribbean authors and composers. Popular songs like Joy to the World, The First Noel and, perhaps, the lesser known but equally enchanting Hushed Was The Evening hymn were never in the A&M but are now included in CPWI, alongside hundreds of other soul-inspiring treasures. In a few cases, the words of old hymns have been altered to reflect the cultural realities of the Caribbean region and for some old favourites, tunes have been updated in accordance with popular congregational usage. A section with choruses is also a much welcomed annex to the book, as are a hearty chunk of Negro spirituals and contemporary gospel songs.
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