United in Song I & II: Hymns from Together in Song
Compilation

These are compilations of hymns from Together in Song (Australian Hymn Book II), selected and sung by members of the congregations of Buninyong, Mt Pleasant, Sebastopol and Skipton Street Uniting Churches, the former Ballarat South Parish.

The congregations were very aware of hardship being suffered in rural areas due to long-term drought. The first CD was made in 2006 to help small congregations, particularly in rural areas, where no musicians were available for worship.

The hymns are presented so congregations can sing along using an overhead projector or photocopies of the words.

The two CDs contain 29 and 31 hymns respectively, all sung by a combined choir and all using organ music. On the second CD a trumpeter is added with good effect on some hymns and the choir has been enlarged.

If the CDs were made as a commercial endeavour, you would have to criticise the similarity of the hymns. I can’t imagine many people popping these CDs into their car and listening to them from beginning to end. There are no soloists and no other instruments used. It would have been nice if they used some young people on some of the hymns or maybe a piano.

But they are ideal to play and sing along to in worship if you don’t have a musician. They will help teach some of the lesser known tunes from Together in Song (especially CD1) and help smaller groups to sing along to well-known ones (especially CD2).

On all the hymns all verses are sung, adding to this usefulness.
Orders can be made by phoning Ann Pryor at 03 5341 3397 or by sending an email to commvet@netconnect.com.au. $15 includes postage and packaging.

Chris Crause