The Latin Hymn-Writers and Their Hymns

Before contemporary worship bands and modern hymnals, there was a revolution in sound. This 1889 work traces the emergence of Latin hymnody - a pivotal moment when Christianity moved from Hebrew and Greek psalmody to singing in the language of the Roman Empire. Duffield maps the terrain through the poets and theologians who shaped this transformation: Hilary of Poitiers, Ambrose of Milan, Prudentius, and others whose verses would echo through cathedral and chapel for a millennium. The book examines not just the lyrics but the cultural and spiritual forces that made these hymns possible - how political circumstances, theological controversies, and the needs of congregations combined to create something entirely new. For scholars of liturgical history, church musicians, and anyone curious about the deep roots of Christian worship, this remains an essential guide to the hymns that still resurface in today's services, from 'Veni Creator Spiritus' to 'Dies Irae'.