ABSTRACT
This chapter concerns the genre of the hymn in books of hours. An important building block in elementary education, hymns were among the most popular melodies of the Christian faith. Their rhythmical structure and characteristic rhyme made them ripe for memorization and performance. Consistent poetic rhythm and accent also allowed for melodic interchangeability. In books of hours, scribes copied hymns in a relatively large script. The chapter traverses the central hymn texts of the principal offices in books of hours, as well as those found in the Hours of the Cross and the Hours of the Holy Spirit. It also examines the distinct appearance and sound of the Te Deum, the multipurpose “hymn” of the Christian faith.
