Tune: LOVE UNKNOWN

Top Composer Tune Info Texts Alternatives Notes Timeline Arrangements Media Page Scans Instances

LOVE UNKNOWN

Composer: John Ireland (1918)
Published in 84 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, Noteworthy Composer
Audio files: MIDI, Recording

Piano/Organ
	My Savior's Love to Me

Choral
	My Savior's Love to Me

Instrumental
	My Song Is Love Unknown

Composer: John Ireland

John Ireland (1879-1962) studied at Durham University in England and became a church organist, choirmaster, editor, and lecturer, eventually teaching at the Royal College of Church Music. He was a gifted composer of music for voice, piano, organ, chamber music, and orchestra that were recognized for their excellence during his lifetime; LOVE UNKNOWN was his only hymn tune, found today in numerous hymnals. Emily Brink Go to person page >

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Tune Information

Title:	LOVE UNKNOWN
Composer:	John Ireland (1918)
Meter:	6.6.6.6.4.4.4.4
Incipit:	35632 12345 36676
Key:	D Major
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Texts

My Song Is Love Unknown

All texts published with LOVE UNKNOWN ^ top

Alternative Tunes

More tunes with meter 6.6.6.6.4.4.4.4 ^ top

Notes

John Ireland (b. Bowdon, Cheshire, England, 1879; d. Rock Mill, Washington, Sussex, England, 1962) composed LOVE UNKNOWN in 1918 for the text "My song is love unknown"; the tune was first published in The Public School Hymn Book of 1919. A letter in the London Daily Telegraph of April 5, 1950, claims that Ireland wrote LOVE UNKNOWN within fifteen minutes on a scrap of paper upon receiving the request to compose it from Geoffrey Shaw, one of the editors of that 1919 hymnal. LOVE UNKNOWN has since appeared in many hymnals as a setting for a number of different texts.

Trained at the Royal College of Music, Ireland served as organist at St. Luke's, Chelsea (1904-1926), and taught at the Royal College of Music from 1923 to 1939. He became known as one of the best composers and teachers of his era, but his personal life was often troubled. Although his piano works, chamber music, and smaller orchestral works remain popular, Ireland is mainly remembered for his song cycles of poetry by Shakespeare, Blake, Hardy, and other English poets. His songs often have carefully wrought accompaniments–as is certainly the case for LOVE UNKNOWN. Sing this fine tune in unison with firm legato organ support, or in harmony, possibly even unaccompanied on a stanza, if resources permit.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook, 1987

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Timeline

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Piano/Organ My Savior's Love to Me The Art of Hymn Playing: 250 Introductions, Preludes, Free Accompaniments, & Alternate Harmonizations 2nd Edition Preludes for Flute and Organ More Piano/Organ...
Choral My Savior's Love to Me Love Unknown - A Festival of Passion Readings and Hymns - (Choral Score) More Choral...
Instrumental My Song Is Love Unknown More Instrumental...
PowerPoint MY SONG IS LOVE UNKNOWN - Lead Line (Lift Up Your Hearts Sampler 2 - 12) More PowerPoint...

Harmonizations, Introductions, Descants, Intonations

Awake and Sing: Hymn Introductions and Accompaniments
Composer/Editor Eric Wall
Published By: Augsburg Fortress (2022) pp. 45
Hymns from King's: 20 Hymn Arrangements
Composer/Editor Stephen Cleobury
Published By: Peters Edition Ltd. (2014) pp. 19
Above All Praise: Choral Hymn Descants with Organ Accompaniment
Composer/Editor Antony Baldwin
Published By: Paraclete Press (2011) pp. 14
Hymn Tunes in Lower Keyes: The Book to Grab When the Congregation Complains that the Hymns are Too High!
Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2011) pp. 151
Hymn Tunes in Lower Keys: The Book to Grab When the Congregation Complains that the Hymns are Too High!
Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2011) pp. 151
200 Last Verses: Completely Revised to Complement the Keys in Major Hymn Books
Composer/Editor Noel Rawsthorne
Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2009) pp. 89
Introductions and Alternate Accompaniments for Organ Volume 9: Evangelical Lutheran Worship Hymns 755 - 818
Composer/Editors Norma Aamodt-Nelson; Marissa Bauck; James Biery
Published By: Augsburg Fortress (2009) pp. 791
Introductions and Alternate Accompaniments for Piano Volume 9: Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Hymns 755 - 818
Composer/Editors Norma Aamodt-Nelson; Marissa Bauck; Timothy Shaw
Published By: Augsburg Fortress (2009) pp. 791
The Organist's Great Big Lent & Easter Book: A Feast of Music for the Greatest Season of the Year
Composer/Editor John Alley
Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2009) pp. 253
The Really Big Descant Book - Full Music Edition: 250 Settings to Raise the Roof by the World's Finest Church Music Composers
Composer/Editor Richard Lloyd
Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2009) pp. 123
Hymn Intonations, Preludes, and Free Harmonizations Volume XV: More Intonations and Harmonizations
Composer/Editor David Hurd
Published By: Selah Publishing Company, Inc. (2008) pp. 9
Introductions and Alternate Accompaniments for Organ Volume 2: Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Hymns 304 - 360
Composer/Editors Norma Aamodt-Nelson; Mark Weiler; Wayne L. Wold
Published By: Augsburg Fortress (2008) pp. 343
200 New Last Verses
Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2007) pp. 109
Introductions and Alternate Accompaniments for Piano Volume 2: Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Hymns 304 - 360
Composer/Editors Norma Aamodt-Nelson; Mark Weiler; Rachel Trelstad Porter
Published By: Augsburg Fortress (2007) pp. 343
Introductions, Harmonizations, Accompaniments, Interpretations Volume 3: Settings by Jeffrey Blersch
Composer/Editor Jeffrey N. Blersch
Published By: Concordia Publishing House (2006) pp. 24
The Art of Hymn Playing 2nd edition: 250 Preludes Introductions Free Accompaniments & Alternate Harmonizations
Composer/Editor Charles Callahan
Published By: MorningStar Music Publishers, Inc. (2006) pp. 74-75
The St. Francis Collection of Free Accompaniments to Hymn Tunes: 80 Settings by Various Composers
Composer/Editors Dirk van Dissel; John A. Behnke
Published By: G. I. A. Publications, Inc. (2005) pp. 65
Two Hundred One Hymn Tune Prelude Miniatures
Composer/Editor Mark Winchester
Published By: Frog Music (2005) pp. 195
As Though the Whole Creation Cried: Fifty Hymn Harmonizations for Organ
Composer/Editor Michael A. Burkhardt
Published By: MorningStar Music Publishers, Inc. (2001) pp. 52-53
Hymn Introductions for Lent, Easter & Trinity for Organ
Composer/Editor B. Wayne Bisbee
Published By: MorningStar Music Publishers, Inc. (1998) pp. 8
Easy Hymn Accompaniments for Organ or Piano: Set III
Composer/Editor Edward H. Myer
Published By: Concordia Publishing House (1996) pp. 48
After the Last Verse: 200 Hymn Improvisations
Composer/Editor Malcolm Archer
Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (1995) pp. 89
Easy Hymn Settings Lent
Composer/Editor Michael A. Burkhardt
Published By: MorningStar Music Publishers, Inc. (1992) pp. 16
Varied Hymn Accompaniments for Lent
Composer/Editor Paul Manz
Published By: Birnamwood Publications (1992) pp. 23
The Concordia Hymn Prelude Series Volume 8: Lent: Herzliebster - P
Composer/Editors Herbert Gotsch; Wilbur C. Held
Published By: Concordia Publishing House (1982) pp. 13
Intonations on Selected Hymns
Composer/Editor Theodore Beck
Published By: Concordia Publishing House (1976) pp. 9

Organ Solo

The Organist's Library Volume 68
Composer/Editor David Lasky
Published By: Lorenz Publishing Company (2020) pp. 33
The Organ Portfolio Volume 83 Number 1 September October 2019: The Service Music Anthology for the Church Organist
Composer/Editors Carson Cooman; David M. Lasky
Published By: Lorenz Publishing Company (2019) pp. 33
Oxford Hymn Settings for Organists Volume 3 Lent and Passiontide: 35 Original Pieces on Hymns for Lent and Passiontide
Composer/Editors Rebecca Groom Te Velde; David Blackwell; Mathew H. Corl
Published By: Oxford University Press (2015) pp. 46
Hymn Prelude Library Volume Six Tunes JKL: Lutheran Service Book
Composer/Editors Kevin J. Hildebrand; Jon D. Vieker
Published By: Concordia Publishing House (2014) pp. 143
Journey to the Cross: Hymn Preludes for Lent and Holy Week
Composer/Editor James Biery
Published By: Concordia Publishing House (2013) pp. 16
The Oxford Book of Lent and Easter Organ Music: Including Music for Lent, Palm Sunday, Holy Week, Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost
Composer/Editors Robert Gower; Francis Jackson
Published By: Oxford University Press (2013) pp. 35
A Blue Cloud Abbey Organ Book for Lent
Composer/Editor Christopher Uehlein
Published By: Augsburg Fortress (2010) pp. 24
The Day of Resurrection: Six Organ Pieces for Lent and Easter
Composer/Editor Michael D. Costello
Published By: MorningStar Music Publishers, Inc. (2010) pp. 9
The Organist's Great Big Lent & Easter Book: A Feast of Music for the Greatest Season of the Year
Composer/Editors Andrew Wright; John Alley
Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2009) pp. 247
100 New Hymn Preludes
Composer/Editor Andrew Wright
Published By: Kevin Mayhew Ltd. (2008) pp. 166
Augsburg Organ Library Lent
Composer/Editors Norma Aamodt-Nelson; Karl Osterland
Published By: Augsburg Fortress (2000) pp. 62
Lift One Voice: Organ Explorations of Hymntunes
Composer/Editor Karl Osterland
Published By: Augsburg Fortress (2000) pp. 10
Lenten Triptych
Composer/Editor Charles Callahan
Published By: Concordia Publishing House (1997) pp. 8
6 Hymn Preludes Set 5
Composer/Editor John Eggert
Published By: Concordia Publishing House (1996) pp. 14
7 Hymn Preludes Set 4
Composer/Editor Donald Rotermund
Published By: Concordia Publishing House (1996) pp. 11
The Sacred Organ Journal Volume 30 Number 4 March April 1996: A Bi-monthly Anthology For Church Organists
Composer/Editors James Mansfield; Juliet Calkins
Published By: Lorenz Publishing Company (1996) pp. 21
Laudate! Volume 2: Organ Music Based on the 100 Most Popular Hymns in Worship III and Gather
Composer/Editors James W. Kosnik; Charles Callahan
Published By: Concordia Publishing House (1995) pp. 39
Six Meditations on English Hymn Tunes for Organ
Composer/Editor Charles Callahan
Published By: Concordia Publishing House (1993) pp. 3
Easy Hymn Settings Lent
Composer/Editor Michael A. Burkhardt
Published By: MorningStar Music Publishers, Inc. (1992) pp. 16
A Lenten Suite
Composer/Editor Charles Callahan
Published By: MorningStar Music Publishers, Inc. (1991) pp. 2
5 Lenten Hymn Improvisations
Composer/Editor Michael A. Burkhardt
Published By: MorningStar Music Publishers, Inc. (1990) pp. 12
Lenten Music for Manuals
Composer/Editor Charles Callahan
Published By: MorningStar Music Publishers, Inc. (1990) pp. 9
3 Hymn Preludes
Composer/Editor John Leavitt
Published By: Concordia Publishing House (1985) pp. 2
Eight Hymn Preludes for Lent
Composer/Editor Peter Pindar Stearns
Published By: Harold Flammer, Inc. (1985) pp. 17
The Sacred Organ Journal Volume 17 Number 4 March 1983: A Bi-monthly Anthology for Church Organists
Composer/Editors Howard Wells; Gilbert M. Martin
Published By: Lorenz Publishing Company (1983) pp. 24
The Concordia Hymn Prelude Series Volume 8: Lent: Herzliebster - P
Composer/Editors Herbert Gotsch; Wilbur C. Held
Published By: Concordia Publishing House (1982) pp. 12
Preludes for the Hymns in Worship Supplement Volume II: Lent - Easter Nos. 725 - 744
Composer/Editor Ronald Arnatt
Published By: Concordia Publishing House (1972) pp. 4

Piano Solo

Piano Melodies: Simple Piano Arrangements
Composer/Editor Norman Johnson
Published By: Singspiration Music, Inc. (1965) pp. 20

Instruments: Instrumental Solo with Organ

With Music Crowned: Chorale Settings for Organ and Instruments
Composer/Editor Donald Busarow
Published By: Concordia Publishing House (2009) pp. 26
My Song Is Love Unknown: For Organ and Instrument
Composer/Editor John Leavitt
Published By: Augsburg Fortress (1997) pp. 4