Last updated: 24 August 2026

Public domain material

A great deal of historic hymnody has passed into the public domain, and that material may be freely reproduced. Even so, a particular typesetting, arrangement, harmonisation or translation of an old hymn may itself still be in copyright. We assess each element separately rather than assuming that an old hymn means an unrestricted edition.

Licensed material

Where a hymnal, arrangement or translation remains in copyright, we approach the rights holder, typically a publisher, denomination or hymnal committee, and agree terms before the content is prepared. If permission is declined or cannot be traced, the book is not published, however often it is requested.

What users may do

• Use the app for personal worship, private study, choir rehearsal and teaching.
• Read, sing from and practice with any content in your installed hymn books.
• Share a hymn using the share card built into the app, which carries the book, number, title, author and up to three verses you choose.

What users may not do

• Extract, copy, screenshot for redistribution, scrape or export hymn text, sol-fa, notation or audio from the app.
• Reproduce content in printed orders of service, slides, recordings or broadcasts without the appropriate license from the rights holder.
• Redistribute hymn books or any part of the app database to others, whether or not for payment.

Church projection and reproduction licenses

If your church projects hymn words, prints them in an order of service, or streams services online, you will normally need a reproduction or streaming license from the rights holder or from a collective licensing body operating in your country. Installing Hymnphony does not grant that license, and does not remove the need for it.

For publishers and rights holders

If you publish a hymnal, or you administer rights on behalf of authors, composers, arrangers or translators, we would welcome a conversation. We are able to discuss attribution, reporting, territorial limits, revenue arrangements and the removal or updating of specific items.

Write to hymnphony.com@gmail.com.

Reporting an infringement

If you believe material in Hymnphony infringes your rights, tell us and we will act promptly. Please include: your name and the capacity in which you act; identification of the work concerned; the hymn book and hymn numbers involved; a statement of your good-faith belief that the use is unauthorised; and contact details for correspondence.

Send notices to hymnphony.com@gmail.com. We aim to acknowledge within two working days and, where a claim is well founded, to remove or restrict the material while we investigate.

Attribution and corrections

Authors, composers, translators and arrangers are credited as given in the source edition. If a credit is missing or wrong, please tell us and we will correct it in the next update.

Our own rights

The Hymnphony name, logo, interface design, software, compilation and database are the property of Hymnphony and its licensors, and are protected independently of the hymn content they present.