A Jazzy Lent

I am conflating several different notions here. Wrapped together are fond memories of yesterday's worship music, especially the jazz influenced music at 11AM. Yesterday Lamar W. gave me a copy of an article by Frank Burch Brown in Interpretation. (Brown gives a nice discussion of "Forth Days" piece by Dave Brubeck), that I have been reading this morning. Finally, Shannon K. will be speaking at Chapel at Montreat College this week; she asked, I suspect rhetorically, her Facebook friends what she should talk about.

Here's a video of the Brubeck piece:



This may push the envelop for some person's concept of "sacred music." And I think that is what's on my mind this morning. For Lent we often "give up" something as an act of devotion, penitence or for any number of reasons. In recent years Protestants especially have offered the notion of "taking on" something for Lent: a new level of devotional reading, works of outreach during the season, and the like.

I think maybe for musicians a good Lenten discipline would be to push your comfort envelop this season. If you love classical music for Lent (Handel, Bach and the boys) try listening to jazz this season and hearing what modern voices have to say about our faith. If you prefer contemporary Christians (pop) music, try listening to some Southern gospel this season. We can get very comfortable with our musical choices and miss a whole lot of good stuff. Give a listen to something not usually on your radar. Don't just listen but strive to find what is captivating about the alternative musical style, and find out how it may add to your Lenten devotional life.

A couple of years ago I spent the Lenten season listening to the Bach St. Matthew Passion. I listened to it almost daily and read liner notes and technical articles about the work. I prayed the chorale texts. It wasn't earth-shaking, but it was deeply moving to spend that much time with a single piece of music and to have its message so deeply penetrating my thoughts for 6 weeks or so.

Try something like that this season. let me know what you try and what you encounter in the experience.

Music for 022110

FirstLight
Gathering Song
Bless the Lord, my soul

Opening Song
Seek ye first the kingdom of God

Confession
Lord, have mercy
Surely it is God who saves me

Offertory
Take my life

Doxology
We are an offering

Communion
Jesus Messiah

Closing Song
Refiner’s fire

11AM
Hymns
81, Lord who throughout these forty days (ST. FLAVIAN)
389, O Jesus, I have promised ((NYLAND)

Introit
Berthier, Bless the Lord, my soul

Confession
572, Lord, have mercy upon us, Merbecke
2030, Surely it is God who saves me, White

Doxology
All things come of thee O Lord

Music during Communion
Paul Halley, Agnus Dei (Lamb of God)
Aimee Sullivan, soprano saxophone
Agnus dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, Miserere nobis
Agnus dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, grant us your peace.

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude: Billy Strayhorn, Arr. Alec Wyton, adpt. MRB, Lotus
Offertory: Handel, Behold, the lamb of God (from Messiah)
Postlude: Buxtehude, Toccata in F-Sharp Minor

The six degrees of separation for the key music elements at 11AM: the jazz harmonies in the Halley anthem to the jazz harmonies in the Strayhorn piece, to the wonderful chord progressions in the second section of the Buxtehude toccata (Buxtehude being of the 17th-18th century time frame), to Handel of roughly the same broad era.

Music for 021410

FirstLight

Gathering Song

Father, I adore you

Opening Song

Shine, Jesus, Shine

Confession

Celtic Alleluia

Offertory

Hallelujah (Saved by your mercy)

Closing Song

Go forth in his name

11AM

Hymns

462, Christ, whose glory fills the skies (RATISBON)

Christ upon the mountain peak (ASHLAND)

411, Arise, your light is come (FESTAL SONG)

Confession

Celtic Alleluia

Anthem

Franz Joseph Haydn, Arr. Walter Ehret, Great and glorious

From the St. Cecilia Mass

Doxology

Doxology, with alleluias (LASST UNS ERFREUEN)

Instrumental/Organ Music

Prelude: Beethoven, Sonatina in G (Nick Murphy, piano)

Offertory: Arr. Behnke, I Want to walk as a child of the light

Postlude: Simon Preston, Alleuyas

Whither the blithard?

NWS issued a blizzard warning for us today. Mistakenly, it turns out. They should have more narrowly confined the warning area. We had flurries pretty much all day, but no accumulation. Lots of wind kept blowing the snow away. Truly, they called it a blizzard warning, not just a winter storm warning! Thankfully, our musicians are well-connected, and therefore we have a few photos of real blizzards. One from Emily W.'s home in PA (below) and a couple near the home of Charlotte S.'s son in New York (above: they really are building an igloo). Just imagine!

Organ Concert

Michael Barker will present a concert of contemplative organ music for Good Friday, April 2 at 7PM at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church. The program will include music by Cesar Franck (Prière), Paul Hindemith (First Organ Sonata, First Movement) and Artur Kapp (Grave) and selected settings of "Passion Chorale" (O Sacred Head Now Wounded). Print materials to guide the listener in prayer and contemplation will be available. The concert will be free and open to the public. The church is located at 117 Montreat Road in Black Mountain. Contact the church (828-669-2725) for more information or visit http://bmpcncmuz.blogspot.com.

Music Scholars

The Music Ministry is pleased to announce two Music Scholars for Spring 2010. Emily Wasser returns, singing soprano in the Chancel Choir. She also rings handbells, and assists with the Aerie Singers at Logos. She is in her third year at Montreat College, majoring in Bible and Religion with a concentration in Ministry Studies. She is from Allentown, PA. We also are pleased to welcome Joshua Manuel who will be singing bass in the Chancel Choir. Josh is a third-year vocal performance major at Montreat College. He is already looking at graduate schools to further his vocal studies. He is from Dayton, OH.

Please welcome these young musicians when you can. We give special thanks to our resident Chancel Choir singers who have so generously taken these young musicians under their collective wing.

The Music Scholar ministry began in 2008 with Imagination Funds. This year the ministry has been incorporated into our music budget. We have funding for two scholars each semester. Application materials are sent to the following regional colleges and universities: Montreat, Warren-Wilson, UNC-A,Mars Hill and Brevard. Your support of our operating budget maintains this ministry to the benefit of both the student and our music ministry.

Music for 020710

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
Surely it is God who saves me (STF 2030)
Made me glad

Opening Song
Forever

Confession
Your mercy flows

Offertory
Here I am, Lord, Send me

Closing Song
The summons (STF 2130)

11AM
Hymns
466, O for a thousand tongues to sing (AZMON)
2130, The Summons (KELVINGROVE)
525, Here I am, Lord (HERE I AM)

Confession
579, Glory be to the Father (GREATOREX)

Anthem
Arr. Jane Marshall, You call us, Lord

Doxology
592, Old Hundredth

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude: TBA organ title
Offertory: TBA organ title
Postlude: NONE