Review: Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELCA)

I was able to pick up a copy of the new Lutheran hymnal recently. Published in 2006, it represents the first in what will probably develop into a wave of new denominational resources for congregational song in the next several years. The PC(USA) has a project in the works. The United Methodist Church had one going until funding issues led to its suspension. There are others also.

The new volume fits in the same spaces in sanctuary pew racks as previous books did. It's red. (Youth at a conference where Presbyterian Congregational Song Project chair David Eicher was present suggested yellow for the new PC(USA) hymnal!) It seems to weight ever-so-slightly more than their previous worship hymnal.

After preliminary resources at the outset of the volume, the book includes the complete lectionary of the church year, plus a prayer for each Sunday. Then follow prayers for other commemorations and events.

Next follow ten (yes, 10) settings of the service for Holy Communion including music. Then come services of the Word, Baptism, liturgies for confession and forgiveness and, special liturgies for Lent and Lenten holy days, funerals, healing and daily prayer. At page 335 begins a complete psalter, in a translation "intended for common sung prayer and proclamation rather than a translation for study." Nice. Until the Psalter, the pages were numbered sequentially (growing out of lessons learned in previous books on the part of various denominations). But, oops, the service music section begins with #151. It's not quite clear where that number came from, because we're actually on about page 390. Following the extensive section of service music, hymns proper begin with #239 and open with hymns for the church year. The last hymn is #893, giving us a total of about 650 songs.

The last section includes a daily lectionary (that's in addition to the Sunday lectionary at the front of the book). This makes this truly a book for church and home use. There is also a brief catechism, and then the standard indices expected in a church hymnal.

A couple of remarkable points stand out. There is a lot of global music, representative of the ELCA's global mission outreach and the ethnic make-up of some of its American congregations. There is a dearth of Praise and Worship contemporary songs. (A cursory read through the volume revealed none; they may be hiding in there somewhere.) There are quite a few new hymns and songs drawn from the contemplative traditions of Taize and Iona.

I heard this summer the Augsburg-Fortress is also in the process of releasing a multi-volume set of resources for the hymnal: a piano setting and an organ setting of each hymn in the book. Several hymnals have such supplemental resources for the accompanist, but if this as complete as advertised (a piano piece and an organ piece for every hymn), then it's a remarkable undertaking and boon for the church musician.

All in all this is a commendable volume. I was at a conference at St. Olaf College in Minnesota in 1998 when there was an initial flush of buzz about the new hymnal undertaking. It's neat to see what that buzz led to. I am curious to know what the denomination is going to put forth to support the use of P&W contemporary music, or if they are going to sort of side step that issue. Every church musician needs a copy on the shelf; persons interested in hymnody and liturgy also need a copy. The average lay person, not so much. + + +

Review: New Irish Hymns: The Complete Works (Keith Getty)

All the contemporary Irish hymn-writing one could hope for!

Keith Getty is an important writer of hymn texts and music for our generation. This collection (Kingsway Music KMCD2858, 3 CDs) of 44 songs represents a significant cross-section of Getty's work over the past several years. Those who are familiar with Getty solely as partner with Stuart Townend on the text "In Christ Alone" will find here a more complete representation of what Getty is about. The texts are good, in some cases quite good. They reflect a classic spirituality with vibrant images that speak to a new generation of persons seeking to grow in faith. The tunes are often good, sometimes only so-so. There are plenty of effects which make one think, "Irish music," but they grow ever so slightly predictable after 40+ songs.


In addition to his own hymn texts, Getty adds a couple of older hymn texts (adapted), a nice homage to the history of hymn-writing. Upon first hearing a song like "In Christ Alone" or "Speak, O Lord," folks are struck often by the contemporary sound of the tune and the lyric. I try to remind folks that Getty writes in a very traditional hymn-text format: very often straightforward verse forms, or verse/refrain. Folks seem to get drawn in by the often soaring melodic lines and effective orchestration, in addition to vivid imagery. There are here the essential tin whistle, bodhrans, and Uilleann pipes, but also well orchestrated strings and other percussion. Couple that with standard harmonies and simple bridges and you've got a pattern that obviously speaks to the listener and conveys the message of faith well. Folks who loves Irish music will get a kick out of this collection. Listening to all three CDs in one sitting is only for the most stalwart listener! + + +

Music-Sharing

Be careful sharing music files. It's probably worth the 99c to avoid this situation:

Joel Tenenbaum, a graduate student from Providence, R.I., pose outside federal court, after taking the stand in his defense in his copyright-infringement trial, Thursday, July 30, 2009, in Boston. Tenenbaum is accused of illegally swapping music through an online file-sharing network. (AP Photo/Bizuayehu Tesfaye)

He was found guilty and ordered to pay a fine of $675,000. Read the whole thing here. Thanks to the Boston Globe for covering this story.

Bobby McFerrin's take on the pentatonic scale. And look who he's talking with on this subject: neuro-scientists.

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale from World Science Festival on Vimeo.

Quite a milestone

from the United Methodist News Service:

EXELAND, Wis. (UMNS)--First United Methodist Church celebrated the 100th birthday of organist Helen Aspseter on July 12. Aspseter was playing the prelude, accompanying the hymns, and providing worship music throughout the service, just as she has done virtually every Sunday and holy day for the past 74 years. Her tenure began shortly after she married Andy Aspseter, a Great Lakes seaman, and he brought her home to Exeland. He left her in the house across the street from the church while he went to start the fire to warm their new home. The pastor appeared and asked if she would play for the Christmas Eve service that evening. She did, and she's been at it ever since. On July 12, the church was overflowing with well-wishers at the morning worship and later at a musical program in her honor. From youth to grandparents, the program featured performers of all ages, many of whom had been her students.

Worship Music 072609

Hymns
430, Come sing, O church, in joy (DARWELL’S 148TH)
514, Let us talents and tongues employ (LINSTEAD)

Confession
Patterson, Alleluia, alleluia

Anthem
Selections from The Prodigal Son, a gospel oratorio
I. Young man (Lamar Williamson)
II. Jesus spake (Libby Barker)
III. A certain man (Choir)
IV. And the younger man said
(Libby Barker, Wade Talbot, Ken Scott, Jr.)
V. There comes a time (Lamar Williamson and Choir)

Doxology
591 Old Hundredth

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude: Arr. Bastien, Holy Spirit Rag
Nick Murphy, piano
Offertory: Robert Ray, Acclamation: Hallelujah, let us praise
the Lord, from Gospel Mass
Postlude: JS Bach, Little Prelude and Fugue in E Minor

New Carpet

We are replacing carpet in some key areas of the facility this week. The narthex, the office suite and the lower floor of the education building are getting new reddish-rust carpeting. Thankfully no changes in the sanctuary (we're holding out for wood flooring for the entire chancel area in the next few years.)

The smell is minimal (basically "new carpet" smell) and the dust has been minimal. It's amazing how much space is in the narthex when all the "stuff" is out of the way!

The church office will be closed on TH while the crew takes a whack at the office suite (so sad).

Here's a link to some pics of the project.