Things every church singer ought to know

I frequently joke with the choir singers about the “things every singer ought to know.” To me it seems that there are certain things that every church singer, even the amateur, ought to know. These may be things related to choral singing or church history or liturgical practice. After spouting off recently (on needing to know the original text to Beethoven’s “Hymn to joy” in German and English) I realized that I ought to start compiling my list before I forgot parts of it.

Along with this corpus of knowledge about church music and liturgy and ecclesiology I think belongs my list of “perfect choral works.” The singers in the choir finish the sentence for me when I begin, “There are very few perfect pieces of choral music in this world…” The statement concludes, “this is one of them!” There are very few pieces worthy of being called "perfect;" I strive to let our singers know what they are, and when possible to have them sing them often, and to let them become a vital part of the church music experience. So in order to keep that list up to date, I’ll include elements from it in this same ongoing series.

Finally, I believe quite firmly that it is not enough to know the facts. Rather, amateur and professional church musicians need to know “why” this is a "fact I ought to know," and why a particular piece I deem “perfect” has made it on my list. I'll be sure to give my spin on the reasons a given fact is worthy of being committed to memory, and why a choral work is in my opinion "perfect."

I am going to label posts on this topic “general knowledge.” It sounds a bit lame, but these things are really the general facts one working in the area of church music must know to go about that ministry with any sense of integrity. I hope the choir singers, the folks at BMPCNC and others, including my professional colleagues, will enjoy this series. It's going to be incredibly personal, opinionated and eclectic, but then, what else would you expect from me?

Worship Music for April 6

FirstLight worship will begin with a medley of "We fall down" and the hymn "Holy, holy, holy" (NICEA). These two sings marvel in the holiness of God and combining them into a unit will be a powerful time of praise. "Open the eyes of my heart" will also help set the tone for our worship. This is Emmaus Sunday, the third Sunday of Easter, when the reading is traditionally the story of the Emmaus experience. The Prophets of Praise will sing James Moore's very popular "Taste and see" at the offering. Having heard it there, the congregation will be invited to sing the refrain while we receive communion. Our worship will conclude with the American folk hymn DOVE OF PEACE with text by Brian Wren, "I come with joy to meet my Lord."

Worship at 11 AM will begin with music from the anti-apartheid movement of South Africa in the latter part of the last century. That movement has strong support in people's faith, and new songs of prayer, devotion and social awareness grew with the movement. One of the most popular is "Haleluja, pela tse rona," or "Hallelujah, we sing your praises." With verses that laud Jesus' presence in the bread and cup, and his admonition to spread the gospel, this will be a great way to begin and end worship. The choir will sing a new setting of Wren's "I come with joy" by Gary Allen (GIA). While we are familiar with the text using the tune DOVE OF PEACE, hearing it with a new tune give us new ears to hear the message in a fresh way. Liturgical extras (new members joining) will limit us to two hymns: "Christ is risen, sing hosanna" (HYMN TO JOY) and "O Thou who in this mysterious bread" (LAND OF REST). The latter is a Charles Wesley hymn, found in the United Methodist hymnal of 1989; with its reference to the Emmaus experience, it will be a nice way to tie the worship service together this week.

Resurrection Celebration

FirstLight worship will begin outdoors this week. All during Lent we have written on small pieces of paper a word or phrase describing our weekly confession. These have been saved and will be burned as a sign of our forgiveness as our first act of worship this week. Also, we have been reading a story each week; it conclude this week with a burst of butterflies! We will process into the sanctuary singing the Caribbean "Halle, Halle, Halle." Bring a drum and join the procession! We will also be singing Tommy Walker's "That's why we praise him," and the quintessential resurrection hymn, "Christ the Lord is risen today" (EASTER HYMN). We will be worshiping in the sanctuary this week, with access to the organ, so we will use that instrument as accompaniment to the Charles Wesley hymn. The Prophets will sing Stuart Townend's "In Christ alone" at the offering.

Worship at 11 AM will begin with a setting of "Gelobet sei Gott" by Healy Willan; the arrangement calls for organ alone, but with the especially talented Anna McC. on hand, we've scored it to have a festive trumpet at the beginning of worship. Handbells and trumpet will help us sing "Jesus Christ is risen today" (EASTER HYMN); other congregational hymns include "Good Christians all rejoice and sing" (GELOBET SEI GOTT), and "Christ the Lord is risen today" (LLANFAIR). The choir anthem will be Thatcher's setting of "Come ye faithful raise the strain. The Tune Weavers (our resident men's quartet) will sing Allen Pote's "A jubilant song" at the offering. The organ postlude will be Cesar Franck's "Final." This work begins with an extended solo for the pedals alone. One of only 12 works Franck wrote for his primary instrument, this one has arguably the most triumphant sound.

Worship Music March 16 Palm Sunday

FirstLight worship will begin this week with a presentation of “The Singing Bishop” by Hal Hopson. This mini-musical is a staple for children’s choirs. It tells the story of the origins of the hymn “All glory, laud and honor.” Bishop Theodulph was unjustly imprisoned in Angers, France in 821 for treason. He happened to be in prison over Palm Sunday. The story goes that when he heard the children’s procession go by his cell, he was moved to write the lyrics to this now familiar song. The king, hearing the new song immediately (according to custom) released Theodulph and asked him to finish leading the procession to the cathedral. The Prophets will sing the Hispanic song “Mantos y Palmas” at the offering. Worship will conclude with Darlene Zschesch’s “Worthy is the Lamb.”

Worship at 11 AM will begin with Bach’s festive 9/8 Prelude in C. My first recording of this piece was by E. Power Biggs who, in his liner notes for the LP (!!) suggested that the prelude felt somewhat like a parade given it’s triple-feel. Worship will conclude with the fugue from the same work, which Biggs described as a somewhat poignant letdown after the parade: the crowd is gone and the wind blows away the last wisps of festivity. For those reasons this work has always seemed to me to epitomize the festivity and ominous nature of Palm Sunday. The fugue is an incredible work: four parts for the hands. The pedals don't begin until much later than is usual in organ fugue writing. And when the feet do begin, they play the melody at twice its original speed, first in the melody's original progression and then inverted! The Prelude and Fugue both are very dramatic for their use of rests, absolute quiet at stunning moments.

The choir will sing Vaughan Williams’ setting of “At the name of Jesus,” a quintessential English anthem lauding the person and authority of Jesus Christ. Dancers, drums and children will all help us in worship on our opening hymn, “All glory, laud and honor” (VALET WILL ICH DER GEBEN). Other congregational songs will include “Ride on in majesty” (ST. DROSTANE) and “O Jesus I have promised” (ANGEL’S STORY).

Music for Worship March 9, 2008

At FirstLight this week we will renew our acquaintance with a couple of old hymns. Our opening set will include Eleanor Farjeon’s “Morning has broken,” made popular by Cat Stevens. Our service will conclude with Chris Tomlin’s take on “When I survey the wondrous cross” popularly known as "The Wonderful Cross." The Prophets will sing a new setting of Fanny Crosby’s “Draw me nearer” at the offering. Hearing these old familiar words with this stirring new tune really prompts the singer and listener to hear the text anew. Here’s a recording using full choir and orchestra; they sound almost as good as the Prophets! Other congregational songs will include Lanny Wolfe’s “Surely the presence,” “You are my King (Amazing love)” and “I give you my heart.”

At 11 AM the choir will be singing John Rutter’s setting of Psalm 130 from his Requiem. The text is the English Bible translation of the Psalm. The music is influenced by everything from “Porgy and Bess” to Dave Brubeck. Here is an interesting site on all things related to the requiem mass, in particular the musical setting by Rutter. The choir is planning to perform the whole Requiem in Fall 2008 for All Saints. Worship will conclude with Rutter’s only work for organ, his wickedly rhythmic “Toccata in Seven.” Congregation hymns will include “Morning has broken” (BUNNESAN), “Spirit” (SPIRIT), and “In the cross of Christ I glory” (RATHBUN). In organ history Psalm 130 is associated with the versification “Out of the depths I cry to thee,” with the German chorale tune “Aus tiefer not.” We’ll hear this tune in a setting by Johann Walther at the offering.

Music for Worship 030208

First Light will continue using the music from Taize that we have explored all during Lent. We will also sing the familiar American tune "Wondrous Love" to conclude worship. The Prophets will sing a new-to-us song for the offertory, "Empty Me." It's images of emptying self and making space for God fit neatly with our overarching Lenten theme, "life in full." The image here is taken from the Taize community site: the community at prayer.

11 AM worship will begin with another in a series of Bach preludes for organ, this one in E minor. For those not keeping tracking, Mike Barker has played the Preludes in C minor, A Major, F Minor and now E Minor so far during Lent. No fugues. This Sunday's E Minor prelude is one of Bach's earliest extant works, and one that many, many students cut their teeth on so to speak. Hymns will include "O for a thousand tongues to sing" (Azmon); "What wondrous love is this" (Wondrous Love); and "Life into hope" (Truro). The choir will sing an anthem by Craig Curry, a setting of the text "I heard the voice of Jesus say." The text is by Horatius Bonar, whose page at CyberHymnal lists more than 140 hymn texts! The tune is totally new and makes a stirring transition, from introspection to declaration, through the three stanzas and key change. One interesting note about the piano accompaniment: Curry has written in use of the lowest note on the piano, a low-low A. Pianists rarely get to use that note, unless they are somewhat freely doubling octaves in the left hand. But here Curry has written it into the music! As at 830 worship, we will continue using the Taize music we have experienced all season.

Program: Organist Concert

As part of its Centennial Celebration, Black Mountain Presbyterian Church presents an organ concert this Sunday afternoon March 2 at 4:30 PM at the church.

Many talented professional musicians have served the church through the years; this concert will feature three persons who have led the music program in recent years. Sharon Carleton Boone led the church’s music ministry in the 1990’s. She will perform selections from Dan Locklair’s “Rubrics.” Carla Sperry was the church’s first full-time, permanent music director from 1998 until 2006. She will perform the third of J.S. Bach’s six trio sonatas. Michael Barker began his tenure in January 2007; he will perform JS Bach's Fantasy in G Minor and Louis Lefebre-Wely's Sortie II in B-Flat; Mr. Barker will also emcee the program. There will be a reception following the concert, which is free and open to the public. Noah W. Allen and Ted Crist were to have played on the program but have had to withdraw for various reaons.

Here are some photos of past musicians, including those on this Sunday's program.