Lutheran Kantor

Model Theological Conference – Worship MP3

Chris — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:17:43 +0000

Two months ago the LCMS held its Model Theological Conference on Worship. While I wasn’t there, I enjoyed reading the insights of conference participants via Southern Lutheran Kantor, Fine Tuning, Liturgy, Hymnody, and Pulpit Quarterly Book Review, and Necessary Roughness.

The LCMS Commission on Worship just posted the MP3 files of the conference speakers on their website. While certainly not a substitute for being there, these MP3s do allow for greater distribution and review of the topics. Yet another opportunity for exploration.

Helping Your Congregation Sing

Chris — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:42:01 +0000

Sometimes church musicians get so caught up with making music, whether that be choral or instrumental, that they neglect or minimize (often unintentionally) their primary responsibility — leading and encouraging the people’s song in psalmody, liturgy, and hymnody. I remember being told (by my father no less) that while I might be able to play a very nice prelude, I should strive to be a good leader of hymn singing.

Mark Lawson, president of MorningStar Music, reflects on the importance of congregational song to Richard Proulx and Richard Hillert in the March edition of their e-newsletter. Special thanks to MorningStar Music for granting permission to post this article.

The recent passing of Richard Proulx and Richard Hillert has caused me to reflect on the extraordinary gifts that these two great men have given to us. Even though both wrote widely in many genres, I firmly believe that their greatest inspiration came in providing wonderful settings of liturgical materials for the congregation. Both of these men believed strongly that average, everyday people should sing the liturgy and that it shouldn’t just be left to the professionals. It makes me think of the way Paul Manz used to talk about inspiring the congregation to sing and how thrilling it is to sing with full voiced gusto on the great hymns of faith.

In many churches, I think we have shortchanged the congregation and have given more of our attention to the choirs. Educating the congregation and teaching them how to sing is no easy matter, but is certainly worth every minute we can give to helping them fully engage in the church’s song.

Some helpful suggestions include:

· Print brief histories of hymns and tunes used in the service on an insert in the worship folder.

· Look for concertatos and descants that engage both the choir and the congregation.

· Vary the accompaniments from full organ to a cappella singing, and incorporate various instruments for introductions or descants.

· Use readings such as those in From Glory Into Glory to set up the hymn and give added thought.

These are just a few suggestions. There are obviously many more, but the important thing is to give congregational singing added attention and priority. If we follow the model of those who have recently gone before us, it is worth our very best gifts.

Mark W. Lawson,

President

2010 Summer Organist Workshops

Chris — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:33:21 +0000

Once again I’m making my annual “plug” for the summer Organist Workshops at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN. I can’t recommend these enough to parish organists of all skill levels. For three of the last four summers I’ve had the joy of studying improvisation with Kantor Hildebrand, organ playing with Kantor Resch, and handbells with Kantor Muth, in addition to studying theology, meeting fellow musicians, and being fed with the daily rhythm of prayer services.

I won’t go into all the details, since they are amply noted in other blog posts.

2007 – Kantor School (aka Organist Workshop)
2008 - Organist Workshops
2009 – Church Music Workshops @ CTSFW

However, in a past post I referenced something that Kantor Resch wrote that bears repeating once again.

Parishes should encourage their church musicians to take full advantage of these opportunities for growth and offer significant financial support. Such an educational benefit for a valued member of the staff is not an extra, not a fluff benefit. I have seen the results of such continuing education every summer for twenty years on this campus. Annually about forty-five organists come, see, hear, learn, and are immersed in something that for most of them is new. After five days of being immersed in theology and practice, students leave with insights that make them different church musicians, able to understand more fully–and put into practice more effectively–their responsibilities in proclamation and teaching. (The Music of the Divine Service: Propers and Proclamation pg 49 in the 2001 Journal of the Good Shepherd Institute)

The seminary has just released their 2010 workshop schedule (see below). One notable addition is that the Beginning Improvisation class will have two instructors – Kantor Hildebrand and Dr. Donald Rotermund (author of Off the Page). By the way, Off the Page is one of the most accessible books for organists wanting to test the waters of improvisation (read a review of it here).

————

CTS TO OFFER SUMMER 2010 ORGANIST WORKSHOPS

FORT WAYNE, IN (CTS)—Church organists of all abilities will have the opportunity
to improve their skills during workshops offered this summer at Concordia
Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. The workshops are for organists who
are already playing, whether they are experienced veterans or new organists
recently drafted into helping in their parish.

Workshops being offered this year are:

Beginning Improvisation—June 14–18, 2010
Organ instructors: Dr. Donald Rotermund and Kantor Kevin Hildebrand
Theology instructor: Dr. Paul Grime
This workshop is for organists who would like to begin or review basic ideas in
the art of improvisation. Demonstrations by the instructor, as well as hands-on
experience by the students, will be of prime importance.

Organist Primer—June 21–25, 2010
Organ instructor: Kantor Kevin Hildebrand
Theology instructor: Kantor Richard Resch
This beginning workshop is designed for organists who do not use pedals, who use
only one foot, or who wish to lean more of the basics of service playing. It
will include instruction about fundamental music understanding and organ
vocabulary.

Level I—July 12–16, 2010
Organ instructor: Kantor Richard Resch
Theology instructor: Dr. Paul Grime
This workshop focuses on service playing, hymnody, church year, music for
weddings, funerals and discussion about the pastor/musician relationship. This
level is designed for organists who have taken the Primer Level or are using
both feet in their playing.

For complete workshop descriptions, instructor information and to register
online please go to www.ctsfw.edu/organist. For additional information, please
e-mail OrganWorkshops@ctsfw.edu or phone 260-452-2224.

Bach in Today’s Parish: Still the Evangelist

Chris — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 07:20:11 +0000

Some of you may have had the opportunity in November 2009 to attend the Good Shepherd Institute’s conference on “Bach in Today’s Parish: Still the Evangelist.” While I wasn’t able to attend, I patiently await the publication of their annual journal of papers presented at the conference (and hoping that they might post MP3s of the presentations). In the meantime, the folks at GSI have posted two of the conference papers on their website. They are interesting readings for musicians and non-musicians alike.

“What Would Bach Do Today?” by Paul Grime

Dr. Grime (Dean of the Chapel at Concordia Theological Seminary) has a clever alternate title for his paper: WWJD: What Would Johann Do? It is a provocative question to consider and Dr. Grime explores the possibilities for today’s church musicians. If I had to summarize it one sentence, it would be: Don’t operate with your blinders on. Bach worked within and had an understanding of both the church and culture and sacred and secular. While we now experience different circumstances from Bach, Grime doesn’t impose artificial limitations on the musician, but encourages exploration and freedom.

But it will only be through trial and error that we will be able to press on to that next fresh expression of the grace of God, using His incredible gift of music to awaken faith in our generation and the next. Bach would expect nothing less!

“The Global Importance of Bach Today” by Uwe Siemon-Netto

Given Uwe Siemon-Netto’s background as a reporter, it is not surprising that his paper reads like a feature article – an engaging article. He shows how Bach’s music transcends cultures and social classes and “speaks” to all sorts of people. Even Bach’s instrumental music, he contends, can bring people to Christianity. But he also laments the apathy of the theological/musical heirs of Bach toward this musical tradition (specifically in reference to the sale of a certain radio station owned by a certain church body in a certain mid-western city). Another enlightening reading opportunity.

Gerhard on the Lord’s Supper

Chris — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 07:26:23 +0000

A few years ago I “discovered” Johann Gerhard through Meditations on Divine Mercy and got hooked on his writings. This past week I received a new addition for the bookshelf — “An Explanation of the History of the Suffering and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ” — which I’m reading through this Lenten season. Today’s reading had this to say about the Lord’s Supper.

In this holy body You will find life, for He was given into death for the life of the world. In this holy blood you will find forgiveness of sin, for it was shed for the forgiveness of sin.

Ponder especially here the wisdom of God. The Lord Christ took upon Himself flesh and blood from our nature. He exalted and embellished it in His personal union with divine, incomprehensible attributes. He now gives that back to us again in the Holy Supper so that our nature no longer need be distanced from Him; but, on the contrary, through this eating and drinking of the Supper we again have restored to us that which Adam had lost with his forbidden eating. [40-41]

Organ Music: Chorale Preludes

Chris — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:13:51 +0000

Church musicians are often in a quandary when selecting sheet music to add to their libraries: a finite budget and seemingly infinite choices from music publishers. The musician needs a discerning eye to determine what will be useful at their skill level and worship context. Random selection might yield a few gems, but also result in a bloated collection. A quality library doesn’t necessarily have to be large. It does, however, have to be well chosen. (I previously wrote about The Other Essential Lutheran Library – Musician Edition which included some of my “core” organ books.)

So where does a musician find resources to sift through all the choices? I have usually received the best advice from my mentors and friends who are Lutheran musicians. (Organists and Choir Directors: The Good Shepherd Institute’s bi-annual newsletter His Voice normally has music recommendations from Kantor Kevin Hildebrand).

To that end, I would like to share with you a recent acquisition to my organ music library which I think will be quite valuable: the six volume series “Choralvorspiele Zum Evangelischen Gesangbuch.” The journey to this collection began in the summer of 2007 while I was at an Organist Workshop at Concordia Theological Seminary with Kantor Resch. He had a volume of this series on the organ console and this gave me a hint to consider adding it to the library. I recently inquired with Kantor Resch about the series and he highly recommended it.

Don’t expect to find this series in your local music store. I worked with the Organ Historical Society to import the series from Germany and they now carry it as an in-stock item ($36.95/volume). This is frankly a bargain – each volume is 100-160 pages with between 70-140 pieces.

I suspect the Choralvorspiele Zum Evangelischen Gesangbuch is virtually unknown in the United States. If you Google it, you will find lots of German retail sites, but only a handful of items in English — one of which is a review by Daniel Zager (Associate Professor/Dean at the Eastman School of Music). If you have any inkling of interest, you should read Zager’s review.

The series is published by Barenreiter, the text is completely in German, and is intended as an organ prelude supplement to the German hymnal “Evangelischen Gesangbuch.” In certain respects it is similar to the Concordia Hymn Prelude Series from CPH (now slowly going out of print) – it provides chorale preludes (and sometimes an intonation) on many, but not all, of the hymns in the German hymnal.

Since the text is all in German, you either need to know German, know your chorale tunes via name, or be willing to do some sight reading to determine the tune. Just as a disclaimer: not all of the tunes in this series will be familiar and some will not be in our American hymnals (like Lutheran Service Book). You can get a feel for the tunes used by looking at the “table of contents” at the Organ Historical Society site. However, even though you might not find all the tunes in the LSB tune index, some of these tunes are still familiar. “Den die Hirten lobeten sehre” AND “Kommt und laßt uns Christus ehren”? We know them as Quem Pastores. “Nun singet und seid froh”? We know it as “In dulci jubilo”. Why the difference? My guess is that the text at the top of each prelude is the hymnal number and hymn name — and like our own hymnals, multiple hymns can use the same tune. The particular prelude/intonation may be written/associated with the given text. The volumes are ordered based on the hymn numbers in the German hymnal and are generally divided seasonally/topically.

The contents of these volumes are not “new” in the strictest sense of the term. Barenreiter has previously published most all of the pieces in other books. This series could then be thought of as an anthology. The pieces represent a broad spectrum of primarily German composers from 1600’s – mid/late 1900’s. Walther, Kauffmann, Reger, and Jan Bender (to name a few). J.S. Bach and Buxtehude appear occasionally, but certainly don’t predominate (I assume the editor believed these works are already in the organist’s library). There is some redundancy in pieces that overlap Keller’s 80 Chorales & Preludes, Reger preludes, the Organist’s Golden Treasury, etc. But there is plenty of content that will be “new” to the American organist.

The preludes vary in difficulty from moderately easy to medium difficulty. There are a wide variety of presentations — manuals only, cantus firmus in the pedal or tenor line, bicinium, 4-part settings, toccata, etc.. Each tune will have at least one, but often more, preludes and/or intonations (Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott has 10 pieces). Most are short (one or two pages long) and don’t require any page turning. Some of the preludes have been transposed into a different key to match the German hymnal — which many times will also match those of modern Lutheran hymnals. However, as I have lamented in the past, these books, like many others, do not lie flat on the music rack and I have had them rebound with coil binding at the local Office Depot ($3/volume).

Just a brief anecdote: If you have either of the Concordia Theological Seminary Kantorei CD’s – “Infant Holy” or “With Angels and Archangels”, the prelude to Jesus Has Come and Brings Pleasure Eternal is written by Jan Bender and is in volume 1.

Part of the appeal of this series is that it “fits” with the recent resurgence in the interest in the Lutheran music heritage. CPH has released two comprehensive CD sets – Luther’s hymns and Heirs of the Reformation. The Good Shepherd Institute has released the excellent Singing the Faith DVD. Musicians can help to encourage and reinforce this heritage by the music we play.

Choralvorspiele Zum Evangelischen Gesangbuch is a practical and valuable collection for the average Lutheran organist of tried and tested chorale preludes. It is a collection that can grow with you — whether you are a newbie or experienced organist. While this series doesn’t have strictly “new” content, I think it will still be convenient to have so many chorale preludes under one “roof.” Definitely consider it.

Have questions? Ask away. I’m still exploring it and finding new treasures.

Walter Buszin on the Lutheran Masters

Chris — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 07:30:05 +0000

Earlier this week the Concordia Publishing House music department celebrated the 60th anniversary of hiring its first full-time head of the music department – Edward Klammer. That hiring happened at the recommendation of Walter Buszin. During the 1940’s, Buszin, in the midst of his other teaching responsibilities, organized the music department catalog, served as an editorial consultant, and finally recommended that CPH appoint Klammer as head of the department. (For more information on Buszin, get the biography published by The Good Shepherd Institute).

In 1948 CPH published an “Anthology of Sacred Music – Chorale Preludes by Masters of the XVII and XVIII Centuries” selected and edited by Buszin. It is the Foreword of this volume that I’d like to share with you. First, it provides insight into what CPH was publishing at that time. Second, it gives some guidance for parish musicians today. Third, it will provide a segue into another piece I’ll be posting in a few days.

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The music world today is making wide use of the chorale preludes written by the Lutheran masters of the 17th and 18th centuries. We are convinced that this is not merely a passing fad, but rather an indication of the rapid rise of musical standards in America and a recognition of the superiority of this music for worship purposes. From a purely musical point of view one may rightfully refer to the chorale preludes of the Lutheran masters as tone poems in miniature; from a liturgical and ecclesiastical point of view, however, they are more than tone poems, for their real purpose, as intended by their composers, was to incite people to worship and to create an atmosphere of worship in services of worship.

On the whole, a more uplifting atmosphere has been maintained in the services of worship conducted by church bodies which recognize the values of a well-ordered and dignified liturgical service of worship. Nevertheless, while the music used in these churches may have been churchly, it was often not the best worship music available. Thus in the Lutheran Church it was soon discovered that not the compositions of the great Lutheran masters, but the works of the rather inferior nineteenth and twentieth century composers were used. This music did not militate at all times against good taste; it was, on the whole, churchly, but it was at the same time quite uninspiring; it was not written by composers who possessed the genius, skill, talents, and spirit of men like Walther, Pachelbel, Buxtehude, Zachow, various members of the Bach family, and others. In fact, the music of the really great Lutheran masters was quite unknown to Lutheran church musicians until recent times, and there are still many serving as organists who are not acquainted with their real great heritage.

The present collection has been prepared and published not only to acquaint organists with works by the Lutheran masters, but also to encourage organists to use music of this type in services of worship. Since it is the intention of the editor to prepare for this series a volume which will include only works by Johann Sebastian Bach, compositions by this great master have not been included in the present volume. It is hopes that thereby attention will be called to the undeniable and important fact that the musical heritage of the Lutheran Church in particular, and of the Christian Church in general, is great even without the works of the greatest composer of organ music the world has ever known.

. . .

It is important, of course, that these preludes be played in the spirit in which they were written and in the spirit of a beautiful and dignified service of worship. This spirit, however, I am unable to communicate to others through the medium of words, numbers, or other signs. The spirit of music is intangible and will come to those who wholeheartedly dedicate themselves, their ability, and their musical talent to the Giver of every good and perfect gift. From Him will come the spirit of consecration and genuine musical understanding.

– Walter E. Buszin

Worship Treasures: Past and Present

Chris — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:54:09 +0000

Each week as I prepare for the upcoming worship services, I’m continually reminded of the rich worship and musical heritage we have in Christendom and Lutheranism. At any given service we hear the timeless Word speaking to us in readings and sermon. The psalms, whether spoken, chanted, or sung, still resonate with us as they did with Israel. We sing first century New Testament canticles and historic liturgical texts set to musical settings spanning hundreds of years. Our hymn texts are gems collected from the early years of Christianity to the present and set to tunes ancient and modern. Our prayers and collects have been prayed by the great cloud of witnesses before us and added to judiciously by the present. The instrumental and choral music is chosen from a rich treasury that our musical forebears have passed down and is supplemented by composers of today.

And this is all in one worship service. Yet, do we appreciate and understand this treasure? “Traditional” worship can be done simply for the sake of tradition and nostalgia. “Contemporary” worship’s horizon (specifically referencing music) spans a few short years (sometimes a decade or so) and often charts a path forward without turning around to see the mountains left behind.

Kantor Richard Resch from Concordia Theological Seminary has these rich thoughts:

You either treasure something, you live with and tolerate it, or you abandon it. A significant part of Missouri Synod Lutheranism lived with something for decades without an understanding of what they had, and it was not treasured, except perhaps as an icon of stability. The result, then, was that they often went looking for ways other than Creeds, liturgies, and hymns for worship.

The solution to this situation comes through catechesis. It comes from leaders who know how to teach a subject that they understand and love. It comes from holding high the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all of the church’s catholic forms. Our church year, lectionary, liturgy, hymnody along with our doctrine require this kind of careful catechesis. (The Music of the Divine Service: Propers and Proclamation. 2001 Journal of The Good Shepherd Institute, pg 55.)

It saddens me to see both Traditional toleration and Contemporary abandonment of our worship heritage. To go from toleration and abandonment to treasuring, as Kantor Resch wrote, requires catechesis. That starts with leaders – pastors and kantors. Last week Pastor Peters of Pastoral Meanderings wrote a very fine article (Wise Words) on teaching by your practice and piety. It is well worth your time to read. And lest I forget, take a look at Singing the Faith produced by the Good Shepherd Institute – another gift to the Church. Treasures shouldn’t be forced upon people, but over time their value can be made apparent.

Since I certainly don’t have all the answers here, please share your thoughts and ideas.

A Bach Gem From YouTube

Chris — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:45:04 +0000

As many of you know, you can find virtually anything on YouTube — some of excellent quality and some that is mediocre. One particular organist that I enjoy listening to (and watching) is Rob Stefanussen. His most recent video is of Bach’s Wachet Auf — an obligatory favorite of organists and non-organists alike. Take a few minutes and enjoy this great piece. The videography is detailed and covers the finger and pedal work.

Organists take note: you might be envious of this practice organ. He’s playing a 4 manual digital organ running Hauptwerk (a robust software program that “runs” the virtual pipe organ) with touch screen stop jams. A very versatile instrument. I’ll remain content with my 2-manual Allen practice organ.

Bach and Japan

Chris — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 03:30:27 +0000

Over at Cyberbrethren, Paul McCain is featuring a fascinating article by Dr. Uwe Siemon-Netto on Bach’s music as a servant of the Gospel in Japan. It’s a great read worthy of your consideration.

I found it thought provoking to read of a Japanese woman, who probably like many others, found what God’s love means to Christians, but has resisted the leap of faith. Yet people still flock to listen to Bach. Why? Masaki Suzuki, founder and conductor of the Bach Collegium Japan, suggests that the Japanese want to know what “hope” means for Christians in this time of spiritual poverty.

Choir/musical directors take note: Masaaki Suzuki teaches the Scripture during rehearsals. That’s a good thing to do even in a musical group composed of Christians — especially if we are rehearsing sacred music. Our hope is in the Word and what Christ has done.