The Church's Song
May's column was written by our Director of Music, Mark Harris.
I have been reading Paul Westermeyer’s book, “A High and Holy Calling: Essays of Encouragement for the Church and Its Musicians.” Westermeyer is a respected musician, church music professor emeritus at Luther Seminary and ordained ELCA pastor. In one of the essays, “The Church’s Song,” he writes:
"Martin Luther spoke for most of the church across its whole history when he said that music is a gift of God to be crafted as well as possible. The congregational part of that repertoire is sung by people who, over long stretches of time, practice it by repetition but seldom rehearse it. The choral part is sung by people who, over long stretches of time, sing together and also rehearse. The congregational part has yielded some of the world’s finest folk song, the choral part some of the world’s finest choirs."
As all church musicians have been catching their breath after Holy Week and Easter Sunday (and sometimes self-reflecting, “what was I thinking with when I selected THAT piece of music”), I find his words above a good explanation of what I experienced at St. Paul’s on Easter Sunday. It was during the opening hymn “Christ is Risen! Alleluia” that I was hearing glorious four-part harmony and singing from you, the people of St. Paul’s. While that particular hymn tune, Morgenlied, is not one of my personal favorites and one that I wasn’t familiar with until coming to St. Paul’s, I must admit that your singing wanted me to come off the organ bench to see who the ‘new’ singers were, join the song, and yes, selfishly I admit, see who I could recruit to join the choir.
Re-reading in Paul Westermeyer’s book the words, “…congregational part…. sung by people who… practice it by repetition but seldom rehearse it,” keeps you ‘safe’ from me cornering you on Sunday morning to implore or demand you “come join the choir” (although you are always welcome to do so!). You were singing what you knew and loved. You were singing as you were led to on the celebration of the Resurrection of Our Lord and contributing to the church’s song.
Westermeyer continues to draw connections between music, the church’s ministry, people’s different thoughts and opinions on what the church’s song should be, and the conflicts that can sometimes arise when dealing with something as fluid and personal as music. He continues by stating that “organists are often at the center of these swirls. All of this means organists are particularly well positioned for perspective on our confusion and for help through it.” I certainly do not interpret that as meaning that organists are better or above anyone else, but due to our historical nature of spending much time in solitude to practice, prepare music, analyze, reflect, and think on music, we can be singularly minded with ‘getting the job done.’ Your singing from your hearts on Easter Sunday helps remind me of the greater calling of the ministry of music for the church to reach and touch anyone with the message and grace of Our Lord. For that reminder, I shall always be in your debt. Deo Gracias!
The peace of the Lord be with you,
Mark Harris
Source: A High and Holy Calling, Paul Westermeyer, © 2018 Morningstar Music Publishers, Inc.