tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.comments2021-06-03T13:58:52.783-07:00Fine TuningPhillip Magnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17841725361772353858noreply@blogger.comBlogger420125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-17980615979888930512021-06-03T13:58:52.783-07:002021-06-03T13:58:52.783-07:00Eleven years later, visiting the seminary next to ...Eleven years later, visiting the seminary next to his home in Pointe-Noire, Congo, Pastor Mavoungou sang this hymn beautifully for us in the chapel there. He talked of how this song had resounded in his heart and how he has cherished it through the years. <br /><br />Let's keep teaching songs that last: hymns which stand the tests of time and distance. Phillip Magnesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17841725361772353858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-82032617812255766512020-04-24T18:59:55.029-07:002020-04-24T18:59:55.029-07:00Well, Rev. Peters, the website is soon to go down ...Well, Rev. Peters, the website is soon to go down permanently, but the blog will remain and I still do hope to continue. Stay tuned! Philliphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13715953453920138624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-49547469367452285722019-11-26T18:40:33.155-08:002019-11-26T18:40:33.155-08:00I would welcome future posts!I would welcome future posts!Pastor Petershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-63695416090407061012017-03-03T08:47:11.801-08:002017-03-03T08:47:11.801-08:00Glad to hear God's magic happened. My first us...Glad to hear God's magic happened. My first use of this song, long before it was in the WELS supplement, was at a School of Worship Enrichment in Michigan. We were failing to put together a decent choir for this event. I was worried that the modeling intended in worship would not turn out well. I found this song and planned it with baby grand piano accompaniment and a fine soloist. Brought in the congregation with soloed Cornet registration on organ, accompanied by soft strings playing choral parts while piano continued. A worship folder note explained that the refrain was "simple and memorable" and that people could sing while approaching and leaving the altar. The reaction was VERY positive, and we continued using the song at many future Schools of Worship Enrichment.<br /><br />Bryan Gerlach<br />(project director for the WELS supplement, etc)<br /><br />Director, Commission on Worship<br />Chair, Worship Conference Committee<br /><br />WELS NATIONAL WORSHIP CONFERENCE <br />June 13-16, 2017 ∗ Carthage College ∗ Kenosha, WI<br />June 27-30, 2017 ∗ Concordia University ∗ Irvine, CA (Orange County)<br />https://wels.net/serving-you/christian-life/worship/national-worship-conference/Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10124475801651867780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-20917885972172922672012-12-03T12:20:34.210-08:002012-12-03T12:20:34.210-08:00I posted my comment in April and the forgot all ab...I posted my comment in April and the forgot all about it, and one shouldn't wake up zombies, but I will. Who knows, someone might discover this discussion thread at a later date. So here goes:<br /><br />I appreciate that you replied, Phillip, and I apologise that I didn't!<br /><br />The answer to your first question is 'yes', and it doesn't work terribly well a cappella. Our singing is better with the tracks than without, and they genuinely help rather than hinder. Part of the problem is that the congregation's hymn repertoire is so narrow that without instrumental support we could sing very many fewer hymns.<br /><br />As for the second question, the answer is 'Yes, my wife'. But she is also in charge of our four young children, and teaches Sunday school every other week. So at the moment it's not practical. My daughter plays the violin well enough to accompany, so soon that will be an option. But at her tender age I don't want to place that responsibility on her slender shoulders quite yet.<br /><br />I play, but accompanying the liturgy and leading it doesn't work terribly well... I do accompany hymns every now and then. Perhaps I should do that more.<br /><br />There are no other musicians of any description at all. With an average attendance of 15, we really are very limited.<br /><br />All this calls for more mission work amongst music students at the local universities!Tapani Simojokihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06050897388566829272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-85248668604201421332012-11-04T19:34:27.741-08:002012-11-04T19:34:27.741-08:00Post-modernism has wrecked our ability to discern ...Post-modernism has wrecked our ability to discern doctrinal differences, to teach faithfully, to apply church discipline, to raise our children properly, and to resolve conflicts. Each of these requires that we acknowledge a concept of truth and error, right and wrong. Too many members and even pastors in our churches have unfortunately succumbed to societal pressure to ditch these concepts, and this makes those who do talk in absolutes look like the offenders. Witness this time and again. Lord, have mercy.artaxerxes99https://www.blogger.com/profile/10233625143498712451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-80999074883030791092012-07-18T13:11:12.597-07:002012-07-18T13:11:12.597-07:00"...the visible and audible continuation of t..."...the visible and audible continuation of the choir...will teach and encourage your singers and, more importantly, your parish."<br /><br />I'm SO glad to read this! I wish more people would acknowledge this and quit worrying so much about numbers. I find this affirming, particularly for our very small congregation. Even a few singers or musicians CAN make a difference - both in the service and in the overall educational and theological purpose!T.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17717307937559840127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-82563017428298361462012-05-31T06:16:56.609-07:002012-05-31T06:16:56.609-07:00Wonderful, David. A great example of how even in...Wonderful, David. A great example of how even in a context that allows for less variety (because of a lower level of literacy in the congregation), the liturgy provides for great flexibility. <br /><br />I have found the same thing in my trips to Africa. For example, in Brazzaville, they people can read - but have no books. And so the Introit has to be very repetitive. They sing back whatever the pastor sings to them. However, the pastor and the assembly have their own tones, so it makes for a nice musical dialog. A bit different than what you describe, but the common thread is repetition. <br /><br />Repetition is the mother of learning. One big reason why the historic liturgy serves the churches so well - in so many different ways!Phillip Magnesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17841725361772353858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-45303717904409181182012-05-31T05:22:53.744-07:002012-05-31T05:22:53.744-07:00Many in our congregation, both adults and young pe...Many in our congregation, both adults and young people, either cannot read at all, or are semi-literate. But through repeated hearing, they have memorized "el Oficio Mayor" from "Culto Cristiano" (CPH). "Alabaré", accompanied by the pandaretta, is a favorite opening hymn. For closing, we often sing "Dios es nuestro Amparo". Also popular are "Bueno es alabarte, Jehová" and "Creo en Dios el Padre eterno" (the Apostle's Creed in metrical form).David Ernsthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08474439439412658821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-47180805987293365522012-05-26T21:09:27.219-07:002012-05-26T21:09:27.219-07:00Hi Phil,
Thanks for the note. I agree with your ...Hi Phil,<br /><br />Thanks for the note. I agree with your point that we musicians should enjoy the service. Along the same lines, we should mentally and physically *participate* in the service as well. It's a challenge for organists to juggle books and stops and what's coming next, but having musicians visibly participate even when they are not playing or singing is an important witness (the lack of participation perhaps being a more noticeable negative witness).<br /><br />BTW, I wasn't referring to Bethany's services with my comment, but I admit I hadn't considered post-editing as a possibility to explain the lack of silence is some recordings. That could indeed be the case in some services I have listened to online. But it doesn't explain the too-fast hymn playing. :) That said, I know there is room for friendly disagreement about pace of hymnody.artaxerxes99https://www.blogger.com/profile/10233625143498712451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-22166622368229350602012-05-24T16:26:55.392-07:002012-05-24T16:26:55.392-07:00Excellent point, Michael, about rushing things. O...Excellent point, Michael, about rushing things. Often pastors rush through, for example, the Prayer of the Church when they see a lot of petitions ahead. They think they have to hurry and get through them - but that not only goes against the spirit of prayer, but also actually makes the prayers seem LONGER. As you say, avoid the "anxious and uneasy feeling". Enjoy the service. Yes, ENJOY it, and your people will as well. <br /><br />Regarding podcast services from various congregations, sometimes those who put up the broadcast edit out silence. I don't think they necessarily should (except maybe something like 2 minutes of silent communion distribution), but they are schooled in avoiding "dead air". I know the folks who upload Bethany's services do that; I'm sure others do as well. <br /><br />Anyway, thank you for reminding us to pace ourselves reverently in order to draw attention to holy things. Well said!Philliphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13715953453920138624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-36706449407290219542012-05-23T18:14:38.065-07:002012-05-23T18:14:38.065-07:00Hi Phil, Good advice. As with many things musical,...Hi Phil, Good advice. As with many things musical, variety is important. In general though, I believe we perform a disservice when we factor in the "length of the service" in our planning. Many congregations seem to have a hang-up about letting a service go longer than 60 minutes. As a result there are even prominent congregations (to use a term), whose services you can hear weekly on the internet, where the whole pace of the service feels forced along, and thus, artificial. When hymns are played too fast, the sermon is spoken quickly, and moments of silence are missing, the service leaves people with an anxious and uneasy feeling. What happens here is that the speed of the service becomes a distraction from the Gospel. I believe we must deliberately slow down the pace of the Divine Service, especially in our hectic day and age, to help draw attention to the holy things that are happening there. The musician's art, properly practiced, can both calm and energize, depending on which is needed at any given time.artaxerxes99https://www.blogger.com/profile/10233625143498712451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-64171255764369341602012-05-01T20:19:45.685-07:002012-05-01T20:19:45.685-07:00I agree, Pastor Peters. The LSB HOD choices somet...I agree, Pastor Peters. The LSB HOD choices sometimes are a bit "peripheral", as you say. Perhaps a good ongoing discussion might be which "substitutes" people find useful when they are, for example, preaching on the Epistle or, frankly, when they are looking for a better match. <br /><br />When we do this, we follow the same practice you do: we sing the appointed HOD elsewhere (95% of the time). To add clarity and to help retain the people's appreciation of both liturgical fidelity and liturgical flexibility, I keep it labled as "The Hymn of the Day", and then retitle our choice for the parochial "de temporum" hymn "Sermon Hymn". <br /><br />Pretty cool that you all wound up singing 496 out of 508 hymns in LW. Way to go! :)Philliphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13715953453920138624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-67792211369226621222012-05-01T05:51:55.194-07:002012-05-01T05:51:55.194-07:00I am conflicted by the Hymn of the Day choices in ...I am conflicted by the Hymn of the Day choices in LSB. Often they are seem to be peripheral to the lessons in theme and content -- good and salutary hymns but not what I would have chosen. So when that occurs, we use one of our parochial hymns of the day in its place but generally try to use the appointed one at some other location in the liturgy.<br /><br />We sing 6 hymns on Sunday. 6 times 52 is 312 (Tennessee math). We try to sing some of the greater hymns of the day more than once (such as the King of Love My Shepherd Is - when the 23rd Psalm or the theme of shepherd or lamb is introduced by the pericopes). This means that we have a few hymns we sing more regularly and others that we might hit only every third year or so and a few we will not use (though the choir may sing).<br /><br />The hymn of the day should tie directly into the lesson being used as the preaching text (usually the Gospel) so that means that there are often better hymns than the appointed one (such as the Sundays after Easter Year B and "Long Before the World Is Waking" or "Who Are You Who Walk in Sorrow"). <br /><br />Singing some 300 hymns/year, we will cover most of the book in a couple of years. When we retired LW, I found that we had only failed to sing 12 of the total 508 hymns (not counting canticles). Sadly, too many parishes use the same small subset of hymns and repeat them overly often so the wide variety of riches is lost to them.Pastor Petershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-3078226243340357902012-04-29T17:08:44.322-07:002012-04-29T17:08:44.322-07:00Another HOD that really has taken root among most ...Another HOD that really has taken root among most our churches is "Savior of the Nations, Come" for 1st Sunday in Advent. Speaking of Advent, it is becoming increasingly popular in our churches to sing "Gabriel's Message" on Advent 4. <br /><br />And I always pick "Wake, Awake!" for the last Sunday of the Church Year even though the new lectionary has that Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins a week (or two?) earlier in Year A. So, for me, the plus side on that change in the lectionary means we get to sing WACHET AUF more often! :)<br /><br />Certainly Feast Days like Baptism of Our Lord, Epiphany, Ascension, Transfiguration all have their great hymns. Can we think of some other "ordinary Sundays" that have beloved hymns for them as well?Philliphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13715953453920138624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-3048799581216657172012-04-26T16:23:05.547-07:002012-04-26T16:23:05.547-07:00Hi Tapani,
Good to see you on here.
Have you ...Hi Tapani, <br /><br />Good to see you on here. <br /><br />Have you tried singing the service w/o the tapes? Not that we need to go back to ancient times w/ everything, but Christians did sing for centuries w/o aid of instruments. <br /><br />Do you have a flute player? I know one small congregation in Canada that moved away from TCO and is singing "better than ever" according to their pastor. They use the tapes to practice with a small, volunteer choir that learns the hymns in unison a couple of times a month at short practices. Then the leaders sit with the flute player who doubles the melody an octave higher (like the organ's 4' stop). <br /><br />There really are so many alternatives one might explore that can "keep the music going" w/o using tracks.Phillip Magnesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17841725361772353858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-75473720669464931922012-04-19T04:39:07.091-07:002012-04-19T04:39:07.091-07:00You know, I whole-heartedly agree. And yet we use ...You know, I whole-heartedly agree. And yet we use the Concordia Organist CD set at my little English church. Why? Because it's the only way that we can realistically keep music going at all. Sometimes the CDs have us tearing our hair out (What is it with American organists and tempi? Don't you guys need to breathe?), and sometimes we manage in other ways.<br /><br />But without the CDs, we would have to have a mainly spoken service, while with them, we can have a sung Divine Service. And we do sing pretty much everything.<br /><br />The moment we can turn the machine off and replace it with a living alternative, we will! But in the absence of alternatives, it has been a genuine blessing.Tapani Simojokihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06050897388566829272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-39199070000548477972012-04-13T11:50:47.368-07:002012-04-13T11:50:47.368-07:00Thanks, Rod. I'm reminded of what Robert Pre...Thanks, Rod. I'm reminded of what Robert Preus reportedly said about the Divine Service: "It's not a Lutheran liturgy unless there is at least one mistake!" <br />(chuckle) <br /><br />Let's keep on keeping it real. ;) Cheers!Philliphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13715953453920138624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-33931713174153263922012-04-13T05:04:47.523-07:002012-04-13T05:04:47.523-07:00As a body at worship we are one Body, the Body of ...As a body at worship we are one Body, the Body of Christ. That Body is beautiful and talented and artistic and diverse, etc. But it is also a Body with faults; a Body that makes mistakes. Pastors make mistakes, organists occasionally hit a wrong note, choirs are not always on key and parishioners are all over the board with musical ability when singing hymns. Music within the service can be a wonderful reflection of that one Body. However, when live music by living, breathing musicians is replaced by "perfect" recordings, for whatever reason, something of this reflection is lost. Thank you for your post and keep fighting the fight to preserve the integrity of sacred music in the church from the onslaught of technology. Pr. Rod SchultzRev. Roderick Schultzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05934306464772840581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-10424374115622193692011-07-20T21:25:23.377-07:002011-07-20T21:25:23.377-07:00Most definitely, Paul! They do this every three y...Most definitely, Paul! They do this every three years - maybe you can join us next time. :)Phillip Magnesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17841725361772353858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-6740321602214367782011-07-20T11:37:45.863-07:002011-07-20T11:37:45.863-07:00Sounds like a winner! Give a bit more advance not...Sounds like a winner! Give a bit more advance notice next year:)Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09350908137437557142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-34111254779844247752011-06-02T15:24:47.433-07:002011-06-02T15:24:47.433-07:00I think the tune of Lamb of God is kind of catchy,...I think the tune of <i>Lamb of God</i> is kind of catchy, but I think the text of this stanza is problematic:<br /><br /><i>Your only Son, no sin to hide,<br />But You have sent Him from Your side<br />To walk upon this guilty sod,<br />And to become the Lamb of God.</i><br /><br />Since Jesus always was the Lamb of God, why does it say "<b>become</b> the Lamb of God?"<br /><br />It's not horrible otherwise, but I don't think it should have been included in the LSB. It made Pr. Stuckwisch's list of hymns that should have been left out in order leave room for better stuff. It was one of those that was stuck into the LSB at the last minute without time for the entire LCMS to comment on it.<br /><br />It's also not as bad as <i>Lift Every Voice and Sing</i>, which mentions a god (the god of American civil religion, apparently), but was written by an atheist! See http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/10/09/interview-with-mike-estes .<br /><br />See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGWsqR6UbGk to see Jesse Jackson introducing it as <i>The Black National Anthem</i>. I've got no problem with it being used as that, but I do not think it belongs in a Lutheran hymnal.<br /><br />--<br /><br />The tune <i>Austrian Hymn</i> by Franz Josef Haydn was used for the German national anthem, <i>Deutschland, Deutschland über alles</i>, which was written to promote the unity of the various German states. Unification took place in 1871.<br /><br />That tune is still used today for the German national anthem, although only the third stanza, <i>Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit</i> (<i>Unity and Right and Freedom</i>), is used. Maybe the situation is different in the Midwest, but I don't know of anybody in California who has a problem with the German national anthem (or even thinks about it much) or with the tune, though I suppose you can always find people everywhere who make it a practice of finding something to be offended about.<br /><br />The real Nazi anthem was the <i>Horst Wessel Lied</i>. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnGAgS8GzYg .Stan Slonkoskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13453758065449182939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-39095400166463246202011-04-04T22:13:19.889-07:002011-04-04T22:13:19.889-07:00Awesome! Wish we had such capable instrumentalist...Awesome! Wish we had such capable instrumentalists!<br /><br />Great job.T.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17717307937559840127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-27329818700901063622011-03-30T13:59:10.680-07:002011-03-30T13:59:10.680-07:00I'll look forward to hearing it this summer.I'll look forward to hearing it this summer.Pastor Johann Caauwehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08340732643102946472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-25853419074654049892011-03-30T10:54:39.741-07:002011-03-30T10:54:39.741-07:00I can understand why some Confessional Lutherans m...I can understand why some Confessional Lutherans might be concerned with using a song by Paris. But, there are times when a CCM composer/singer gets it right.LambertsOnlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17731421792571406434noreply@blogger.com