Yearly Archives: 2007

Improvisation for Organists

My previous post on hymn introductions (aka Invitation to Sing) got me to thinking about improvisation. To the average organist, it may sound like a daunting task or something that only “experienced” organists can do. You may be thinking, “I’ll stick to playing what’s on the page.” Let me tell you fellow organists: you too can improvise.

Jan Bender, in his book “Organ Improvisation for Beginners” offers the following on the benefits of learning how to improvise:

What is improvisation good for? There are many answers, and I will try to name some of them. The first one is very practical: One does not need to handle so many books. . . . Second: Improvisation is an outstanding discipline to develop and train memory as well as intelligence. . . Third, again a very practical reason: It is fun and very satisfying. Last but not least: When it is done well, improvisation contributes to the dignity of the worship service and to the praise of God.

Bender’s book, while good, requires a working understanding of music theory and harmony.

Off the PageA resource I received as a Christmas present is “Off the Page: Tips & Techniques for Creating Hymn-Based Organ Settings” ($38.00) by Donald Rotermund and published by MorningStar Music Publishers. If you can play a hymn from the hymnal, you can improvise. Rotermund shows you step by step a number of different techniques (e.g., Echo Phrases) that you can practice and use together to create things like a hymn introduction, prelude, or partita. There is even a CD that gives an audio demonstration of each technique. This is an extremely accessible and useful resource for the church organist.

What I find particularly satisfying about this book is how the musician is just using the music in front of them in the hymnal. The book assumes the reader has a limited background in music theory and keyboard harmony and little improvisational background, BUT the willingness and desire to spend some time practicing and becoming comfortable with the techniques. Rotermund also shows you how to mark your hymnal so you can recall your plan of action while at the organ console.

If you are really interested in learning to improvise, another resource is the Improvisation Organist Workshop at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, by Kantor Kevin Hildebrand. His workshop covers many of the same techniques as in “Off the Page” — some of the material from “Off the Page” was field tested in Hildebrand’s workshops. If you have the opportunity to attend the Improvisation or another workshop, take advantage of it. You will learn a lot and meet some great people. Each summer has a different selection of workshops – you will need to check with the Seminary to see what workshops will be offered in 2008. You can read my “testimonial” here.

Best wishes as you serve God’s people through your service playing.

Invitation to Sing

When I went back to an Organist Workshop last summer at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN, Kantor Resch reminded us of the importance of how we introduce and lead hymns. Subconsciously I knew this, but it was good to be reminded and reinforced.

As I recall, Kantor Resch referred to the hymn introduction as an “Invitation to Sing.” If the introduction is “blah”, the singing will be “blah” as well. The “invitation” by the organist gives a foretaste of what is to come. One of the primary responsibilities of the organist is to engage God’s people in song.

Sometimes the introduction will be playing the entire hymn through once. Sometimes it will be the first and last music phrases. For me this can get a bit repetitive and rather uncreative. More often than not I will either improvise an introduction, use an introduction from one of the organ books in my library, or repurpose a portion of an organ piece from another composer.

The idea for this blog post came after a number of people from church over the last week complimented me on the introductions and accompaniments for a number of the hymns. I was told they were creative, engaging, and reflective of the texts. I can’t take credit for them all — some of them were my own improvisations, but a number of them came from the works of Carl Schalk, Jeffrey Blersch, and Kevin Hildebrand. If any of you organist’s out there do not have Hildebrand’s newest organ collection, Bethlehem’s Rose – 12 Easy Chorale Preludes, get it for the 2008 Christmas season.

P.S. I do not work for or get any commissions from Concordia Publishing House. ;-) I just happen to use a lot of the organ music that they publish.

Let God’s Children Sing

Over at Cranach, Gene Edward Veith has a discussion on children and the music they sing in worship — solid hymnody and liturgy vs. “cutesey wootsey” music.St Paul Children’s Choir

It is a high responsibility to choose the music we place into the mouth of God’s people – whether children or adult. These songs should not be trite or cute, nor filler or fluff. The church’s song should be a faithful proclamation and preaching of the Word. No less should be tolerated.

I remember as a child singing Page 15 and Vespers from The Lutheran Hymnal and liked singing it although I didn’t understand everything. As a teenager, youth (that meant me) were supposed to be “in to” Contemporary Christian Music. I shortly gave that up and turned more and more to TLH because the hymnody had more content and was more relevant to me.

While I don’t have any children of my own, it is a joy to hear the voices of children sing the hymns of the faith and the liturgy, and belt out the Creed and Lord’s Prayer. Whether or not they know it, the children are learning what they need to know and who they are. It is the privilege of pastors, parish musicians, and the congregation to nurture this growth through hymnody and liturgy. In reality, though, it is really God doing all the work.

A great resource for teaching children hymns and personal enjoyment is the four CD set by the Children’s Choir of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Ft Wayne, IN. The choir sings hymns and liturgy — no fancy choral settings. This is the Children’s Choir you hear occasionally on The Lutheran Hour. The CD’s can be purchased through St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Concordia Theological Seminary at CPHBookstore@ctsfw.edu, or at Concordia Publishing House.

In short, let God’s children sing. Let them sing the hymns of our Lutheran heritage. Let them sing the liturgy that has nourished the church for hundreds of years. Let them grow through these hymns and liturgy.

The Lutheran Choir

What is the mission and responsibility of the Lutheran choir? Oftentimes we think the role of the choir is to sing choral anthems. Does the choir have some “higher” purpose?

Awhile back I came across the following quote in a book entitled Conduct of the Service by Rev. Dr. Arthur Carl Piepkorn which sparked my thinking.

The primary function of the Choir is to lead the Congregation in the singing of the Liturgy and the Hymns, and to sing the Propers when they are beyond the capacity of the Congregation. The singing of optional anthems and other compositions apart from the Ordinary, the Propers and Hymns is at best a secondary function of the Choir and should not be allowed to become its primary function or reason for existing.

How many of us have this understanding of the choir? The Lutheran choir is a Liturgical choir. I have a dear friend who reminds me several times each year that when she sang in the choir many years ago, they would chant the introit and gradual each Sunday (and that they sang lots of Bach chorales).

For the last month, my church’s choir has been learning Divine Service Setting Four from Lutheran Service Book and several new hymns. They have been teaching the congregation by example and supporting the singing in a way that I cannot do on the organ by myself. I can lead on the organ by my articulation, phrasing, tempo, and registrations, but the addition of the choir lends another helpful dimension.

There are a number of resources available to help the average choir director, with an average choir, and an average accompanist/organist to sing and lead the Propers.

  • Acclamation is a new weekly resource from Concordia Publishing House which contains settings of the Introit, Psalm of the Day, Gradual, Gospel Acclamation, and Hymn of the Day. It is available to match the historic one-year lectionary or the three-year lectionary from Lutheran Service Book.
  • Liturgy Solutions offers a number of helpful resources for the weekly singing of the Propers based on the one-year and three-year lectionaries.
  • Concordia Publishing House will also be releasing Lutheran Service Book: Propers of the Day in January 2008. This resource will contain the Propers from the LSB Altar Book for each Sunday and festival in a convenient form for chanting and worship preparation/study. After some practice it becomes quite easy to learn how to chant with a LSB or similar chant tone.

Learning to sing the Propers, the Ordinary, and the hymns can be a rewarding way for the choir to proclaim the Word and the theme of the day to the congregation. Why not devote a portion of your choral time to practicing what may be the most important role of the Choir?

Perspective and Encouragement on Musical Vocation

Sometimes church musicians, whether professional or amateur, get discouraged. We wonder if the time and energy we put in each week matter. We can get burnt out, especially in those seasons of the church year where there are mid-week services, special occasions, and high feast days and the hours of preparation that goes into them.

I was perusing through one of my organ method books, The Concordia Organ Method by John Behnke, and came across the closing section of the book. In “A Final Thought” Behnke succinctly provides encouragement to the church musician:

There are many occupations in life, but there is no greater privilege than to serve in the house of the Lord and to lead God’s people in song.

The music which you play and the attitude which you bring to your music and work are a profession of your faith and a true ministry to the people around you.

Always remember that your calling is a high and noble one and that your labor is never in vain.

With the words of the great poet, Jaraslav Vajda, we can say,

With my talents, skills, and time
realize your will sublime;
let the world around me hear
wisdom, hope and Gospel cheer,
and my love for you remain,
my life’s refrain.
(From his hymn “Spirit, God, Eternal Word”)

Soli Deo Gloria!