Category Archives: Choir

Gregorian Chant in Worship

When most people think of Gregorian chant they likely think of Roman Catholics or cloistered monks (with their cowl) chanting in a dimly lit church.  This past Monday on Issues, Etc. Dr. Ben Mayes provided an interesting discussion on the history of Gregorian chant and its relevance to today’s Reformation Christians as part of our Lutheran heritage.  I’ve embedded the audio for your listening ease.

If you take only one thing away from the discussion, I think this should be it:

Gregorian chant lets the text of scripture and its quiet power shine through without forcing an emotion on it. (paraphrased from my listening notes)

A few years back I acquired a long out-of-print volume of Introits for the one-year lectionary set to Gregorian chant tones (edited by Walter Buszin and published by CPH in 1942).  Buszin provided these reasons for the use of Gregorian chant (referring specifically to the Introits, but logically extrapolating to chant in general):

  1. They are truly liturgical in character.
  2. They are simple and may be sung by any type of church choir and be transposed to other keys.
  3. They are churchly, giving prominence to the text and relegating the music to the background.
  4. They are undramatic and objective and yet possess great beauty.
  5. They have stood the test of time and have become a part of the Lutheran heritage.

Whether you choose to explore Gregorian chant further, it does make you think how music affects and has the potential to overpower the text.

More info about Gregorian chant from a Lutheran perspective can be found at the Lutheran Liturgical Prayer Brotherhood website.  Dr. Mayes also edited the Brotherhood Prayer Book.

Singing Advice from Luther

Luther\'s Liturgical MusicI have just started reading Luther’s Liturgical Music by Robin Leaver. While I’ve only finished the second chapter, I sense this will be a very in depth but readable study of Luther and music. Chapter Two focused on how music was a central part of Luther’s life from a very young age until his death and how he was surrounded by accomplished musicians. Leaver “sought to demonstrate that Luther’s musicianship was anything but superficial and is the essential starting-point for any discussion of his musical understanding of theology or of his liturgical use of music” (pg. 63)

And after reading this chapter, what do I remember? This practical bit of advice from Luther regarding the starting pitch of a song: “No one should try to sing such a song in a higher key, for he will surely become hoarse and make a botch of it before he reaches five notes.” Thus saith Luther.

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?