Tag Archives: CPH

Light of Christ – Organ Music Review

Light of ChristFor the organists out there, I know the Epiphany season is quickly coming to a close and soon we’ll be pulling out the Lenten music.  Before the Epiphany music goes into the filing cabinet, I thought I would pass along a recommendation for some organ sheet music  that I’ve had the joy of playing this Epiphany season.

Ben Culli has composed a series of preludes on six Epiphany hymns entitled Light of Christ (audio and PDF samples available on the CPH website).  I usually find Culli’s compositions challenging, but accessible — meaning I have to spend some quality practice time to reap the musical rewards.

In typical Culli style, his compositions exhibit a rhythmic drive and variety that draws the listener to the music.  The “fanfare” for Jesus Has Come and Brings Pleasure with its pedal points and relatively simple pedal line is a welcome addition to my other frequently used settings of this tune by Kevin Hildebrand and John Behnke.  The setting of Rise, Shine, You People has several motifs and rhythmic patterns that are repeated/echoed throughout the piece which helped to make preparation easier.

One of my favorite pieces from the collection was From God the Father, Virgin Born.  Culli took the hymn tune and interweaved it with a Sarabande by Jeremiah Clarke.  He has done this before in his other collections — quoting a section from Vivaldi’s Gloria in Excelsis with All Depends on Our Possessing and quoting Marcello’s Psalm XIX with With the Lord Begin Your Task.

I’m still working on How Good, Lord, to Be Here and hoping to have it prepared by Transfiguration Sunday.  The only thing left is that pesky hand, eye, and feet coordination!

Overall, this collection was a good addition to my music library.  It’s never too early to start preparing for Epiphany 2010!

Sneak Peak – New Organ Music @ CPH

For you organists (and choir directors) out there, it looks like Concordia Publishing House is starting to unveil their 2008 new organ music (and choral) collections. On first glance there are a couple of editions that look enticing — primarily because I’m already familiar with these composers:

  • A new volume by John Behnke in his series Five Preludes of Praise.
  • Six Hymn Improvisations Set 7 by Kevin Hildebrand. I frequently use his improvisations in worship services. His collections on Christmas and Lent/Easter hymns are also good.
  • Introductions, Harmonizations, Accompaniments, Interpretations, Vol. 5 by Jeffrey Blersch.

I suspect CPH is working on their promotional CDs and will soon be providing audio excerpts. But in the meantime they do have PDF excerpts for most of the music books.

And no, I do not receive any kickbacks from the CPH Music Department for writing this.

Te Deum at Kramer Chapel

Te Deum mosaicWhile reviewing some discussion threads over at Wittenberg Trail, a comment by Susan reminded me of my first experience singing Stephen Starke’s paraphrase of the Te Deum – “We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God” (LSB 941). Susan wrote, “Go to Kramer Chapel and hear those men singing Starke’s Te Deum. When you can breathe again, you’ll want to sing it to.” That is exactly where I first sang it — at Kramer Chapel at Concordia Theological Seminary during Matins at morning Chapel — along with Susan, a number of other organists, and the seminary community.

Starke’s paraphrase of this early hymn of praise, with its rich language, and coupled with Gustav Holst’s tune Thaxted is a joy to sing. Granted, Thaxted is best known as the theme from Jupiter in The Planets. However, now when I hear Jupiter on KBPS 89.9, I start singing the Te Deum — I dare say not necessarily a negative association.

If you have never heard (or even if you have) Starke’s paraphrase, I have two audio recommendations for your listening enjoyment:

  • Concordia Publishing House has released a festival setting for choir and organ (with optional orchestra) by Mark Bender. CPH has a complete performance with orchestra for listening on their product page. Even if your choir does not sing this setting, I would recommend your organist have a copy of the choral score since the opening organ introduction is alone worth the $1.75 and would be a fitting hymn introduction.
  • The Kantorei of Concordia Theological Seminary concludes their CD titled “Te Deum” with a mostly a capella (last verse with organ and brass) setting by Thomas Lock. Full length audio is available for streaming at the Kantorei site. While the Bender setting pulls out all the stops, I would characterize the Kantorei’s performance of the Lock setting as “reverently triumphant”.

Now don’t get me wrong; I’m still fond of the Anglican chant setting of the Te Deum from TLH and will continue to sing it. Yet, Starke’s Te Deum is a worthy inclusion in Lutheran Service Book and I hope congregation’s will take the opportunity to learn and use it.

06/04/09 Update

Another choral setting of Starke’s paraphrase is by Charles Ore.  It is set for SATB, organ, and brass.  You can listen to it at the CPH website.

Paul Manz – A Life Revealed

If you are a parish organist, you are probably familiar with the organ music of Paul Manz. If you are not a parish organist, you are unknowingly aware of Paul Manz via your organist who probably has used his hymn improvisations in worship services.

Up until recently I was puzzled why Concordia Publishing House had published so much of Paul Manz’s organ music in the 1960′s, 70′s and 80′s and now MorningStar Music publishes all of the organ volumes (re-edited in topical editions). What would cause the transition of publishers? Especially given the quality of Manz’s music.

Paul ManzI learned the answer, or at least someone else’s explanation, after reading “The Journey was Chosen: The Life and Work of Paul Manz ” by Scott Hyslop and published by MorningStar Music. Hyslop writes,

“For reasons seemingly bizarre and politically motivated, Concordia Publishing House came to a decision that they would no longer print music written by Manz and then started to systematically put much of what he had written out of print. . . In the end the Manzes were able to purchase back all of the copyrights to Paul’s music and move those titles to Morningstar.” (Hyslop, 71)

Reading this biography provided a historical background to the theological and political issues in the American Lutheran churches during the 1960′s-1980′s. And Paul Manz was in the midst of this as he served as a composer, teacher, and performer. Since I was born in the tail end of the 70′s, this is all “history” to me.

I enjoyed this biography because it provided a glimpse into the challenging and creative life of one of the great organists of the 20th century. It adds a dimension of understanding as I practice and listen to his compositions.

When Paul Manz was asked to give one piece of advice to someone venturing into church music, he said, “Love the people you have been called to serve.” These are good words for any church musician.

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.