Tag Archives: Hymnody

The LCMS 100 “Song” Study: Part 1

Back in June 2008 I commented on the LCMS Reporter article that 100 “worship and praise songs” had successfully made their way through the Synod’s doctrinal review process (13 of them appear in LSB or earlier publications).  I’ve wondered about the delay to release the list, but it has recently been posted on the Commission on Worship’s website — go here to read their article and get the list.

This study has been motivated by a trend in parts of the LCMS to embrace the “praise and worship” genre of music.  The Commission was directed by convention resolution to provide “guidance and direction in the use of diverse/contemporary worship resources.”  Given the plethora of “diverse/contemporary worship resources” [there are over 200,000 songs available for use via the CCLI church copyright license], some guidance seems appropriate to steer professional church workers and laity toward resources that are in harmony with the Lutheran faith and confessions.

Continue reading →

O Sing of Christ

Some of you may be familiar with O Sing of Christ (LSB 362) by Stephen Starke – a wonderful Christmas hymn text that will be new to many, but coupled to the tune Forest Green (sometimes sung to O Little Town of Bethlehem).

While listening to my Christmas iPod playlist, I came across a recording of a delightful hymn setting of O Sing of Christ that I discovered a few years back.  After a little bit of Internet research I found the source of it — Outer Rim Territories.  The setting is by Kevin Hildebrand and is a rehearsal recording of one of the seminary choral groups.  You can even sing along if you like.

Bethlehem's RoseAs a hint to the organists out there, Hildebrand’s instrumental introduction has been set for organ in his volume of Christmas music — Bethlehem’s Rose.  Though, I’m not sure how many “average” organs have a Flute 2′ in the pedal division (unless you couple a 3rd manual with a 2′ stop to the pedal or you are playing the Kramer Chapel organ).

Todd Wilken with Issues Etc interviewed Stephen Starke about this hymn on December 21, 2006.  The interview is archived here — just ignore all the references to supporting Issues Etc. via KFUO and the Reformation Club — to support Issues Etc., go here.

Ambrose, the Children, and Advent

A few days back I was flipping through “First Person Singular: Reflections on Worship, Liturgy, and Children” by Carl Schalk.  It is is a smallish volume of less than a hundred pages with brief reflections on various topics related to children in the life of the church.

Schalk had a reflection that was particularly relevant to the Advent season based on Ambrose, the author of the Hymn of the Day for this First Sunday in Advent – “Savior of the Nations, Come” (LSB 332)

As the story goes, Ambrose (340-397), the great Bishop of Milan, was having trouble with the Arians, a heretical sect which denied Christ’s divinity.  When the Empress Justina, who favored the Arians, tried to get Ambrose to open one of the churches–the Basilica Portina–for her adherents, Ambrose adamantly refused.  Fearing reprisal from the Empress, Ambrose gathered the faithful in the basilica, singing psalms and hymns to buoy their spirits in this time of persecution.  When the soldiers sent by the Empress arrived at the basilica, so tremendous was the effect of the people’s song that the soldiers are said to have joined in the singing.  The Empress finally was forced to abandon her plans.

St. Augustine, one of Ambrose’s converts–who as a young man was present with his mother at the Basilica Portina–wrote some years later in his Confession about the moving experience and how the singing had made a profound impression on him.  (p. 17)

Schalk next asks a question that propels this historical situation to our own day: “But where were the children?”  His conclusion, based on Augustine and that society’s lack of child care centers, is that the children, with the whole family, were at the Basilica singing the strong hymns of Ambrose.   The whole church family–young and old–were spiritually nurtured and grew by these hymns.

His encouragement to the church today is to continue (or reinstate, as the case may be) the practice of teaching children the strong and sturdy hymns of the faith — not “Twinkie Tunes with Ding Dong Theology” (title of another reflection).  These hymns can be formative in the faith development of the children.

Why not start with Ambrose’s Advent hymn?

Heirs of the Reformation CD Set

Today the good folks at FedEx delivered one of two long awaited items I’ve had on preorder from CPH.  Hot off the press is a “sequel” (for lack of a better word) to the 4 CD set Martin Luther: Hymns, Ballads, Chants, Truth.  This next 4 CD set – Heirs of the Reformation – focuses on Lutheran hymnody after Luther during the 16th and 17th centuries.  Audio samples are available on the CPH product page.

This evening I copied the CDs over to my iPod and have been listening to them as I walked the dog and did other evening tasks.  The music is glorious – a melding of instrumental and vocal settings – some old and some new – some on period instruments and some on the organ.  This set is truly a feast for the ears; a proclamation of the Word through some great texts and music.

One thing I appreciate about this set, the Martin Luther set, and the Hymns for All Saints series is the clear diction of the singers.  The singing is clear and the listener does not have to strain to listen.  This set and the Martin Luther set come with a booklet with complete hymn texts and also commentaries of each text. Both of these booklets are available on the CPH product page at the above links.

And if you’re a music director, organist, or choir director, the booklet has the CPH item numbers for most of the settings.  You might get some ideas for your own use.  I’ve already rediscovered some organ settings that I use (Kevin Hildebrand’s organ setting of In Thee Is Gladness and Mark Sedio’s organ setting of Jesus Thy Boundless Love).

The Heirs of the Reformation set and Martin Luther: Hymns, Ballads, Chants, Truth would both be excellent resources that complement the Good Shepherd Institute’s Singing the Faith DVD.

Just as the title says, these are “Treasures of the Singing Church.”  We are the heirs of these treasures, just as the composers and poets were the heirs of what came before them.  Moreover, though, we are all heirs of Christ through the gracious gifts God richly gives us through Word and Sacrament.

Now I’m just awaiting the arrival of the Treasury of Daily Prayer.  Can we all say, “CPH, ship that book!”?

Higher Hymnody: The Gifts Christ Freely Gives

Here’s a good article by Jonathon Kohlmeier over at Higher Things on hymnody.  In particular, he takes a look at Kantor Richard Resch’s hymn “The Gifts Christ Freely Gives” (LSB 602) and comments on the gifts we receive in the Divine Service.  Thanks Jonathon!

A brief excerpt:

Have you ever asked, “Why do we sing all these different hymns during church?” I have. Wouldn’t the service go much faster if we just started with the Invocation instead of singing all of the verses of some hymn before it? Do we really need a Hymn of the Day, doesn’t that just take up more time? I guess communion hymns are okay, they give us something to do while everyone else is receiving communion. Does Pastor really need to make the service even longer by having a closing hymn? What’s the point?

. . .

No, hymns aren’t there to keep us entertained. They are there to teach us. They are gifts to remind us of all that Christ has done for us and is doing for us.

Speaking of “long hymns”, the Hymn of the Day for September 21 is Salvation Unto Us Has Come.  If you don’t sing all 10 stanzas in LSB, take the time to read them.