That such unmerited free grace
(Which God from love for all our race
Had promised in His Word) might be
Kept fresh in human memory
And move the heart to high delight
In praising God both day and night—

This is the weightiest reason why
God music did at once supply.
Then too, since sin acquired at birth
Would bring to Adam’s seed on earth
Much woe and—earth itself now spoiled—
Small joy in all for which they toiled,
As antidote against that blight,
To keep man’s life from wilting quite,
And also to rejoice the heart,
God soon supplied sweet music’s art.
——
I have just named two reasons why
God gave us music from on high.
These reasons teach us we must use
The gift from heaven as God would choose:
By it let God be glorified;
Then let it be our help and guide.

Thanks for reading Johann Walter – Composer and Poet.

What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;

In other words, the name is not important as the underlying object.

So how does this relate to church musicians?  Here’s your test:  How many different names can you find for “church musician?”  Think about it — I’ll wait.

Depending on your church’s traditions and how broadly you’re thinking, you might say organist, pianist, instrumentalist, soloist, choir director, choirmaster, Minister of Worship, Minister of Music, Director of Worship, Director of Music and Worship Arts, Director of Celebration Ministries, or a host of other words chained together to createa job title.

These names have their merits and and to some extent describe the underlying person/job, but they lack the church musician’s essential purpose — leading the people’s song.  In “The Church Musician,” Paul Westermeyer writes,

Most contemporary terms for the church musician . . . point either to a post-Enlightenment mentality in which music is for entertaining, or to a neutral conception that relates to music alone.  Our terms do not point to the role of the church musician in the body of Christ (p. 15).

Westermeyer contends that “none of these terms relate primarily to the people’s song.”  However, the people in these roles are often actively involved in this leadership responsibility.  His preference, and the precedence in Lutheran history, is to call these leaders “kantors” (or “cantors”).  Find out more about kantors here.

Whether named or not, your church does have kantors (and you may be one of them).  The point is not to start a crusade to have a title changed, but to understand the essential role of the church musician as a leader of the church’s song.  Names are important (no offense to Juliet).

I will let Paul Westermeyer conclude and provide some encouragement to all the kantors out there:

To lead the people in song is at once simple and complex . . . Men or women can do it, and those with the most creative capacities will never cease to be challenged by it.  It encompasses the simplest amateur expression and the most perfect possible professional performance.  It is for the part-time amateur and the full-time J.S. Bach.  And it is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do. (p. 16, The Church Musician)

Thanks for reading Shakespeare and Church Musicians.

Johann Walter, Kantor
Johann Walter (1496-1570) began service at the age of 21 as a composer and bass singer in the court chapel of Frederick the Wise. In 1524, he published a collection of hymns arranged according to the church year. It was well received and served as the model for numerous subsequent hymnals. In addition to serving for 30 years as kantor (church musician) in the cities of Torgau and Dresden, he also assisted Martin Luther in the preparation of the Deutsche Messe (1526). Walter is remembered as the first Lutheran kantor and composer of church music.

Thanks for reading Johann Walter – First Lutheran Kantor.

“. . . The Lutheran cantor viewed the use of his artistic gifts primarily as a summons from God to preach the Gospel. He did not consider himself an individual artist who was to receive honor and acclaim through his own doing. He regarded his work as existing only for the reason of purposeful union with God and the church.” (Key Words in Music [1978 ed], editor Carl Schalk, page 47)

While the sinful flesh can revel in the accolades heaped on him by others, the Christian, fulfilling his vocation in faith, looks with utter dependence on what God has done for him.

Please keep your parish musicians in your prayers as they serve your congregations with the Gospel.  Lutheran Service Book has a prayer for church musicians and artists:

God of majesty, whom saints and angels delight to worship in heaven, be with Your servants who make art and music for Your people that with joy we on earth may glimpse Your Beauty. Bring us to the fulfillment of that hope of perfection that will be ours as we stand before Your unveiled glory; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. (136)

Thanks for reading The Kantor "Attitude".

One resource that was enlightening was from the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians in their Employment Guide on the Placement portion of their website. This Guide offers job descriptions of various church musician positions, but it also begins with a page in calligraphy entitled “Role of the Cantor.” This is what the ALCM has to say:

The Role of the Cantor

• The Cantor – the historical term among Lutherans – is the leader of the people’s song.
• The Cantor is responsible for leading the musical expression of the people — the assembly, choral groups, solo singers, and instrumentalists. Among whom organists have been especially important for Lutherans.
• The Cantor uses whatever musical resources are available, using them in a manner appropriate to the talents of those serving and the needs of the people who are served.
• The Cantor leads the earthly assembly in a foretaste of John’s vision of the heavenly in which all creatures give praise, honor, glory, and power to the Lamb.
• The Cantor’s work is a worthy service to God, God’s people, and the world.
• It is a high and holy calling.

This gives a bit of insight into the vocation of a Kantor.

Thanks for reading So What Does a Kantor Do?.