O Lord, Open My Lips

These familiar words from Psalm 51 - “O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare Your praise” - prepare us as we pray through Matins and Vespers. It is good to pray these words since our sinful nature does not have the words or desire to praise God.

In a short article I recently acquired, Kevin Hildebrand reflects on the import of these familiar words.

We are by nature sinful and unclean. Therefore we ask with the psalmist, “O Lord, open my lips,” as we cannot open our own dead, sinful lips. Only with lips that have been touched with the words of absolution, drenched with the waters of Holy Baptism, and quenched with the Blood of the chalice can we then say with confidence, “and my mouth will declare your praise.”

** An excerpt from “The Organ Also Sings: Some Brief Thoughts to Introduce an Organ Reading Session” in the 2004 journal of the Good Shepherd Institute - Singing and Preaching the Close of the Year: “Zion Hears the Watchmen Singing)

Our praise is a result of the great gifts God gives us through His word and sacraments. Thanks be to God!

Thoughts on the Prelude

When you look back on this past Sunday (or any Sunday you can remember), what were you doing while waiting for the worship service to begin? Praying? Reviewing the service? Talking? Listening to the prelude?

I would surmise most organists try to choose preservice music that reflects the theme of the day and the hymns that will be sung. Perhaps the musician will highlight a hymn tune that is not being sung, but still evokes the season of the church year or theme.

I’ve been recently reading portions of the “Manual on the Liturgy” for the Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW). I had to smile when Philip Pfatteicher wrote:

Preludial music by instrumentalists or vocalists can help to prepare the worshipers for the service. . . . It must be assumed that the congregation will actually listen [my emphasis] to the music played before the service, for to perform music in church to which no one listens or which is simply to cover up the noise of the entering and gathering congregation is liturgically and artistically misguided. (pg 200)

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

While 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.

His Voice - Newsletter of Good Shepherd Institute

I’ve been waiting for some to write this blog post, but was waiting for the new semi-annual installment of His Voice to be published by the Good Shepherd Institute at Concordia Theological Seminary. I knew it had to be coming in either March or April and it was posted on the GSI website today. Definitely visit their website and download the latest version (in PDF). For that matter, why not download all five issues (current and the last two years)?

His Voice is a wonderful resource for those interested in the current events of the Good Shepherd Institute and provides:

• Recommended Pastoral Resouces - Reviews by John Pless
• Recommended Choral and Organ Music - Reviews by Kevin Hildebrand
• Recommended Reading and Listening Resources - Reviews by Daniel Zager

I have a great amount of respect for the GSI and take their recommendations seriously. My personal library is a reflection of this.

Highlights from the April 2008 edition include the topic of the 2008 Annual Conference, notification of the release of the “Singing the Faith: Living the Lutheran Music Heritage” DVD, and comprehensive music suggestions for Pentecost and Trinity 2008 by Kevin Hildebrand.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Good Shepherd Institute of Pastoral Theology and Sacred Music for the Church, it is “dedicated to hearing and discerning the clear voice of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, through preaching, historic liturgies, substantive catechesis, and hymns that communicate faith in Christ in the church’s trinitarian teaching and worship.” You can learn more about their mission and vision by going here.

They have a number of resources available including published journals from their annual conferences and a book on the life of Walter Buszin.

The Good Shepherd Institute is a blessing to the church. Thank You!

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.

I 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.

Hymn of the Day & the Chorale

Today many LCMS churches using the three-year lectionary probably sang “Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart” (LSB 708) as the Hymn of the Day. What a marvelous hymn.

The second verse of the hymn echoes the petition in the Collect of the Day: ” . . . You see that of ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul . . . “

Yea, Lord, ’twas Thy rich bounty gave
My body, soul, and all I have
In this poor life of labor.
Lord, grant that I in every place
May glorify Thy lavish grace
And serve and help my neighbor.
Let no false doctrine me beguile,
Let Satan not my soul defile.
Give strength and patience unto me
To bear my cross and follow Thee.
Lord Jesus Christ,
My God and Lord, my God and Lord,
In death Thy comfort still afford. (LSB 708, vs 2)

During the offering today, I played a relatively simple 4-part harmonization of this chorale by J.S. Bach. This reminded me of the simple beauty and effectiveness of a chorale harmonization. Service music does not have to be complex or elaborate to be effective.

Take for example the Concordia Theological Seminary Kantorei singing verse 3 set to a harmonization by J.S. Bach. You can listen to this track from their CD “O Sing Unto the Lord” by visiting the Kramer Chapel website. The unaccompanied voices are breathtaking and calming.

There are plenty of opportunities for a church choir to learn a chorale setting from the hymnal or from a collection like 101 Chorales Harmonized by J.S. Bach (edited by Walter Buszin). Wouldn’t this be a beautiful and simple alternative to a choral anthem while teaching and proclaiming some wonderful words?