His Voice - Volume 6, Number 2

Volume 6 - Number 2

September 2011

HIS

VOICE From Co-Director

Richard C. Resch

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y September a wonderful new resource will be available at our Good Shepherd Institute website. It is a professionally produced set of organ instruction videos with our own Kevin Hildebrand as the teacher/player in Kramer Chapel. Six twelve-minute videos cover the basics of hymn and service playing in a concise and understandable way.

The project started prior to Synod’s last convention, when the LCMS Commission on Worship had funds set aside for some form of organ instruction for the church. They approached Kantor Hildebrand about producing a set of videos demonstrating the organ techniques that have been taught for years at the CTS Organist Workshops. He said “yes,” and asked Tyler Black, the cinematographer for Singing the Faith: Living the Lutheran Musical Heritage, to handle the filming and production. Tyler also said “yes,” and the result is amazing. Please help spread the word about this outstanding new learning resource for Lutheran organists.

Our Administrative Assistant, Yohko Masaki, is moving on to a full-time translating position in the business community. We congratulate her on this exciting new position and certainly wish her all the best. She will be dearly missed, for she loved what the Institute was about and gave her all to her work with us.

But we are pleased to announce that the experienced and efficient Annette Gard is now working for The Good Shepherd Institute and the Music Department at the same number (260-452-2224). We heartily welcome Annette. continued on next page

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Pastoral Theology and Sacred Music for the Church

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continued from previous page A new Easter CD by the Seminary Kantorei will be released and available in time for the November Good Shepherd Institute conference. It is entitled “He Is Risen Indeed!

Alleluia!” and includes resurrection choral works by Bach (4), Mendelssohn (2), Brahms, Goss, Scarlatti, Jennings, Grechaninov, Hildebrand, Thompson, Lock, and Payton.

It is a compilation of selections from Easter tours of the Kantorei that go back to 2004. I am very pleased with the quality of this new CD and am eager for its confident and joyous Easter proclamation to be given to the church.

Some additional details about our November conference: The All Saints’ Choral Vespers will include music on two themes: 1. The Bride of Christ J. S. Bach, Cantata BWV 1 (Movement 1): “How Brightly Shines the Morning Star” Jan Bender, “How Brightly Shines the Morning Star,” the last stanza of Nicolai’s hymn 2. All Saints’ Day Johannes Brahms,“Let Nothing Ever Grieve You” in a beautiful new resurrection translation by Mark Preus Donald Busarow, “Nunc dimittis” Our new Seminary President, Dr. Lawrence Rast Jr., will serve as preacher.

We encourage you to submit your church’s wedding manual to Annette Gard at The Good Shepherd Institute office. We intend to have a display, and possibly a compilation of great ideas from resources received, for all to view in November.

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PASTORAL RESOURCES

by JOHN PLESS

Steven D. Paulson, Lutheran Theology, (T & T Clark, 2011), 293 pp.

ISBN 9780567482723. [$80.00] Martin Luther did not so much set out to reform the church as he did to reform preaching. Steven Paulson gets to the heart of Lutheranism—not as a denomination nor as a movement, but as the preaching of Christ crucified for the justification of sinners. Tracing the trajectory of Luther’s preaching in subsequent centuries, noting how it bumps up against attempts to domesticate its assertiveness or ground its doctrine according to one worldview or another, Paulson is persistent in following Luther’s own evangelical logic in making the necessary distinction between Law and Gospel, God hidden and God revealed, to provide contemporary readers with a vigorous introduction to the loci of Lutheran theology. With the Epistle to the Romans as his framework, Paulson deftly gives an account of Luther’s confession of Jesus Christ, and with precision and literary craftsmanship identifies the use (and misuse) of this theology in the church that bears his name. _______________________________________

Worship 2000: Papers Presented at the Congress on the Lutheran Confessions, Itasca, Illinois, April 27–29, 2000, ed. John A. Maxfield and Jennifer H. Maxfield (Luther Academy, 2010), 165 pp.

ISBN 9781935035046. [$15.95] Although originally presented over a decade ago, these essays have just now been published and for the most part remain relevant to issues still current in the life of American Lutheranism. Essayists are Paul Grime (the LSB), John Stephenson (Luther on liturgical reform), John T. Pless (liturgy and catechesis), Steven Briel (worship and the Old Testament), Timothy C. J. Quill (the influence of the Roman Catholic liturgical movement on Lutheran worship), Fredrik Sidenvall (two Swedish bishops on the liturgy), Matthew C. Harrison (the Lutheran Confessions on liturgical uniformity), and Kurt Marquart (on the “worship wars”). _______________________________________

Soundings in the Theology of Psalms: Perspectives and Methods in Contemporary Scholarship, ed. Rolf A. Jacobson (Fortress Press, 2011), 197 pp.

ISBN 9780800697396. [$32.00] An ecumenical array of Old Testament scholars reflects on theological aspects of the Psalter, ranging from the function of the imprecatory psalms to God’s faithfulness as expressed in the prayer and poetry of this canonical book. The volume, among other things, is a sampler of contemporary approaches to the study of the Psalms. _______________________________________

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PASTORAL RESOURCES

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Bruce K. Waltke and James M. Houston, The Psalms as Christian Worship: A Historical Commentary,

Oswald Bayer, “What Is Evangelical? The Continuing Validity of the Reformation,”

(Eerdmans, 2010), 626 pp. ISBN 9780802863744. [$28.00]

Lutheran Quarterly 25 (Spring 2011): 1–15.

The title is a bit misleading as this book is not a commentary on each of the individual psalms.

Rather it is an interesting examination of several key psalms (1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 15, 16, 19, 22, 23, 51, 110, and 139) in light of patristic, medieval, and Reformation interpretations. The authors wish to show how these psalms were prayed in Christian worship. The first section of the book (over a hundred pages) is a helpful overview of the history of interpretation from the pre-Nicene to contemporary, critical biblical scholarship. _______________________________________

This is a fine exposition of the heart and center of the Lutheran Reformation. Arguing that the Reformation is more than a historical phenomenon, Bayer maintains that the Reformation has abiding theological significance to the end of time, for it deals with the ultimate question: “What can we stake our life on with utter certainty in life and in death?” (1). Bayer shows that Luther answers this question with the promissio that is given by Christ alone, whose office it is to make God certain. This is an article that preachers would do well to read and ponder before stepping into the pulpit on the last Sunday in October. _______________________________________

Werner Klän, “The ‘Third Sacrament’: Confession and Repentance in the Confessions of the Lutheran Church,”

Perspectives on the Sabbath: Four Views, ed. Christopher John Donato

Logia: A Journal of Lutheran Theology 20 (Holy Trinity 2011): 5–12.

(B&H Academic, 2011), 420 pp.

ISBN 9780805448214. [$24.99]

This issue of Logia is devoted to Confession and Absolution. The lead article by a professor at the seminary of the SELK in Oberursel, is especially noteworthy as a fine study rich with historical detail and theological insight concerning the practice of Confession and Absolution in light of the doctrine of repentance. _______________________________________

Four scholars, representing four different views (seventh-day Sabbath, Christian Sabbath, Luther’s radical reading of the Sabbath Commandment, and the Sabbath fulfilled in Christ) of the significance of the Sabbath for New Testament Christians, provide essays and respond to each other. Charles Arand, of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, provides the Lutheran perspective, offering a fine study of Luther’s catechetical treatment of the Third Commandment. _______________________________________

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PASTORAL RESOURCES Johannes Heckel, Lex Charitatis: A Juristic Disquisition on Law in the Theology of Martin Luther, trans. and ed. Gottfried G. Krodel (Eerdmans, 2010), 566 pp. ISBN 9780802864451. [$35.00] This is a classic text on Luther’s understanding of the law, first published in Germany in 1953 and now, thanks to the labors of the late Gottfried Krodel, available to an English-speaking audience.

Arguing against the view of Rudolph Sohm that since the essence of the church is love and freedom there is no place for ecclesial law, Heckel shows how Luther understood law as both “sacred and secular” and still binding in the outward life of the church in the created world. While this is not an easy read, a careful study of this book will be immensely helpful as practical theologians think through matters of structure and governance.

Unfortunately, it appeared in English too late to serve the thinking of those involved with restructuring in the LCMS. _______________________________________

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B&H Academic www.bhpublishinggroup.com/academic T & T Clark www.continuumbooks.com Eerdmans www.eerdmans.com Fortress Press www.fortresspress.com Luther Academy www.shop.logia.org Lutheran Press www.lutheranpress.com

Oliver K. Olson, Matthias Flacius and the Survival of Luther’s Reform, 2d ed. (Lutheran Press, 2011), 428 pp.

ISBN 9780984535101. [$69.99] Oliver Olson has devoted his career to the study of the Croatian Lutheran reformer, Matthias Flacius (1520–1575), whose multifaceted contributions would save the Lutheran cause from Melanchthonian compromises, even though it would earn him the reputation of the “most hated man in Germany.” Olson tells Flacius’s story with careful attention to historical detail and a keen sense of the dynamics of the doctrinal issues at the heart of the controversies. It was Flacius who observed that liturgical change “will be the window through which the wolf will enter the evangelical fold” (138). Lutheran Press has released this revised edition of Olson’s 2002 book in an exquisitely handsome format and at a much more reasonable price than the earlier edition. It is highly recommended to all who are concerned about liturgical change in the Lutheran Church. _______________________________________ HIS Voice • September 2011

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Working with Instrumentalists in the Parish

by KEVIN HILDEBRAND

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he responsibilities of most church musicians typically include working with instrumentalists of many ability levels—from professional musicians who are members of the parish, to dedicated volunteers who enjoy playing regularly, and numerous junior high, high school, and college students. Recruiting, encouraging, and rehearsing with these players is a challenging but ultimately rewarding part of the church musician’s work.

In this issue of HIS Voice, I turned to three colleagues whose work with instrumentalists I have seen and heard, and asked them to share their insights, particularly on working with students.

Following this summary are reviews of recommended works for instruments and keyboard.

Stephen P. Johnson is Kantor at Blessed Savior Lutheran Church, New Berlin, Wisconsin. Kantor Johnson has found that building a good rapport with potential players has helped him recruit instrumentalists for Sunday morning. “Teaching seventh-grade confirmation class helps me know which students are in band,” Johnson relates. “One of the biggest difficulties is to get a young student to play the first time. Ask them repeatedly,” he adds, “even if they say no the first time you ask.” Pairing a less experienced player with a stronger player (adult or peer) or within a larger ensemble is another helpful technique. Kantor Johnson recommends establishing contact with students’ band directors, both to inform the teacher about church repertoire and also to find a possible solo or ensemble selection the student already knows that may be appropriate for service music.

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Christina Roberts is Kantor at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan (whose children’s choir sang at last year’s Good Shepherd Institute conference), and takes care with beginning players who need time to adapt to playing church music repertoire. “Playing in church, accompanied with organ or piano, is different than playing in the band room or in marching band. There’s more flexibility with church music,” she remarked. Kantor Roberts recommends simple hymn melodies for beginning players, even adapting an organ chorale prelude, with an instrument playing the cantus firmus. “Keep it technically simple,” she suggests. She often adapts an organ prelude, for example from the Concordia Hymn Prelude Series, by having an instrument play the melody line and the organ play the remaining parts. continued on next page

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WORKING WITH INSTRUMENTALISTS continued continued from previous page Martin Dicke, Cantor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Peoria, Illinois, is blessed with a strong instrumental music program in the local high schools. He has tapped into that resource, using members and occasionally non-member students, to cultivate an active instrumental program at Trinity, which includes both brass and woodwind ensembles that rehearse weekly. I enjoyed hearing some of these high school players at a recent event at Trinity, and I asked Cantor Dicke, “What’s the secret to get so many students to play?” His reply: “Ask them…really, the first step is inviting.”

Dicke goes on to say that student instrumentalists are “an untapped resource in many churches.

Many students—both in Lutheran and public schools—are in band. This can get them involved with the musical proclamation in the church.” He adds that having a strong instrumental program that utilizes student musicians to play hymns, liturgy, and hymn-based church music is a strong alternative to the non-traditional worship styles so often intended to “reach out to the youth.”

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Other wisdom from these parish musicians includes: ✠ It takes time (for the Kantor) and commitment (by the congregation) to value instrumental music as part of the proclamation of the living voice of the Gospel (the viva vox evangelii), championed by the Lutheran Reformation. ✠ Don’t be intimidated about working with instrumentalists if you are not an instrumentalist yourself. Technical questions can be referred to adult/more experienced players or the local band director. Even simple fixes like better posture or rhythmic accuracy don’t require instrumental expertise! ✠ Find out from your current players who else plays—whether it’s an adult who could easily dust off an instrument, or another band student in the parish that you don’t know yet. ✠ Cooperate with your youth director in arranging rehearsals or getting to know potential student musicians. ✠ Don’t discount saxophones. A discerning player can play with a mellow tone and can blend within either brass or woodwind ensembles.

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REPERTOIRE FOR INSTRUMENTS

by KEVIN HILDEBRAND

Fourteen Pieces for Treble Instrument and Organ

Organ Plus! Five Pieces for Organ + 1 or 2 Instruments, volumes 1 and 2

Allan Mahnke CPH 97-6547, $12.50

Charles Callahan MorningStar 20-810 and 20-811, $27.00 and $21.00

These easy to easy-medium pieces include both a through-composed prelude as well as a hymn harmonization. The hymn harmonization is a basic entry-level composition; the prelude is more through-composed, but still appropriate for beginning players. Parts for C and B-flat instruments are included. _______________________________________

These settings are slightly more technically demanding than the previous collection, and none are based on hymn tunes; most are baroque, classical, and romantic repertoire (Corelli, Dubois, and Vierne are among the composers represented).

The Vierne Prelude, originally a piano work, transcribed here for organ and instrument, is lovely and quite easy (although careful attention to accidentals on the part of the organist is a must). An aria by baroque composer Domenico Zipoli is a little more challenging, with ample syncopated rhythms and thirty-second notes (although played Largo). These settings would be better for intermediate and advanced instrumentalists. _______________________________________

With Music Crowned Donald Busarow CPH 97-7324, $40.00 Now under one cover, these settings were originally published in four small volumes in the 1980s. The writing is useful, enjoyable, and very good for organ and instruments alike. Part 2 consistently plays the chorale melody, making it ideal for a less confident or beginning player. Part 1 typically has some easy countermelody or other harmonic material. Parts for C and B-flat instruments are included with permission to reprint the instrumental parts. Part 2 also provides for bass clef instruments in C. _______________________________________

Four Chorale Meditations for Organ and Solo Instrument Charles Callahan MorningStar 20-864, $21.00 Although only four tunes are provided (HERZLIEBSTER JESU; HERZLICH TUT MICH VERLANGEN; LIEBSTER JESU, WIR SIND HIER; LOBE DEN HERREN), parts for almost any instrument (except bass instruments) are included (even less common instruments such as viola, English horn, alto saxophone, and guitar). These settings will be very practical for almost any school or church. _______________________________________

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Lord, Let Your Angels Shelter Me Hans Leo Hassler, arr. Mark Scott Organ and Brass Quartet MorningStar 20-841, $9.50 Yes, the title is a poor translation—it’s “Lord, let at last Thine angels come,” a transcription of the classic chestnut choral piece for double choir on HERZLICH LIEB HAB ICH DICH, O HERR (LSB 708). The brass plays “Choir I,” and the organ plays “Choir II.” In concert C Major, and with lots of quarter note rhythms, this is good writing for a volunteer brass ensemble. Use it on All Saints’ Sunday before you travel to The Good Shepherd Institute conference! _______________________________________

Four Advent Pieces for Flute and Organ Robert J. Powell MorningStar 20-061, $10.00 A good high school player or decent adult volunteer will find these settings useful and interesting. The flute typically plays the hymn melody, but in a decorated and ornamented fashion. The organ part is also very accessible. _______________________________________ 8

REPERTOIRE FOR INSTRUMENTS continued Preludes for Flute and Organ (The Church Year and Other Occasions)

Six Chorale Fantasias for Solo Instrument and Piano

Charles Callahan MorningStar 20-606, $29.00

Scott M. Hyslop Augsburg Fortress 11-10799, $20.00

The flute is a popular instrument, so there’s a need for lots of flute repertoire, written idiomatically for the instrument, such as this collection provides.

Callahan’s neo-romantic flair is evident in these settings. The Easter setting of LASST UNS ERFREUEN coupled with VICTIMAE PASCHALI is particularly delightful for the ears. _______________________________________

Scott Hyslop, director of music at St. Lorenz, Frankenmuth, Michigan, has a wide variety of hymn tunes represented in this volume—from DIVINUM MYSTERIUM to BEACH SPRING (a tune for which there is a need for more settings!). Musicians can be very flexible in using these settings, as parts are included for violin/flute, B-flat instrument, Eflat alto saxophone, cello, and oboe. _______________________________________

Music for instrument and keyboard by Adrian Mann

Arise and Rejoice! Preludes for Treble Instrument and Keyboard Augsburg Fortress ED004752, $15.00

‘Tis the Season: Preludes for Treble Instrument and Keyboard Augsburg Fortress ED004070, $15.00

Blest Are They: Preludes for Low Instrument and Keyboard Augsburg Fortress ED005185, $25.00 You may not know Adrian Mann, but many of you have heard him. Adrian is the principal bass player of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and is our orchestra contractor and bass player for the Seminary’s Choral Vespers. He is also a masterful composer and arranger. These collections of preludes for instrument and keyboard are representative of Adrian’s excellent writing. They are moderate to moderately difficult in ability level, particularly for the keyboard (most would work best on piano). It is especially welcome to have a volume devoted to low instruments (parts for bass clef in C and B-flat, viola, horn in F, and E-flat instrument—alto saxophone, for example). Included in this volume is a very accessible setting of “Thy Strong Word Did Cleave the Darkness” (LSB 578). _______________________________________

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Instruments for All Seasons, Chorale Preludes for the Liturgical Year CPH Vol. 1 Flute and Keyboard, Brian Henkelmann, 97-7227, $16.00 Vol. 2 Clarinet and Organ, Robert Powell, 97-7255, $18.00 Vol. 3 French Horn and Keyboard, Benjamin Culli, 97-7297, $33.00 This series devotes one volume to each instrument, with idiomatic and well-developed writing. The settings are generally beyond a basic “let’s play through the melody” arrangement, and include some melodic and rhythmic variations and ornamentation. Of particular note is volume three, devoted to the French horn. This instrument is not as common among students and volunteer musicians, but where there is a French horn player, there is a need for good repertoire specifically written for the instrument. Ben Culli, also an accomplished horn player, provides such settings in this volume. _______________________________________

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REPERTOIRE FOR INSTRUMENTS continued In dulci jubilo: Three Advent/Christmas Pieces for Brass Quintet David Giardiniere MorningStar 20-210, $35.00

Salvation Is Created David Giardiniere MorningStar 20-305, $20.00 Unfortunately, many brass ensemble compositions assume professional or advanced players. However, most student and volunteer players need something a little more down-to-earth and accessible, such as these arrangements by David Giardiniere. These settings are a welcome addition to brass ensemble repertoire and are highly recommended. “Comfort, Comfort Ye My People” (with harmonizations by Goudimel and Bach), IN DULCI JUBILO (a transcription of the famous R. L. Pearsall choral setting), and COVENTRY CAROL are included in Three A dvent/Christmas Pieces. These settings may be purchased as a set in hard copy, or individually by download from www.morningstarmusic.com.

Salvation Is Created is a transcription of the chestnut choral setting by Pavel Tchesnokov. In all of these arrangements, quarter, half, and whole notes abound, making for ease of note reading. Rich sonorities, realistic ranges, and friendly key signatures predominate. Organ may double the brass parts for extra richness, support, or confidence. _______________________________________

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Festival Hymns and Processionals Vaclav Nehlybel Hope 750, $40 (score) This tried-and-true collection has forty-eight wellknown hymns scored for brass quartet, with optional tuba and timpani parts. Each hymn has three different settings (A, B, C), which are intended to double or enhance the organ accompaniment. Buying a score and complete set of parts is a financial investment, but a brass ensemble will get their money’s worth from this collection. _______________________________________ Augsburg Fortress www.augsburgfortress.org Concordia Publishing House www.cph.org Hope Publishing Company www.hopepublishing.com MorningStar Music Publishers www.morningstarmusic.com

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READING AND LISTENING

by DANIEL ZAGER

READING Paul Westermeyer, “Discernment,” Cross A ccent: Journal of the A ssociation of Lutheran Church Musicians 19, no. 1 (2011): 5–16.

The “discernment” Paul Westermeyer addresses is that involved in choosing music for worship. “What music should we choose?” was the basis for a panel discussion at the 2011 biennial conference of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, for which Westermeyer wrote this article as a basis for further discussion. Early on in this article Westermeyer reminds the reader that “music is part of the church’s proclamatory activity” (6), later observing “what the church sings follows the Bible’s lead and proclaims in song what God has done” (12). Westermeyer points out the weakness of the unfortunate labels “traditional” and “contemporary”: “Neither is what it calls itself.

‘Traditional’ is a euphemism for collapsing into the parody of a past culture, and ‘contemporary’ is a euphemism for collapsing into a superficially popular slice of a current culture soon to be or already past. Both avoid the call to be in but not of the world. Future generations are likely to fault us forcefully for this avoidance” (11). Westermeyer provides fifteen “suggestions” that have to do specifically with musical choices (see pages 13–15).

There is much wisdom in these suggestions, and Lutheran church musicians will do well to read and ponder his words. _______________________________________

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Carl P. Daw Jr., “What Difference Does It Make What You Sing?”

Cross A ccent: Journal of the A ssociation of Lutheran Church Musicians 19, no. 1 (2011): 17–25.

Carl Daw is a well-known writer of hymn texts (cf.

LSB 600, 678, 891, 950) and former Executive Director of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada. This article had its origins as an address delivered at the 2009 Vi Messerli Lectures in Church Music at Concordia University Chicago.

Daw chose to focus much of his discussion around Martin Franzmann’s text “Thy Strong Word Did Cleave the Darkness” and Carl Schalk’s tune NOW. [The former discussion should be supplemented by Constance Buszin Seddon, “Memoirs of the Franzmann Family and the Origins of the Franzmann Hymn ‘Thy Strong Word,’” Journal of The Good Shepherd Institute 8 (2007): 139–53.]

One of Daw’s most important observations is that “a great field for developing hymnody [is] new texts based on the three-year Lectionary” (23–24). He observes further that such hymns should “grapple with all the Lectionary readings for a given Sunday or occasion, not just the Gospel” (24). _______________________________________

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READING AND LISTENING

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LISTENING Johannes Eccard, Choral Works (Norddeutscher Kammerchor, Maria Jürgensen) [2011, Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm MDG 902 1694-6] Johannes Eccard (1553–1611) held positions as singer and as choirmaster in Lutheran and in Catholic territories of the German-speaking lands. From 1571–1573 he was a singer in the Bavarian Hofkapelle in Munich, where he studied composition with the renowned Orlando di Lasso (1532–1594).

From 1579 he worked in Lutheran establishments, his compositional activities focusing on the chorale. His Geistlicher Lieder of 1597 is perhaps particularly interesting to the twenty-first-century Lutheran church musician. Eccard’s 1597 collection presents so-called “cantional” style settings, meaning that the composer placed the chorale melody in the soprano voice (rather than the tenor voice) so that it could be heard clearly by the congregation, the congregation thus being supported in their participation in singing chorales.

This recording includes seven cantional settings from the 1597 collection, including “Vom Himmel hoch” (LSB 358), “Nun bitten wir den heiligen Geist” (LSB 768), and “Vater unser im Himmelreich” (LSB 766).

The most beautiful and striking to my ear is the setting of “O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig” (LSB 434).

Eccard’s settings remain useful, perhaps for the choir to sing in alternation with the congregation on longer hymns, such as “From Heaven Above” and “Our Father, Who from Heaven Above.” The sixteen-voice North German Chamber Choir delivers exquisite readings of these chorale settings as well as other choral works by Eccard. _______________________________________ Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm www.mdg.de

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