SHARPS AND FLATS

BY TIM GETZ

MINISTER OF MUSIC

(Link to Choral Videos Here)

At our Ministry Fair in October I put out a jar into which people could drop the titles of their favorite hymns or other church songs. There weren’t a lot of entries, but every time I do something like this it fascinates me to see what people select.

This year’s selections were no different: they represent the huge variety in style, background, and even theology present within our primary Episcopal music collection, the Hymnal 1982.

Here are the stories of just a sampling:

“Faith of Our Fathers” was written in the 1840s by an English clergyman, Frederick Faber. First ordained an Anglican priest, Faber later converted to Roman Catholicism. This hymn comes from a collection edited by Faber entitled Jesus and Mary, an early Roman Catholic attempt at producing hymns in the vernacular. Its original third stanza reads: “Faith of our Fathers! Mary’s prayers shall win our country back for thee; and through the truth that comes from God, England shall then indeed be free.” Interestingly, this hymn appears today (without that third stanza!) in many American protestant hymnals and is not well-known among Roman Catholics. It was sung at the funeral of president Franklin Roosevelt, and was recorded by a number of popular singers, including Bing Crosby, in the mid-20th century.

Faith of our fathers! living still in spite of dungeon, fire, and sword:
O how our hearts beat high with joy, whene’er we hear that glorious word:
Faith of our fathers, holy faith! We will be true to thee till death.

“Wilt Thou Forgive That Sin, Where I Begun” is a poem by the great English poet and mystic, John Donne. Written during an illness in 1623, this deeply personal meditation on sin and redemption intertwines puns on the surnames of Donne himself and his wife, Ann More. The rhyme scheme of the entire poem, in fact, is built on these two names. It has become one of my own favorite choices for Ash Wednesday.

Wilt thou forgive that sin,
where I begun,which is my sin, though it were done before?
Wilt thou forgive those sins through which I run,and do run still, though still I do deplore?
When thou hast done, thou hast not done, for I have more.

“Lift Every Voice and Sing” is sometimes called the “black national anthem” and played an important role in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. It was written by brothers James Weldon Johnson and John Rosamond Johnson, who wrote a number of Broadway musicals at the end of the 19th century.
“Lift Every Voice” was first sung in 1900 by a school chorus in Florida in honor of the birthday of Abraham Lincoln. It is a jubilant gospel song expressing the eternal human aspirations of unity, freedom, and peace. Its words make a fitting conclusion to our reflection this month:

Lift every voice and sing till earth and heaven ring, ring with the harmonies of liberty.
Let our rejoicing rise high as the listening skies; let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us;
Sing a song full of the hope that the
Present has brought us.
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
let us march on till victory is won.

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Have you missed the presence of our parish choir at worship during their longer-than-usual summer break? I know I have! The choir provides a valuable model for congregational singing. Our song is strengthened tremendously when we have a group to follow who have practiced the music for each Sunday ahead of time. I also miss the opportunity to dig into more complicated music, the anthems, chants, cantatas, and motets we perform each week to deepen and enhance our worship. Most important, I miss the companionship and fun we have every Thursday evening and Sunday morning!

A couple of years ago, I asked our singers what advice they would have for someone (maybe you!) who might be thinking about joining our choir. Here is some of what they wrote: “Come! We don’t bite!” “Just do it!” “It will be more fun than you imagine!” “Give it a try! It’s a great group of people—fun and welcoming and who know how to take music seriously while having fun.” The exclamation points in every one of these invitations illustrate to me the delight that our singers have in being part of our choir.

Often when I invite people to consider joining us, they hesitate because they think their voices aren’t good enough or they don’t read music well enough. In truth, a choral singer’s voice should be pleasant, but does not need any special training, nor need it (or should it!) be very loud. Basic understanding of music reading is helpful, but not required. More important than both of these is a good ear, the ability to listen and blend with the voices of other singers, and a sense of fun and adventure! More advice from our current singers: “Don’t be shy about your ability, take a chance.” “Be bold, brave, and not afraid to make mistakes. Be willing and eager to learn.” “Singing in the choir is not an achievement test.”
Occasionally a parishioner will tell me that he or she would like to sing, but feels constrained by a busy work, travel, or family schedule. There are solutions to these challenges; for example, one might join on a short-term basis, such as Advent and Christmas only. Or, perhaps, one might arrange to attend rehearsal only every other week. Please visit with me to discuss what might work best for you.

Several singers have noted that their own worship experience is enhanced by taking on the choir’s important role in liturgical leadership. One writes, “I cannot begin to describe how rewarding and humbling it is to be able to participate in Saint Michael’s service in such a profound way each week, nor how it has increased my understanding of the liturgy itself. Then, there is the fellowship of the choir, stemming from the diverse and marvelous personalities of its members, and our shared desire to present the congregation with meaningful and beautiful music. The wit and good humor of the members of the choir can only be appreciated if experienced. Finally, singing has provided me a way of becoming a musician once more after decades of being a mere ‘consumer’ of music.It can for you, too. Come. Join us!”

We begin Thursday, September 3rd at 7pm in the Sanctuary. See you in choir!

August 2009

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: I love summer!

This year, as in most years, I’ve found that summer is no less busy than any other time of year, but activities outside my normal routine have provided a welcome change of scenery.

For ten days in June, I hosted my parents and brother, visiting from the Midwest. Spending time with them and showing them some of our local tourist hotspots served as a welcome vacation for me as well!

Later in June, I spent five days in Los Angeles at the annual meeting of the Association of Anglican Musicians. It was a wonderful time to hear some beautiful music and meet some new friends and colleagues.

In July, I spent several days as a volunteer at our Episcopal Church’s General Convention, which was a truly rewarding and interesting experience. And next I’m headed to Wisconsin, for a bit of time away and to attend another church music conference in Milwaukee. Throughout all of this, I’ve been chipping away at a major project here in the office to clean up and re-catalog our music library—a project I’ve been avoiding for several years! By telling you all this, I mean to reiterate one of my strongest convictions: times of Sabbath rest are of utmost importance for all of us if we are to be effective in our respective vocations. But Sabbath does not necessarily mean doing nothing. A change of routine and perspective can often serve just as well.

I’ve been invited again this year to be with you during the “Sundays at 9” adult education hour during August, and so will be leading the conversations on the last three Sundays of the month.

On August 16th, we’ll go to the Sanctuary and I’ll try to uncover some of the Mysteries of the Pipe Organ. What do all those knobs do? Why are there three keyboards? Why do you wear special shoes to play the organ? I’ll answer all these questions and any others you may have. Intrepid folks may even wish to climb the ladder to the attic and view the pipe chambers from within .

On August 23rd and 30th, we’ll return to a topic I first addressed in August of 2003: choosing music for worship. This is a task that is both daunting and exciting; indeed, it’s one of my favorite parts of my job. Many, many variables come into play when deciding what, who, when, and how to include a particular piece, whether it be a congregational song or a piece of choral or instrumental music.

Those topics should be more than enough to cover three sessions, although if we run out of material, we can move on to “Minister of Music’s Question Time”; I’m sure you’ll come up with thoughtful and interesting things to ask. So I’ll look forward to seeing you August 16th!

Finally, a quick look forward: choir will begin, with our four section leaders back in place, with rehearsal on Thursday, September 3rd at 7pm, and singing again on Sunday mornings beginning September 13th. Please consider joining us!
I wish you all the best for the remainder of your summer Sabbath time.

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July 2009

We’ve had a discussion over the past couple of months about the four musicians who are paid to sing in our choir. They serve as essential anchors and enable our choir to quickly learn a large amount of challenging music to serve our liturgy. Stipends for the section leaders make up the largest share of our music budget, but I thought you may be interested in knowing what else shares that line item.
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My contract allows me to be away up to six Sundays each year: four for vacation and two for continuing education. A substitute organist or other suitable musician must be hired whenever I am away.

We have special instrumental music several Sundays each year: usually brass for Easter Sunday and Saint Michael’s feast day, and harp, strings, or some other instruments for Christmas Eve. We provide honoraria to other occasional guest musicians, including our much-loved Carver Cossey and Bob Franke.
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Funds are also provided in our budget for twice-yearly tunings and maintenance of our pipe organ and pianos. New printed music is purchased regularly (and it’s not inexpensive). We have a fine library of music for the adult choir, which is supplemented with several new pieces each year to keep our repertoire “fresh.”

Our children’s and handbell choirs started just a few years ago from scratch, so the libraries of those ensembles need constant updating.

We also pay for an annual copyright license, which enables us to reproduce copyrighted hymns and liturgical songs from sources other than our hymnal in the bulletin as needed.
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Finally, a small amount pays for memberships in professional organizations to which I belong, including the American Guild of Organists, the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, and the Association of Anglican Musicians.
The Friends of Music function independently of the regular parish program and budget. Their mission is to support musical needs which are not provided for in the budget. They typically do not fund day-to-day operations of our worship and music ministries. The largest and most visible ministry of the Friends of Music is our monthly “First Sundays at Five” series. The Friends pay the cost of producing these evening services, which often involve professional guest performers.
They also host the fine receptions which follow most of our events. In addition, the Friends of Music have funded or overseen the purchase of our musical instruments, including our handbells, grand piano, conga drums, and improvements to our organ. They have contributed toward repair and maintenance of these instruments on occasion. Several years ago they purchased new vestments for our choir.

Most recently, the Friends of Music raised funds to bring back our choral section leaders when their stipends were eliminated from the 2009 budget; and our choir will be returning at “full strength” in September. Since it is our belief that Sunday-by-Sunday music ministry is best paid for via the standard budget process, the Friends of Music do not anticipate doing this again in 2010.

Continued openness and discussion about our budget process is essential during these troubled economic times. I do think we may be beginning to turn a corner, and am looking forward to a bright future!

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June 2009

I wrote to you last month about the importance of having four paid singers who serve as anchors in our choir, and that due to budget cutbacks, their positions were facing elimination. During the month of May we saw and heard the significant impact of their absence.

I am absolutely delighted to report that a significant amount of money has been received, via the Friends of Music, in support of our choir, and that we will be able to have a professional quartet again in September. This is very good news indeed.

Despite this good news, our Saint Michael & All Angels parish community still has an uphill financial trudge to complete. The ministry of music is just one part of an integrated program, so it’s vital that we support the overall parish budget in any way possible. Occasionally one reads about churches, usually older parishes in urban settings, that function as a “choir in search of a congregation,” that is, churches that have supported their music programs generously at the expense of other important ministries. Our beloved English cathedrals often function this way, too, as one sees when sitting as part of a congregation of ten or fifteen people at a gloriously-sung Evensong. Yes, a vital congregation needs a strong program of liturgy and music. But a vital congregation also needs excellent educational opportunities for all ages, a strong sense of mission, a spirit of hospitality, a well-maintained physical plant, and a commitment to the wider Church. Without these, we too could become a choir in search of a congregation
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Friends of Music support of our choir should be seen as temporary, and I hope that our music ministry will be re-integrated fully into our parish budget in 2010. To accomplish this, pledge income will have to increase, both through higher commitments from those of us who are able, and through new pledges. This should be accompanied by ongoing conversation with church leaders about how best to maintain or improve the effectiveness of our ministries across the board
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Watch for an announcement about our Friends of Music annual meeting, where we will discuss how best to allocate the gifts that have been received, and also plan activities for our upcoming season. All who have an interest in this ministry are invited
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Turning our thoughts back to June, several of our cherished musical traditions will go on this month as they do every year. On Sunday, June 7th at 5pm, the Rev. Norm Freeman and a jazz combo will be back for our eighth annual Jazz Vespers. The following week, the Baroque Music Festival Corona del Mar, under Artistic Director Dr. Burton Karson, will present two concerts at Saint Michael & All Angels. On Sunday, June 14th at 4pm, the festival will present an orchestral program of Baroque concertos, and on Monday, June 15th at 8pm, organist Gabriel Arregui will perform a recital on our organ. (The final concert on June 21st, which has been presented here for many years, will be held this year in the beautiful sanctuary of Saint Mark Presbyterian Church. That concert will be well worth attending as well!)

I wish you a beautiful summer with time for relaxation and refreshment!

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MAY 2009

By now you have heard about the severe financial shortfall that our parish is facing in 2009. The four paid section leaders who form the core of our choir are among the many budget items targeted for elimination.

Our choir relies heavily on these singers in a number of ways: since we are a small group to begin with, the section leaders provide a degree of dependability—I can be assured that there will be at least one strong singer on each voice part (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass) every Sunday. These trained singers are also excellent music readers. Unlike many volunteer choirs where countless rehearsal hours must be spent rehearsing the basics of pitch and rhythm, our choir is able to learn a lot of music in a short time by following the excellent lead of the section leaders.

People are often surprised to learn that that the concept of volunteer-only choirs in churches is of relatively recent vintage. The ancient chants of the church which developed in the Middle Ages were sung almost exclusively by clergy and monastics. The great tradition of choirs of men and boys, so beloved in the English church, evolved as music became more complex. Boys sang in choirs as part of their schooling and so were paid with room, board, and an education (a rare opportunity in those days). The adult men who sang the alto, tenor, and bass parts were university students who received the same, and sometimes cash stipends as well. Choirs were present only in cathedrals and colleges, not in parish churches
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The great works of choral literature, including Purcell’s anthems, Bach’s cantatas, and Mozart’s masses, were all written for this type of choir. Handel’s oratorios, including the famous Messiah, were conceived as stage works and were sung originally by opera singers. A number of large urban churches were built in the United States in the 19th Century with exactly four seats in the choir loft—enough for the paid quartet, and no more! Amateurs can sing great church music, but they need support.

The stipends of our quartet are discontinued as of April 30. During the month of May, you will have an opportunity to see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears the effect that their absence will have on our choir, and consequently on our worship life overall. I think you’ll agree with me that this is a situation we won’t want to live with for very long!
It is important that we continue the conversation about our parish’s financial situation and its impact on our ministry of music and worship as we move into the summer months. Although it is not the normal function of the Friends of Music to fund day-to-day operations of our music ministry, special contributions are welcome to help us get over this “hump.” Please speak with me about this or any other concern; my office door and email Inbox (tgetz@stmikescdm.org) are always open.

I hope you’ve made plans to attend the next event in our Friends of Music “First Sundays at Five” series. The immensely talented and charming Triada guitar trio will be with us again on May 3rd. I’ll look forward to seeing you (and a friend!) at the performance.

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APRIL 2009

Rise, O church, like Christ arisen,
from this meal of love and grace;
May we through such love envision
whose we are, and whose, our praise.
Alleluia, alleluia; God, the wonder of our days.

My graduate school adviser, Dr. Paul Westermeyer of Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, writes in a new book: “If there is any word that stands at the center of the church’s song and serves as its summation and symbol, it is alleluia. Alleluia comes to us not only by way of cognition, but by way of what transcends cognition. It its literal definition it means, ‘Praise the Lord.’ In its usage by the church it means that, to be sure, but it also brings with it an inexpressible vocalise of delicious vocables that embody in sound the response to what God has done and does. It stands for the ongoing doxological song of the church.” (Rise, O Church: Reflections on the Church, Its Music, and Empire, ©2008, MorningStar Music Publishers, St. Louis)

In April we begin our annual celebration of Easter, the central element of Christian faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death and the ensuing life he brings to those who trust in him. Alleluia is the word we sing when all other words fail us in the wonder and joy of this great mystery.

Throughout our upcoming Easter season, a new hymn by Minneapolis poet Susan Palo Cherwien will be part of our celebration. It is filled with the Alleluias of celebration, but also directs us toward the responsibilities we share as followers of the risen Christ. The Holy Eucharist, “this meal of love and grace,” gives us the strength to use our own lives “to release and to console.”

Rise, transformed, and choose to follow
after Christ, though wounded, whole;
broken, shared, our lives are hallowed
to release and to console.
Alleluia, alleluia; Christ, our present,
past, and goal.

During Lent we have had a wonderful series of speakers on Wednesday evenings who have shown us how they try to “Live the Gospel” in their own lives; they have been inspiring models of a variety of ways we might live our calling as followers of the resurrected Christ. (Come hear our final speaker, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jack Miles, on April 1st!) Words often fail us; actions do indeed speak louder. One word may accompany our actions, easy to remember and fun to say: Alleluia.

Service be our sure vocation;
courage be our daily breath;
mercy be our destination
from this day and unto death.
Alleluia, alleluia. Rise, O church, a living faith.

(©1997 Susan Palo Cherwien, admin. Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis. Reprinted under OneLicense.net #706264)

A quick note about a couple of April events: On Saturday, April 4th, the Church of the Messiah in Santa Ana will host a day-long workshop on Spirituality and the Arts. As part of the event, I will be leading a session on Taizé prayer, and the day will end with a Taizé-style Eucharist at 3pm. For more information call 714.543.9389 or visit www.messiah-santaana.org.

On Sunday, April 26th at 4pm., I’ll be playing a solo organ recital at Saint Mark Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach. I’d be delighted to see some friendly faces from Saint Michael & All Angels at either or both of these events!

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