How can we improve congregational singing? Part I

Tags

Alice Parker, congregational singing, Hymn, Iowa Through the Lens, Ministry Today, song, video

Marble Collegiate Church, New York. Photo source: Pixabay

Congregational singing, along with church attendance, has declined.  With this post, I am beginning a new series that looks at various aspects of the problem and suggests some steps we can take to improve on the current trend.

A Facebook friend, Joe Kenney, posts wonderful photographs on Iowa Through the Lens. He also writes songs for his church and plays them on guitar, as I recently discovered. When messaging each other about this, he very kindly shared two songs with me.  The songs mentioned here are both written by Michael W. Smith.  Joe has promised to send me some of his own compositions as well.

“It’s a little repetitive cause it’s meant to be a simple group anthem,” he said about the first song.

Upon listening to the audio, I felt that it was just repetitive enough for congregational use.  I responded, “Great rhythm, and nice variety with the guitar and then no guitar, and then it comes in again.”

Although large churches in major cities are well-attended, that is not the case in smaller towns.  Marble Collegiate Church (pictured above), The Riverside Church, and All Souls’ Unitarian Church, all located in New York City, have many congregants who are professional musicians, even opera singers.  Everyone should experience the singing of such congregations at least once!

Smaller congregations may not be so fortunate.  When their congregations are asked to sing, people in attendance are often reluctant to make an attempt.  In order to encourage participation, it is helpful to choose hymns/worship songs that are either familiar or easy to learn and remember by exactly that group of people.  Many, if not most, do not read music.  The range of most untrained voices is limited.  Highly syncopated rhythms are just too complicated to master quickly.

So, once again, repetition is helpful.  Having the melody, rhythm, harmony, and even the words repeat (think of the refrain, especially) results in greater comprehension and, thus, participation.

Joe’s second example featured a repetitive ending.  Again, perfect for a congregation.  I responded, “People could walk away singing the ending.  It’s a winning strategy.”

In “Why Isn’t Your Congregation Singing?“, an article in Ministry Today, Don Chapman says:

Bottom line:  Choosing worship songs that are singable by normal mortals will create a more unified, participatory worship experience for your church.

Do you agree?

Take a look at a master, Alice Parker, teaching a hymn to workshop participants.  Alice is the first to say she doesn’t have a great voice.  Notice, though, her modeling of the style, rhythm, and text emphasis.  She teaches songs without using the piano, even though she plays very well.  In fact, her teaching in this video, from a hymnal she compiled, is unusual in that she and the singers are using the music.

Please let me know what you think, either in the comments or via the contact form in the left sidebar.  And be sure to check back for the next installment, and upcoming guest posts!  We will continue to explore ways to encourage participation in congregational singing. There is a lot more to say!

Also, while you’re here, be sure to look at my ebook, “Goal-oriented Practice.”  It will save you practice time!  You will know the music securely and still have a chance to go outside and work on that snowman!  50% off!

A lovely birthday coincidence

Tags

birthday, Centenarian, choir, Hymn, Music

Today, March 10th, would have been my mother’s 100th birthday.

Caroline Moorman Saathoff (1913-1970)

I am writing this post as a tribute to my mother  as well as to tell you about a wonderful coincidence.

Last Sunday as we were nearing the end of my church choir rehearsal, I asked the choir members what they wanted to sing on March 10th.  One alto stated her choice immediately!  She loves “In the Garden,” and old hymn everyone in the choir (and the congregation) knows very well.

In the Garden

We rehearsed the hymn briefly… I think we had just enough time left before the service to sing one verse.  That went great, so I am not concerned about tomorrow in the least.

Then on Tuesday, I needed to choose a prelude and postlude and send the titles and composers to the office for Sunday’s bulletin.

When I looked at “In the Garden” closely enough to learn the composer’s name and the date it was written, I found that it was composed in 1913, the year of my mother’s birth!  (Other sources put the composition date at 1912.)

So tomorrow, Sunday, I will focus on the coincidence and the hymn rather than the death of my mother 42 years ago.  Happy Birthday, Mom!  I love you.

Related posts:

If my mother had a Facebook page

Honoring my mother

Back to top

“For All the Saints”: a story

Tags

For All the Saints, Hymn, Ralph Vaughan Williams

Russian Icon of the Second Coming used for All Saints Sunday, c. 1700. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“For All the Saints,” by Ralph Vaughan Williams, is one of my favorite hymns.

We sang this as the first hymn on Sunday, November 4^th, designated as All Saints Sunday.  The actual day is on November 1^st each year.

Every time I hear this hymn, I think of my grandfather.  He passed away when I was a high school senior.

My sister, a superb organist, played for his funeral in Litchfield, Illinois.  She thought she would be OK, but cried so much she could barely see the music.  Her playing was wonderful, regardless.

At the conclusion of the service, the minister began reciting the 23^rd Psalm as he followed the casket down the aisle and out of the church.

This is how things proceeded:

“The Lord is my Shepherd…”

FOR ALL THE SAINTS

“I SHALL NOT WANT…”

WHO FROM THEIR LABORS REST…

The minister and my sister had not discussed what would happen at the end of the service.  My sister lit into the hymn at full volume from the organ console in the balcony.  Thereafter, the minister declaimed the rest of the psalm!

The result was high drama.  I loved it, and thought it was very effective.

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Back to top

2 ways to involve the congregation

Tags

"Come We That Love the Lord", "Just As I Am", choir, Church service, Congregation, Hymn

Image via Wikipedia

When the congregation is invited to participate in new ways, the music in the church service becomes an experience that engages everyone‘s interest.

Part of my job as the Director of Music is to build the music program.  So I’ve been thinking about how to do that.  My plan is to involve both the choir and the congregation.  Each group has a great deal to contribute.

Why should the choir and the congregation always be separate?  Some congregations sing very well!

Does the congregation have to be restricted to singing only the hymns and a response or two?  Do they feel included when all they are doing is sitting there, watching the choir?

And what about the choir?  Do they always sing in the same spot during the service?  Could they sing an appropriate response once in a while?  Could they sing a verse of a hymn, or alternate verses with the congregation?

Two things I’ve tried that have succeeded:

Anthem

On a recent Sunday, the choir sang the hymn “Come, We That Love the Lord” as the anthem.

1.	Come, we that love the Lord,
	and let our joys be known;
	join in a song with sweet accord,
	and thus surround the throne. 

2.	Let those refuse to sing
	who never knew our God;
	but children of the heavenly King
	may speak their joys abroad. 

3.	The hill of Zion yields
	a thousand sacred sweets
	before we reach the heavenly fields,
	or walk the golden streets. 

4.	Then let our songs abound,
	and every tear be dry;
	we're marching through Emmanuel's ground,
	to fairer worlds on high.

Based on the text, they sang the 1st verse in unison, 2nd verse with unison men (“refusing to sing,” I thought, would sound more emphatic with men’s voices), 3rd verse soprano and alto (“sacred sweets” had me thinking of angels), and final verse SATB with the congregation (which tends to sing in unison).

The minister announced near the beginning of the service that the choir would like for the congregation to join them in singing the final verse.  He told them the hymn number then as well.  When it came time for the anthem, I happened to glance toward the congregation.  Not only did everyone have their thumb marking the page, but they were sitting on the edge of the pews!  Their participation was so enthusiastic and welcomed, one parishioner began applauding at the end!

Hymn

“Just As I Am” is a well-known hymn with 6 verses.  I felt that it was important to find variety somehow, as the text calls for quiet singing throughout.

When the congregation knows a hymn so well they don’t need the music, let them sing a verse on their own!  Get them started, then play at least one more verse with them.  By that time, you will be able to tell how comfortable they are.  You can stop playing for an entire verse!  Of course, if problems begin to surface, you can jump back in.

1.	Just as I am, without one plea,
	but that thy blood was shed for me,
	and that thou bidst me come to thee,
	O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

2.	Just as I am, and waiting not
	to rid my soul of one dark blot,
	to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
	O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

3.	Just as I am, though tossed about
	with many a conflict, many a doubt,
	fightings and fears within, without,
	O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

4.	Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
	sight, riches, healing of the mind,
	yea, all I need in thee to find,
	O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

5.	Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
	wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
	because thy promise I believe,
	O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

6.	Just as I am, thy love unknown
	hath broken every barrier down;
	now, to be thine, yea thine alone,
	O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

In this case, I stopped playing after the 3rd verse, so the congregation and choir sang the 4th verse on their own.  I chose the 4th verse because the words express great vulnerability.  The outcome was wonderful!  No one perceived a sudden difference, as I had been playing quietly anyway.  They slowed down a little, but there was nothing that couldn’t be dealt with during the next verse.

Do you think church services should be participatory?

How have you involved your congregation in the music program of your church? 

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

E-books

“Goal-oriented Practice: How to Avoid Traps and Become a Confident Performer” gives every musician a fresh perspective!

My book frees up time to learn more music, memorize, or do something else entirely!

“Goal-oriented Practice” is also available in print!

Goal-oriented Practice

sold in 8 countries!

August 2011 review by pianist Robert W. Oliver

Back to top

Working with the choir and congregation for the 1st time

Tags

choir, Church, Congregation, Hymn

Image via Wikipedia

My first Sunday in my new Director of Music position was January 29th.  To get started, the choir came early so we could talk about what we wanted to do together.

And it was the choir’s suggestion!

On February 5th, this past Sunday, the choir sang during the service.

We had a brief rehearsal, which included singing the hymns and choosing another to sing as an anthem.

During our anthem rehearsal, I asked the choir to sing sentences, honoring the punctuation in the text.  Sometimes there is a comma and sometimes there isn’t!  Sometimes the thought continues where people have automatically taken a breath for years, breaking up the thought and thus the understanding.

One choir member said, “It’s just a hymn.”

I then discussed that part of the function of the choir is to lead the hymns.  And when the text means something to the choir, the congregation tends to notice, too.  When the text is meaningless, why bother singing hymns at all?

The choir took what I said and went with it during rehearsal.  I want them to step up to their leadership role.  The ratio of success in rehearsal and during the service was rather low, but we started at a higher level than I had expected.

We especially rehearsed “Precious Lord, Take My Hand,” which I wanted to do as a gospel number, even with an unaccustomed choir and congregation.

At first, someone commented, “It’s too slow!”  When I mentioned that this was written in the deepest grief, and when someone feels that devastated s/he can barely speak, we continued unchallenged.

What the choir member was actually saying was that she had to take a breath in the middle of a sentence.  When someone is sobbing, it’s going to be more like taking a breath in the middle of a word!

My goal was to remove all obstacles, experience the words, and express the emotion.  This is not a piece requiring great refinement.

When I asked the minister for a minute or two to introduce the hymn to the congregation, he was all for it.

Result:  Not only did everyone sing emotionally, they truly understood what they were singing and appreciated the introduction.  Many congregants approached me after the service to continue the conversation.

And when you’re building a music program, isn’t that the point?

The pastor and many in the congregation said the choir sounded better than ever!

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Related articles

• My new Director of Music position! (gretchenspianos.wordpress.com)
• An unusual church organ (gretchenspianos.wordpress.com)

E-books

“Goal-oriented Practice: How to Avoid Traps and Become a Confident Performer” gives every musician a fresh perspective!

My book frees up time to learn more music, memorize, or do something else entirely!

“Goal-oriented Practice” is also available in print!

Goal-oriented Practice

sold in 8 countries!

August 2011 review by pianist Robert W. Oliver

Back to top