Several years ago, I set out to arrange some Christmas Music, and one of the first songs on my list was "Little Drummer Boy." I've always loved this song; but I didn't know why I loved this song so much until I got down to arranging. I wanted to do something truly original with the song, and the key, for me, was the "Pa-rum-pa-pum-pums." I'm sure it's clear to everyone that "Pa-rum-pa-pum-pum" is the sound of the little boy's drum; but I wanted to emphasise that.
I considered having a complete drum accompaniment, which became too noisy. I tried an a cappella accompaniment of voices repeating "Pa-rum-pa-pum-pum" over and over, but that didn't work either. Finally, I explored the lyrics and had an idea. Just as the boy in the song plays the drum for the baby Jesus, I play piano. So, I rearranged the song using piano as accompaniment. I'd sing each line, and play an accompanying figure for each "Pa-rum-pa-pum-pum." It refocuses the song and allows the story to shine.
"Come, they told me, a newborn King to see. Our finest gifts we bring, to set before the king, so to honor him when we come. Little Baby, I am a poor boy, too. I have no gift to bring, that's fit to give a king. Shall I play for you? (on my drum)."
Of course, I don't play a drum in my version, so I omit that line. The tale is now not about a fictional boy visiting the manger, but it's about me. I'm coming before our king and, having no proper gifts to bring, will honor Him with my music.
Then I get to the final verse. "Mary nodded. The Ox and Lamb kept time. I played, I played for Him. I played my best for Him."
At this point of my arrangement, I launch into a few minutes of improvised piano soloing. I purposely did not compose, arrange, or otherwise plan out this section. I want every performance to be "of the moment." I want to freely express myself musically at that moment. And like all improvisation; sometimes it's good, and sometimes, not so much.
There have been performances where I really stink up the place with my playing of this section. I've had rare glimpses of brilliance, but often, it's rather mediocre. I'll admit, it frustrates me when my improvisation isn't up to my own standards. I recall one of the first times I tried the piece, it wasn't that great, and I felt horribly embarassed. Then I finished singing...
"Then He smiled at me..."
Since I omit the final line, my song ends here. I realized that this line is the most important. Jesus is pleased with my gift of music, even when the human standards by which I gauge it tell me that it's sub-par. It's not important to Him that I perform amazingly. It's not important to Him that I be perfect. It's important to Him that I perform. That I lift my voice, and my fingers in praise. That I use my gifts, and help others to do so as well.
Often, musicians are encouraged to strive for perfection. And that's a good thing, because who wants to hear music that has incorrect notes in it. But when musicians are obsessed with perfection, it can drive you crazy, and it leads to a condescension that not everyone is cut out to make music. One of the best choices I ever made in my life is letting go of perfectionism, and just enjoying the music making process. Letting go of the feeling of having to be the best, and enjoying the act of being the best I can be. No longer seeing the world as people who are good at music, and those who aren't; and instead embracing a world where every person can be taught to sing and join in with the songs.
My very controversial view of choral singing is that even if you aren't a skilled singer, I can teach you. I've never cut a person from my choir because of a lack of singing ability. Instead I've worked to help them improve their sense of pitch, improve their tone, or just worked to help learn the parts. That way, ideally everyone can join in with the hymns, anthems and songs of the church service.
A thousand years ago, the Catholic church firmly believed that it was inappropriate to speak prayers; they needed to be sung, or they believed God didn't hear you. I don't believe that, but I DO believe that when a person sings, he prays twice. I am pleased that SUMC includes so much music in their service. Music sends the message directly to your heart and soul as spoken word never can. And when we sing, and express our joy, love, and faith in that way, Jesus smiles at us.
Lord, may our voices raise in pleasing song to your glory. And give our congregation the courage and confidence to raise their own voices in praise to you. And may it make you smile. In Jesus' name we pray.
AMEN
31 These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD after the ark came to rest there. 32 They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, until Solomon built the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them. - 1 Chronicles 6:31-32
18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. - Ephesians 5:18-20
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Watch Your Conductor
It's no wonder why conductors have God complexes. Because in the microcosm that is our choir, band orchestra, etc., we decide how the music is supposed to be, what is musically correct and best for all, and we demand that you not go off and do your own thing. You MUST do what we say; because we are the ones responsible for the ensemble's success or failure. We love this music so much, we want it to be nothing short of amazing.
I'm reminded of one particular "incident" that happened during services. Our pastor had selected "Christ Beside Us" as the closing hymn. You know the one: "Christ beside me, Christ above me," etc... to the tune of "Morning has Broken." Now, "Morning Has Broken" is at a moderate tempo, and is very relaxed. This closing hymn is THREE verses long, and at the end of the service. I made the call to bring it up to a brisk, upbeat tempo, so as to end on a peppy note, and to get us out of there to get our coffee as quickly as possible.
Now on that particular Sunday, we had several choir members who had recently had hip surgery, or foot surgery, or some other reason to not brave the staircase up to the loft. Therefore, we stayed down in the pews, and sang from offstage left. I positioned myself in front of the reader's lectern, so as to be in the sight lines of both the choir and the organist. And I began to conduct my brisk tempo for the final hymn.
When the choir and congregation began to sing... it was awesomely slow; trudging along at roughly the tempo of the original, "Morning has Broken." As much as I tried to pick the tempo up, it trudged along slowly, and after all three verses were complete, the room was filled with an air of boredom and "Thank goodness that's over."
What happened? Nobody watched their conductor.
The organist listened to the congregation, and followed the tempo she heard from them. The congregation was listening for the choir and organ, trying to follow the tempo they heard from them. In the half a second that it took for sound to enter the ear, the brain to register that there was music going on, and the signal to get to the voice to perform; we were getting slower and slower and slower. Plus, everyone was following each other. No one was leading.
How often does that happen in real life? With God as our conductor, He send us signs and messages that tell us what the right course of action is at all times. Yet we don't listen to Him, instead we try to follow each other's lead, which sometimes leads us in entirely the wrong direction. We hear God saying, "Help out the needy;" but instead, we follow the crowd in saying, "No, wait, we can't spare the money right now." We hear God saying, "Forgive your brothers, love your enemies, and pray for your persecuters;" but we follow the crowd who say, "You gonna take that? What are you going to do about it?"
Another problem with our hymn performance was that the congregation sang without really being confident that they knew how the song went. They've sung it many times, but we tend to not have confidence enough to take the lead and sing strongly the part that we know. So, instead, we wait to hear the rest of the congregation, and just do what they do.
We've read the Bible, studied the scriptures, and listened to countless sermons. We should know what God wants us to do. But often, we are afraid to confidently do what we know to be right, and we look around, waiting to see someone else do something, and then follow their example. Why do you think people tend to sit towards the back of the church instead of up front?
We could have had a brisk, positive ending to our service, if only people had followed their conductor. I gave the brisker tempo, our organist could have followed me, and led the congregation; the singers could have watched me, kept time in their head, and sung it briskly. But no one was even looking in my direction.
You can have a brisk, happy, loving, abundant life; if only you would watch and follow the lead of your conductor, Jesus Christ. He came to lead by example and through teaching; in the same way as I, as conductor of our choir, rehearse and give instruction to the ensemble. God is giving us the answers every day, and is always conducting the symphony of our life. We should look up, and follow His lead. Otherwise, our life becomes drudgery, slow, painful, and hard to tolerate.
Lord, I will watch for your cues, and will try to follow your conducting of our lives. Make your gestures clear and precise, and give me the confidence to follow unconditionally.
AMEN
Judges 7:17-18 - “Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18 When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon.’”
Matthew 16:23-24 - Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
I'm reminded of one particular "incident" that happened during services. Our pastor had selected "Christ Beside Us" as the closing hymn. You know the one: "Christ beside me, Christ above me," etc... to the tune of "Morning has Broken." Now, "Morning Has Broken" is at a moderate tempo, and is very relaxed. This closing hymn is THREE verses long, and at the end of the service. I made the call to bring it up to a brisk, upbeat tempo, so as to end on a peppy note, and to get us out of there to get our coffee as quickly as possible.
Now on that particular Sunday, we had several choir members who had recently had hip surgery, or foot surgery, or some other reason to not brave the staircase up to the loft. Therefore, we stayed down in the pews, and sang from offstage left. I positioned myself in front of the reader's lectern, so as to be in the sight lines of both the choir and the organist. And I began to conduct my brisk tempo for the final hymn.
When the choir and congregation began to sing... it was awesomely slow; trudging along at roughly the tempo of the original, "Morning has Broken." As much as I tried to pick the tempo up, it trudged along slowly, and after all three verses were complete, the room was filled with an air of boredom and "Thank goodness that's over."
What happened? Nobody watched their conductor.
The organist listened to the congregation, and followed the tempo she heard from them. The congregation was listening for the choir and organ, trying to follow the tempo they heard from them. In the half a second that it took for sound to enter the ear, the brain to register that there was music going on, and the signal to get to the voice to perform; we were getting slower and slower and slower. Plus, everyone was following each other. No one was leading.
How often does that happen in real life? With God as our conductor, He send us signs and messages that tell us what the right course of action is at all times. Yet we don't listen to Him, instead we try to follow each other's lead, which sometimes leads us in entirely the wrong direction. We hear God saying, "Help out the needy;" but instead, we follow the crowd in saying, "No, wait, we can't spare the money right now." We hear God saying, "Forgive your brothers, love your enemies, and pray for your persecuters;" but we follow the crowd who say, "You gonna take that? What are you going to do about it?"
Another problem with our hymn performance was that the congregation sang without really being confident that they knew how the song went. They've sung it many times, but we tend to not have confidence enough to take the lead and sing strongly the part that we know. So, instead, we wait to hear the rest of the congregation, and just do what they do.
We've read the Bible, studied the scriptures, and listened to countless sermons. We should know what God wants us to do. But often, we are afraid to confidently do what we know to be right, and we look around, waiting to see someone else do something, and then follow their example. Why do you think people tend to sit towards the back of the church instead of up front?
We could have had a brisk, positive ending to our service, if only people had followed their conductor. I gave the brisker tempo, our organist could have followed me, and led the congregation; the singers could have watched me, kept time in their head, and sung it briskly. But no one was even looking in my direction.
You can have a brisk, happy, loving, abundant life; if only you would watch and follow the lead of your conductor, Jesus Christ. He came to lead by example and through teaching; in the same way as I, as conductor of our choir, rehearse and give instruction to the ensemble. God is giving us the answers every day, and is always conducting the symphony of our life. We should look up, and follow His lead. Otherwise, our life becomes drudgery, slow, painful, and hard to tolerate.
Lord, I will watch for your cues, and will try to follow your conducting of our lives. Make your gestures clear and precise, and give me the confidence to follow unconditionally.
AMEN
Judges 7:17-18 - “Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18 When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon.’”
Matthew 16:23-24 - Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Welcome to our new blog.
The purpose of this blog is to further our fellowship as Christians. I will, personally, write about my take on the readings for each Sunday. I welcome any entries from you as well. Simply write it up, and send it to me and I will post it here.
We'll also use this blog to keep you up to date on Church events. We are currently in the middle of Lent, and preparing for Holy Week. On Maundy Thursday, (April 21st), we will present a cantata by Joseph Martin titled, "Harvest of Sorrows."
Please join us in person Every Sunday at 10am for services and Fellowship.
We'll also use this blog to keep you up to date on Church events. We are currently in the middle of Lent, and preparing for Holy Week. On Maundy Thursday, (April 21st), we will present a cantata by Joseph Martin titled, "Harvest of Sorrows."
Please join us in person Every Sunday at 10am for services and Fellowship.
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