Make a Joyful Noise
Read: UMH vii (Wesley’s Directions for Singing)
I began singing in church choirs while I was in college so, on a more or less continuous basis, I’ve been a member of a choir one place or another for over fifty years. During that time I’ve learned an awful lot about church and choral music. I’ve been blessed to be associated with many excellent musicians – the organist/choir director at my first Methodist (not yet United Methodist) church, the choir director at the church I attended while I lived in Baton Rouge, and of course the entire music team here at GPUMC. I also have to add the many fine singers with whom I’ve been privileged to raise my voice in praise of God.
Sometimes the music conveys the message so well that one doesn’t necessarily even need to understand the words (don’t tell Patti I said that!). Sometimes the words touch you in such a way that it doesn’t matter what the tune is (although we’ve recently discovered at least one hymn tune that was, ahem, difficult to sing). Examples of the former would be “Crucifixus” (He was crucified) and “Et Resurrexit” (On the third day He rose…”) from the Mass in B Minor by J. S. Bach. Even though the words are in Latin and you may not know the translation, if you can’t get the idea of Christ suffering for us on the cross and then gloriously rising from the dead from the music alone, you just aren’t listening.
On the other hand there are instances of words being so moving that it really wouldn’t matter if you were just reciting, rather than singing, them. An example of this for me would be verses five and six of “For All the Saints” as printed in our hymnal. The idea of all those whom we see no more streaming through “gates of pearl” with hearts that are “brave again, and arms (that are) strong,” all the while “singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” never fails to cause a catch in my throat as I sing those words, for they convey a glorious promise.
Whether you like a certain hymn or anthem because the words are particularly meaningful to you or because the music is wonderful (which for me usually means fun to sing as well as perfectly fitting the text) or both, take the time to look, listen, and appreciate what the author and composer were trying to convey and any time you sing or hear any of these pieces, remember why we sing them.
Art Van de Putte
Read: UMH vii (Wesley’s Directions for Singing)
I began singing in church choirs while I was in college so, on a more or less continuous basis, I’ve been a member of a choir one place or another for over fifty years. During that time I’ve learned an awful lot about church and choral music. I’ve been blessed to be associated with many excellent musicians – the organist/choir director at my first Methodist (not yet United Methodist) church, the choir director at the church I attended while I lived in Baton Rouge, and of course the entire music team here at GPUMC. I also have to add the many fine singers with whom I’ve been privileged to raise my voice in praise of God.
Sometimes the music conveys the message so well that one doesn’t necessarily even need to understand the words (don’t tell Patti I said that!). Sometimes the words touch you in such a way that it doesn’t matter what the tune is (although we’ve recently discovered at least one hymn tune that was, ahem, difficult to sing). Examples of the former would be “Crucifixus” (He was crucified) and “Et Resurrexit” (On the third day He rose…”) from the Mass in B Minor by J. S. Bach. Even though the words are in Latin and you may not know the translation, if you can’t get the idea of Christ suffering for us on the cross and then gloriously rising from the dead from the music alone, you just aren’t listening.
On the other hand there are instances of words being so moving that it really wouldn’t matter if you were just reciting, rather than singing, them. An example of this for me would be verses five and six of “For All the Saints” as printed in our hymnal. The idea of all those whom we see no more streaming through “gates of pearl” with hearts that are “brave again, and arms (that are) strong,” all the while “singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” never fails to cause a catch in my throat as I sing those words, for they convey a glorious promise.
Whether you like a certain hymn or anthem because the words are particularly meaningful to you or because the music is wonderful (which for me usually means fun to sing as well as perfectly fitting the text) or both, take the time to look, listen, and appreciate what the author and composer were trying to convey and any time you sing or hear any of these pieces, remember why we sing them.
Art Van de Putte
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