Giving up Musical Instruments for Lent

Giving Stuff Up. 
Each year I wonder at the notion of giving something up. It is admirable of course, and can lead to new spiritual depths in the process. However sometimes the giving up of chocolate, grog, or coffee becomes almost a boast in some. One year I had a friend who gave up car travel for Lent. Great. But in reality instead of driving her own car, she constantly pestered her friends and family for lifts increasing their fuel bills and eating into their time. Unless something becomes of the denial, the action becomes a gratuitous exercise.


Why give up musical instruments?
Lent would seem to me to be the best time to have an A Capella Sunday. This is a day where the gathered people sing without instrumental accompaniment, in unison, in rounds and in part harmony. What is A Capella Sunday. 


To my mind the 'denial' of music instruments in worship turns out to be an unexpected trove of spiritual riches which bind the community in new ways. A Capella Sunday takes you out of your comfort zone. Whether you believe Lent is a personal or corporate pilgrimage, a capella singing in Lent nourishes both. 


The key here is access. If people perceive the exercise to be too difficult for them, or as something only the musicians in the community can do, there is something wrong with the approach.The SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT decision you will make is about seating arrangements. MUST READ: A Capella Sunday for seating and preparation tips.


What to Sing?
As suggested previously, the key to a successful A Cappella Sunday is preparation. Another key is repertoire choice. If you decide to have all 4 part harmony pieces led from the front, the message is that they are the focal point. Most people will become disconnected and possibly antagonistic. A Capella Sunday is about participation, and it's about community - NOT performance.


As a guide, I would choose:

• 1 well known hymn sung unaccompanied with assistance of simple drum to keep time
• 1 round or canon
• 1 echo song
• 1 simple 3 part song (usually one male part and two treble parts)

Many of our well known hymns did not start out as hymns at all, but as pop songs, folk tunes, dances and even beer drinking songs. Choosing one that works well unaccompanied is as easy as trying it yourself. If you sing the hymn as you go about your day, you'll notice it takes on its own life, free of accompaniment constraints. Go with it. The pace and mood will be altogether different. For more on this: Revisiting Old Treasures.

Rounds, canons and simple 3 parts songs are relatively easy to access thanks to the prolific and quality resources published by the Wild Goose Resource Group. Among their collections of songs from around the globe are There is One Among Us, Many and Great, We walk his way and Come All you People. There are also many possibilities included in the Altogether series: All Together Now (1980), All Together Again (1983), All Together Everybody (1991), All Together OK (1996), All Together Whatever (2001) and All Together for Good (2007). 


You already have a store of songs in your memory at your disposal. Everybody knows Kum by Yah and Jubilate Deo which are both wonderful for Lent. What's stopping you writing your own words to a round your community knows. Oh come on, you know you want to. While Row your boat doesn't quite do it for me in Lent, songs like Frere Jacques, Oh How Lovely is the Evening (trad German), Within a Shady thicket, Twinkle Twinkle little star all work as rounds.

Use pentatonic hymns and songs like Were you there, Be thou my vision, Kum by Yah, Standing in the need of prayer, and Train is a Comin' oh yeah, which all invite people to make their own harmonies. There is no such thing as a wrong note.

You are welcome to share your 4 songs for A Capella Lent with others via the comments facility on this past. Let us all know about what worked and what didn't. Why you did, or why you'll never, give A Capella Lent a guernsey.

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Let Us With A Gladsome Mind (Tune: Monkland)

In this series on revisiting old treasures you may find this old hymn is not as stodgy as you have been led to believe. Look at some of our oldest hymns through new eyes and they often take on new life.

Standing Back - Taking Stock

If you check out the form of this hymn you'll notice a few interesting things straight away. In most hymnals the last two lines of each stanza text are indented, and contain the same text each time. This is of course because this hymn is a setting a psalm 136, and these two lines are a refrain, or chorus as such.

What this may suggest is that the last two lines of each stanza be sung by the whole gathering, and that the first two lines be treated differently each time. This will give the hymn a natural momentum that is harder to attain if everyone sings every single bit of the song. But it may also heighten the significance of the text as people will tuned into to the text they are not singing themselves.

Some ways to achieve this may be as follows:

1. Various solosists sing the first two lines and the athered people sing the refrain.

2. Left side sings the first two lines and right side the second (or alternate)

3. Female voices and males voices

4. Adults and children

5. First two lines of each verse sing first by women, second verse by men, third verse by kids, fourth by a soloist and so on.

Putting the Hymn into Context

Knowledge about composer is usually very illuminating and informs the treatment of songs. John Milton's paraphrase of Psalm 136, was set to music by John Antes, a American born composer of Moravian descent, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1740, and died in England in 1811. He was a violin maker, watchmaker, inventor, missionary, theoretician, businessman and composer. 

Reflecting the Character of the Text Musically

"Let us with a gladsome mind, praise the Lord for He is kind"

In the past I have most often sung this hymn in a slow four, with the emphasis on each beat. I'm not sure this was particularly successful in promoting a gladsome mind, as the result was more grandiose and even pompous in manner. Remember that in the late 1700's it is likely this hymn was sung a cappella, and that John Antes's four parts were intended for vocalists, not instrumental accompaniment.

You may notice several things if you wander around the house singing the melody alone:

• The melody is more likely 2 minim beats in a bar, not 4. 
• It has a lovely lilting melody. Lets face it, there are way too many mono-rhythmic hymns but this one has quavers! (cheer loudly and with enthusiasm)
• The vocal range is quite broad, with a range over an octave.
• It has a light, dance-like quality which is in danger of being weighed down by hyper-harmonisation.

Instrumentation

This hymn is one of those which is more decisive when sung in unison and acappella (unaccompanied) than accompanied with an instrument. Consider that it's composer was a violin maker and utilise a violist in your midst if you have one, to play a counter melody. Ditching the vocal harmonies and accompanying with a single drum playing a simple rhythm works a treat.

Metronome Markings

As I have suggested previously, tempo should be governed by the intrinsic nature of a song, and not the capacity of the resident accompanist. Harmonisation, such as is prescribed in many hymnbooks, invariably slows the pace, and impedes the joy and lilting quality of this song.

In the Uniting Church's hymnal, Together in Song, the suggested speed is MM116-132. Quite a broad spectrum! You will adopt your own pace. Remember those in smaller gathering will find it easier to adopt a more sprightly pace. Having said that, a large gathering, when well led by a songleader, should have no trouble singing at MM 132 (crotcher) or MM 66 (minim).

What is a Metronome?

Don't Have a Metronome?

A metronome is an essential tool for musicians. They are available for purchase at music stores, but you would do just as well to download one onto whatever media tool you use. If you're buying a metronome, make sure it has a sound-free option. This means you can check the speed via a flashing light - very important in the midst of worship, or during a perfromance.  A free metronome app is available for iphones, ipads, ipods, for PC users, blackberries etc.

Poll: How does the Church Accompany Song in 2011?

For more ideas about accompanying hymns creatively visit Revisiting Old Treasures.

For tips about using drums in church Percussion Perspective.

A Cappella Advent

Keeping a lid on Christmas
For worship leaders everywhere, keeping a lid on Christmas celebrations can feel like holding back the tide. End of year festivities, summer holiday preparations (in the southern hemisphere), extra worship services and activities close to Christmas day mean self-reflection and spiritual preparation often take a back seat.

This year, consider having an A Cappella Sunday during advent. Such an approach can provide a stark contrast in the midst of a busy December lifestyle.

Hints for Selecting A Cappella Songs
I have provided a dozen suggestions as a starting point. Be sure to make at least two selections your community know well. Plan to have one sung in unison, one as a canon/round, one in simple parts, and one for which people can invent their own harmonies (eg: Kum by yah)  I am certain there will be other songs you will recall as you plan. Your suggested additions to this list are welcome and may be made by means of a post comment.

What is A Cappella Sunday?

May I wish you an adventurous advent!

The Beginnings of a List

• Come all you people - Come All You People or All Together Whatever 
• Glory, Glory Glory (Argentina) - All Together OK
• Be Still and know - Come All You People, As One Voice 2
• Jubilate Deo (there are many, including Jubilate Servite by Jacques Berthier to be sung in two part canon)
• Christ the Worker - All Together Everybody
• There is a line of women - One is the Body 
• Children go, I will send you (African American Spiritual)- There are numerous word versions of this song. I have been unable to find the version i learnt as a child, so have provided what I believe are more seasonally appropriate lyrics here. 
• Kum By Yah - Come All You People, and many other sources
• O come, O come Emmanuel (plainsong melody from the 15th century which is wonderful sung unaccompanied, or with a bass drone added throughout) - many hymnbooks.
• The Peace of the Earth (This is a beautiful four part vocal song that might be offered by a quartet as a blessing)- There is One Among Us
• Father bless us as we go - All Together Now, Together in Song

How is the Church Accompanying Song in 2011?
What is A Cappella Sunday?
How to teach a song in 4 steps
View other Advent and Christmas material on this blog

Percussion Perspective

Contemporary culture puts great store on the latest technology and trends. Paradoxically, the traditional church has a tendency to scorn new ideas, instead clinging to tried and tested practices.This poses particular challenges for contemporarily minded musicians.

An Historical Perspective
Are those highly valued traditions really that old anyway? Pipe organs, for example, were unheard of for the first 1,500 years of Christendom. Prior to that church bands and a cappella singing were the order of the day. And in the early church scholars believe song was predominantly accompanied by percussion instruments.

But those old hymns were written for pipe organ, weren't they?
On the contrary, many of the oldest hymns are settings of old dance tunes, drinking songs, popular songs and patriotic anthems. Be Thou my vision (Slane) is Gaelic and hails from the 8th century (no pipe organs then my friend) and may be best accompanied with tin whistle and bodhran. Many other hymn tunes of Gaelic origin might be considered in the same light. All Creatures of our God and King (Lasst uns Erfreuen) and Praise to The Lord (Lobe den Herren) are thought to have originally been dances from northern Europe (think dancing and singing around a campfire here folks). Famously, Silent Night was written for guitar accompaniment after mice ate through the cathedral organ's bellows. But I digress!

The Trouble with Hymnbooks
Put a song into a hymnbook and you can be sure of one thing: many people will ignore its origin, assume the accompanying instrument should be the organ, and play at cathedral pace. Consequently many of our hymns are inapproprately hyper-harmonised in the traditional mould, diminishing one of the great strengths of our repertoire - global diversity.  God sends us his Spirit hails from Ghana. How many pipe organs do you think there are are in Ghana?

Using Percussion to Enlivening the Singing
Accompanying sung voices with percussion is the most effective way of ensuring the sung words are dominant. The more notes that are played by instrumentalists, the less weight is given to the sung text. Not only does harmonisation alter the mood of the song, but it also tends to slow its tempo or pace. Keep in mind that cathedral pace, neccesarily slow because of the reverberant acoustic in a cathedral, is irrelevent in most worship spaces. 

Advantages of Percussion Accompaniment

1. Most People Can
Most of those who come to worship can tap in time, and by extension will be able to play a simple beat. Fewer people, but still a goodly number, can play a simple complementary rhythm. It doesn't need to be complex. A simple beat on the first beat of the bar can be surprisingly effective. Most people will need to devote their entire attention to their percussion part, and refrain from singing.
 
2. Portability
There is no need for electricity and so percussion instruments have obvious advantages for stations of the cross, carol singing, worship-on-the-move, camps, and worship in the open air. Many larger drums can be hung across the body of their player by drumming straps.
 
3. Inexpensive
OK, so they can be very expensive, depending on what you choose to purchase. Claves, tone blocks and maracas are easily found at reasonable prices. A maraca egg can be bought for just a dollar or two. A quality tambourine or cabasa is a little more expensive, and good quality drums can set the heart rate apace!

However, fairs and fetes, local music shops and e-bay are great places to pick up a bargain. Washboards can occasionally be found in second hand shops - and I'll wager there are plenty of older folks who have an old one lying around in their shed.  Consider making your own instruments for a fraction of the price. Start by acquiring a great drum, the deeper the better, and build from there.

Getting Started - What to Play
I am not a fan of the everyone-pick-up-an-instrument-and-whack routine. We can do much better than that! Rather have two or three well-rehearsed people accompany a song with well-chosen rhythms. One person might simply beat a drum on the first beat of each bar, providing stability to the ensemble. A second could choose a brief and interesting rhythm from the song and play it several times throughout, leaving plenty of space inbetween. To get started, have a gander at my percussion suggestions for using The King of Glory Comes and Praise to the Lord. Better still, find out how to have a full-on A Cappella Sunday.

And another thing...
For drummers, faith communities can be a tough crowd, particularly those with a traditional music heritage. Take a look at this article, The Challenge of Playing Drums in Church by John Schmidli which offers practical solutions to some common pitfalls for young drummers.

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a cappella sunday

Imagine your faith community singing in four part harmony, without any instrumental accompaniment. Sound impossible? Don't you believe it - I've seen it work well. Engaging your community in harmony singing for an entire worship service is worth the effort, and not as difficult as you might think.

Preparation
1. Enlist the help of others who are keen to promote the idea and get involved.
2. Organise a short rehearsal for the community after worship the week before your planned A Cappella Sunday, and have your helpful others encourage people to get involved. Be sure to emphasise you are not forming a 'choir'. A Cappella Sunday is about encouraging the whole community's sung voice.
3. Select songs (see note below)

Selecting Songs
A Cappella Sunday is not about using fully-fledged four part (SATB) hymns or anthems. This notion will not only ensure a focus on 'experts', but will fail to involve the whole gathering.On A Cappella Sundays I have tried to ensure accessibility by including one of each of the following:
- a round (canon)
- a short 3 or 4 part chant
- an echo song
- an old hymn in pentatonic tonality that can be sung in canon
- a familiar song in which people may invent their own invented harmonies.

Setup and Seating
Arrange your seats in a circular formation if you can, with soprano, alto, tenor and bass parts to be seated in section facing the centre. Have those who attended the rehearsal sit in the second and third rows, so that those who are less familiar with the songs are sitting in front of them, in amongst the action and not on the outer. This also means they will be 'hit in the back of the neck' with their vocal part.

On the Day
Ask rehearsers to arrive a little earlier so they can be seated in the appropriate seats. Enlist help from several people who can greet at the door and assist decisions about where to sit. Ask them whether they have a high or low voice, rather than use the terms soprano, alto, tenor and bass. Consider walking them to their seat so they don't feel too exposed.

The Songleader
The songleader plays an important role, bringing in each section as required, and perhaps running a teaching time prior to the beginning of worship. The circular formation enhances the feeling of community - we are all involved, and no-one is really up-the-front. It also assist the songleader in communicating with the whole community. For tips about intoriducing new songs see How to teach a Song in 4 Steps.

Give it a go, and let me know what you sang.

Resources for A Cappella Sunday
Use pentatonic hymns and songs like Were you there, Be thou my vision, Kum by Yah, Standing in the need of prayer, which all invite people to make their own harmonies. Delve into the vast resources available including the following publications: 
There is One Among Us
Many and Great
We walk his way

Come All you People

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