If you are like me, you have never heard of or even seen an arpeggione — a six-stringed instrument that looks a little bit like a guitar but is bowed like a cello. Well now’s your chance to hear one in person! On Saturday night, December 8th at 7:30 pm at the Lutheran Church of… Read More Arpeggione in Honolulu!
Last Sunday (Advent I) we sang “Lo, he comes with clouds descending,” (tune name HELMSLEY) for the exit hymn, one of my favorite Advent hymns. “Lo, he comes with clouds descending” was also the caption to the cartoon above, which was posted on the Episcopal Meme’s Facebook page yesterday. It reminded me of the few times… Read More Lo! he comes with clouds descending
Well, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it does take a heap of folks to put on an “O” Antiphon service. I found a complete writeup of this special Advent service at St. Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle, where I believe the whole idea of congregation-made “O” Antiphon banners either originated or was resurrected in… Read More A cast of thousands
Even though our “O” Antiphon service was last night, the thought occurred to me that some of you might not know what I’m talking about. The service contains readings, prayers and music on the “O” Antiphons, which are all names for God, beginning with “O”, such as “O Wisdom,” “O Root of Jesse,” “O Key… Read More The “O” Antiphons
It’s December 2012, and I am beginning my last month as organist of the Lutheran Church of Honolulu. A number of people have asked me how I am feeling, and quite honestly, I have answered “with mixed emotions.” You may recall that in Carl Crosier’s last month as Cantor, we started ticking off the “lasts”… Read More The last month
A year ago, I wrote a post called “Countercultural Advent,” in which I expressed the idea that we in liturgical churches are really contrary to the mainstream — namely, that we don’t sing Christmas carols until Christmas Eve, and the season before Christmas — Advent —is considered a penitential season. This year we are even… Read More Countercultural Advent, take two
This past summer you may recall that we were in Thousand Oaks, CA for the Region 4 conference of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians. The Winter 2012 newsletter was just released containing my review/blow-by-blow of the conference events. (Had I realized at the time that I was going to have to “review” the conference,… Read More Telling the Story: followup
A couple of days ago, there was a fascinating article published by CatholicPhilly.com that blamed shrinking church budgets and changing tastes for the shortage of organists. You can read the article by Beth Griffin in its entirety by clicking here. According to the article it was the Second Vatican Council in the 70s which changed… Read More Looking for organists?
I’m a morning person and even though the alarm goes off every morning at the ungodly hour of 4:50 am, I’m frequently awake before it sounds. We then head out the door and go for two-mile walk down Ala Moana Boulevard, all the way to Restaurant Row and back. So, it was a little unusual… Read More Driven to practice
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-81-7G4XHE?rel=0] Peter Klatzow’s Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis sung by the Commotio Choir, Oxford, directed by Matthew Berry It’s the weekend before Thanksgiving and I’m going to be working on Peter Klatzow’s “Magnificat,” which will be performed at the 38th Advent Procession on December 2nd. Carl Crosier is in Seattle to celebrate Peter Hallock’s 88th… Read More Peter Klatzow’s “Magnificat”