was the title of a piece I wrote for the church newsletter a few weeks before our performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion in the year 2000. At that time, I wrote: “The St. Matthew Passion performances are quite possibly the most ambitious undertaking ever planned at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu.” Presenting the Mass in… Read More It takes a congregation . . .
Today’s music — both morning and afternoon — was spiritual in so many ways. The morning was full of wrenching emotions beginning with Georgine Stark‘s unforgettable rendition of He’s got the whole world in his hands, and three spirituals marvelously sung by the choir: I’ve just come from the fountain, There is a balm in… Read More Spiritual Sunday
Tonight Carl and I attended the Crescendo! fundraiser for the Hawaii Vocal Arts Ensemble, honoring Gloria Moore Faltstrom. Gloria was Carl’s immediate predecessor as organist of the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, but then became organist of Waiokeola Congregational Church where she remained for 26 years before retiring in 2005. It was 19 years ago that… Read More Crescendo! honoring Gloria Moore Faltstrom
Tonight was the rehearsal for the Joint Evensong with St. Andrew’s Cathedral Choir, and let me tell you, it’s going to be absolutely glorious! The service will be Sunday, April 3rd, at 5:30 pm in the Cathedral with Carl Crosier conducting and John Renke at the Aeolian-Skinner organ. The service will begin with Carl’s setting… Read More Howells’ St. Paul Service
“I was much encouraged by the rehearsal tonight,” Carl said on the way home last night after our 5th choral rehearsal on the Mass in B Minor. For openers, almost everyone was present, which is a big part of the equation! That reminds me of a joke that is floating around the internet: A community band… Read More Week 5 – Bach on target!
For next Sunday’s Joint Evensong with St. Andrew’s Cathedral Choir, I wasn’t planning to do anything other than sit in the congregation and take a few photos. But then, on Monday Carl suggested to Cathedral Musician, John Renke, that perhaps I could be “persuaded” to play Bach’s “Aus tiefer Not” (Out of the depths have… Read More Out of the depths
This was Carl’s confession yesterday during the Adult Forum when assessing his abilities to conduct the choir in the early days. He explained that he was originally hired as the organist in December 1972, but that when music director Joseph Hansen left the position for a job in California, Carl became Music Director and Organist… Read More A terrible conductor!
At last Thursday’s regular choir rehearsal, we practiced music for next Sunday’s Joint Evensong service (April 3rd at 5:30 pm) with St. Andrew’s Cathedral choir, as well as next week’s Sunday morning service (April 3rd at 10:30 am). The music will be like night and day — a sharp contrast in styles. You’re mistaken if… Read More Night and day
I went to the church yesterday to teach an organ lesson and lo and behold, we found that a key was stuck down. “Oh, that’s no big deal! It just means a spring has sprung!” was what I said. According to Christoph Wolff, one of the respected Bach scholars today, Johann Sebastian Bach had a… Read More A spring has sprung!
This Sunday it will be Carl Crosier’s turn to address the Adult Forum, and the topic he has been asked to speak on is the history of the liturgical worship at LCH. In an earlier post, I wrote about the beginnings of the church and the influence of Germans Henri Berger and Erich Kahl. Upon reading… Read More History of the LCH music program