I can hardly believe that tomorrow is the last Sunday in Lent and next week is already Palm Sunday! During the Sundays in Lent, instead of an opening hymn accompanied by the organ, we have been using processional introits based on Gregorian melodies, interspersed with handbell peals written by Carl Crosier. LCH’s five octaves of… Read More Petit and Fritsen handbells
Carl is starting to clean out his office and came across an old letter. It was written by Lois Pemble of Winchester, Kentucky and dated December 23, 2003, a year after the Lutheran Church of Honolulu had purchased the harpsichord made by her brother, Floyd Cammack. In the letter she enclosed a note by Robbie… Read More The Cammack harpsichord
This Sunday, April 10th, the LCH Choir will be singing “Out of the deep” by English Renaissance composer, Thomas Morley (1557-1602) which will feature Carl Crosier singing an extended countertenor solo. A countertenor is a man who uses his head voice (falsetto) to sing notes in the alto range. Some men are natural baritones while… Read More The art of the countertenor
We bought a new computer last week — but for anyone who has gone through this “process,” you know that we’re in a period of transition. It’s a little like moving — first of all there’s all the sorting — determining what you don’t need anymore. Then there’s the packing into boxes, then the actual… Read More Moving right along
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