Is there a new addition to Cassie's family?

I think it's safe to say that this has been the most frequently asked question in church for the past week, and I learned today that the answer is now yes! On behalf of the choir and the congregation, I want to offer congrats and best wishes to Cassie and James, as well as a hearty welcome to Sarah (Or perhaps Sara?). I'll let Cassie share any further information if and when she chooses, but I couldn't wait to share the good news.

Was that as loud as the organ can play?

I heard this question a few times following the Easter services. During such a celebratory service, singing some of the most rousing and beautiful hymns of praise with a full church, I did let the organ pipes roar beyond what I would do on a typical Sunday, of course. In the last verse of the opening hymn ("Jesus Christ is Risen Today"), you heard the organ at approximately 90% of its theoretical full volume.

Why only 90%? Well, first I'll ask you: wasn't it loud enough already? Second, not all pipes on an organ can be played at the same time and sound good together. The salicional and vox humana don't get along well with the flutes and diapasons (to put it in geeky organ language).

Also, our unique mix of pipe organ and electronic keyboard means that I can add in as much volume as the lectern-side speakers will pump out. On Easter, I was using the electronic pipes mostly for the 16 foot and 32 foot pipe sounds - in other words, that low rumble you might have felt in your chest during some of the hymns.

Given the contraints of what sounds good, there's really no need to go beyond 90% capacity of the instrument, and we probably won't hit that mark again until next Easter or at least until Reformation Sunday or Thanksgiving!

What did Cassie sing at the beginning of the psalm?

If you were at second service this Sunday, you might have wondered about the "introduction" that Cassie sang prior to the psalm and repeated at the end of it. That short musical phrase is called an antiphon. It tends to be just a few measures of a simple melody, with the text coming either from that day's psalm or another closely related Biblical verse.

The reason to sing an antiphon is to clarify the fundamental thought of the psalm. It helps focus our mind on the emphasis of that day's psalm and guides our interpretation of it. In that way, it uses music to help instruct us and tie the lessons together - the main goal of all good Lutheran church music! For the most part, we use the ELCA's published psalter, but we occasionally substitute other published music or even compose our own simple antiphons.

Incidentally, if you are interested in participating in our music ministry without the ongoing time commitment of joining the choir, singing a psalm could be a great opportunity for you!

Why do we have two preludes every Sunday?

To understand why Bethany regularly includes two preludes, you need to consider the role or purpose of the prelude. There are at least two different perspectives:

1. The prelude is "background music" that creates an inviting atmosphere as people arrive for worship. In other words, it's okay to pay little attention to it while we take off our coats, greet friends, and scan the bulletin announcements before the service.

2. The prelude should be a time for prayer, reflection, and preparation for worship.

At Bethany, the worship and music committee felt the second philosophy was an important aspect of worship. For that reason, the prelude was played after pastor made the announcements and asked us "To prepare our hearts and minds for worship" during a brief prelude.

However, that created the dual problems of limiting the prelude to pieces of approximately one minute, while also creating an awkward period of silence as congregants arrived. This problem was addressed by creating a pre-prelude. Now, Tom is free to play more substantial pieces from the organ literature as people are arriving, fulfilling the first goal of the prelude. Then, after the announcements, the second prelude provides a transition from the ordinary business of life to the sacred environment of worship.

I don't know of any other church with this unique format, but I've grown to like it a great deal. I particularly like the freedom to program organ literature in the first slot, while reserving the second slot for short pieces that relate to the hymns for the day. I'd love to hear reactions both from members and from others reading about this for the first time.

What's this blog all about?

This blog will include a variety of content, but the primary focus that underlies it all is Lutheran church music. The blog is maintained primarily by the organist at Bethany English Lutheran Church in Cleveland, but it is written with input and assistance from the staff and members of the congregation.

This blog is different from most church websites, which tend to be relatively static or simply post the church's monthly newsletter online. With regular updates, this site is meant to accomplish a number of goals:

1. To continue the church's music ministry and outreach in a new format;
2. To examine and discuss music in the Lutheran heritage;
3. To connect in a dialogue with a broader audience of musicians and people of diverse faiths;
4. To explore the role of the arts in our Christian understanding.

Most of all, we hope this site becomes a hub for conversation and participation, a place to share ideas and ask questions. If you have a question or suggestion, please leave a comment here or email musicatbethany@gmail.com