A Day of Music

Yesterday, Joan and I were up early for a rehearsal at 8:45 am. She was accompanying three men's four-part pieces and I was one of the seven singers. Two of the three selections were difficult but beautiful; the third piece was a Canon or round, in four divisions. The church was in 1723 stone barn, converted to a sanctuary. The service lasted until 11:15.

Then we were off to a three hour rehearsal with a Lutheran Church Choir, filled with 80 energetic singers. The rehearsal is for a Christmas concert on the afternoon of December 6.

Throughout the day, I was reminded of the debate in the early days of the Reformation about the best way to present church music -- either as Unison singing or singing in parts.

John Calvin was against singing in parts, which he thought distracted from the words. The best vehicle for a text, he thought, were many voices - male and female -- singing as one.

Others who had thoughts on the matter -- such as Martin Luther -- encouraged singing in parts, believing that the beauty of voices in harmony, emphasized the meaning of the words.

The debate went on for over 200 years. John Wesley, who with his brother Charles Wesley, founded the Methodist Church, was a proponent of Unison singing -- that is until he heard Handel's "Messiah" performed in London in 1742, with the composer conducting. After that, he thought that "fugueing" was acceptable.

Joan and I were exhausted when we finally returned home at 5:00, collapsing on our accepting couch and love seat for the remaining football games. Running through our heads from nine hours earlier, though, were the strong strains of "Contate Hodie," meaning "sing today." And Joan was still complaining about having to play the piano accompaniment in four sharps (the complaining started two weeks earlier and will continue on into the new week) although she handled it beautifully. Sleep was close at hand.

An English singer (named, Gordon) complained of Handel's method of accompanying during the Messiah. If Handel persisted in accompanying him in this manner, the noted singer threatened to jump on Handel's harpsichord and smash it to pieces. Handel is said to have replied:
"Oh! Let me know when you will do that, and I will advertise it.
For I am sure more people will come to see you jump, than to hear you sing."