[Choir] Text, lyrics and melody

Wed May 11 07:03:35 CDT 2022

Thanks, Steve, for those thoughts on how words and music make a whole. I completely agree that it’s the whole piece together that we are doing, and not caring about the words does kind of diss the person who wrote them.

I like your point about learning about who wrote the words and music, when, and why. I confess I’m not in love with Gift to Sing, but I was able to put a bit more effort into singing it better when I read the blurb in the music we were given about who wrote the words, and when.

Re: singing in other languages, it is harder, but the foreign words are so like beautiful poetry, so I’m ok with that. I was in a community chorus in Burlington where we did a lot of traditional music from other cultures, and I really loved it, especially the African stuff that involved dancing with it!  The words, music, and dance moves made a glorious whole!  I’m hoping we do more traditional music like that in our choir in the future. It’s also very inclusive, as you don’t have to have any musical know-how to sing it; just an enjoyment of the natural rhythms that our bodies love to do and feel. (And you get to u-u-late (obviously I can’t spell that word ��), who wouldn’t want to do that? ☺️)

Speaking of which, what a great idea to have a de-briefing after the season about how we felt about the music we sang, and where we might want to go in the future. Maybe we could do that at the pot luck in June.

Maryann

On May 10, 2022, at 6:57 PM, Frances Krushenick via Choir <choir at unitarianchurchofmontpelier.org> wrote:

I have a hard time singing in a different language. It's difficult to look at the words and the music at the same time because I can't memorize the words.
Fran

On Tue, May 10, 2022 at 2:35 PM Lani Seifert via Choir <choir at unitarianchurchofmontpelier.org<mailto:choir at unitarianchurchofmontpelier.org>> wrote:
This may be the first, last and only time that I completely agree with Steve!
Well said.
How are we to understand another culture by singing something when we don’t know what is being sung?   An English translation may not be perfect, but at least it gives us a clue! If you must, then sing it in English and the native language.
Lani

On Tue, May 10, 2022 at 2:28 PM Stephen Finner via Choir <choir at unitarianchurchofmontpelier.org<mailto:choir at unitarianchurchofmontpelier.org>> wrote:
I thank Lani for starting this conversation.  However, friend, don't call yourself names like "whiny" That text just doesn't scan.

Once a year, I faciliated a discussion with my small choir (never more than 10) about the music we had sung.  What worked, what didn't, what did you like, love hate  etc.  What text spoke to you and what did you want to ignore.   Not looking for answers of course, looking for experience and understanding which might guide me in my programming.

As a composer, arranger, conductor etc, I know that text and melody once composed and set are an organic whole.  We can analyze and discuss them separately.  We can sing one and recite the other.  But once composed and set, they are the song, the cantata, the whole.

And I advise not being afraid to have strong feelings about one, the other, or both.  You are the voice of both the composer and the author of the text.  Speak up when you are moved to do so.  And care about it.   When you say "I'm just sing the melody.  I don't care about the words".  Think wnat you are saying to the creator of those words who may be dead hundreds of years.   "I don't care about you.  I don't value your creation"

I find I understand the music better and perform it better if I learn about both the melody and the text.  Who composed it when and why?  Who wrote that text when and why?  I often listen to different performances of the piece to get a better understanding of both.  And as you can appreciate I am sure, understanding as much about the text as I can is central if I am setting it.

And given Donia's careful meticulous planning of rehearsals, I always learn more about both.

However, a lot of that is technical and more important is "how do both the words and music affect me?"  "How do they speak to my theology, my belief, my faith?

This season we have sung Ave Verrum Corpus.   It is a beautiful melody but singing it for me is jarring and not affirming of my faith beause of the lyrics, plain and simple.  Below is a popular translation.   It is classic Trinitarian salvationaist Christian theology.  I reject it with every fibre of my being.   I contrast it with "Sing Gently" , "Spirit of Life"   "I Don't Feel No Ways Tired"  and the list goes on.

I agree completely that it is important, if not mandatory to share the text with the congregation visually and that includes translation when we are not singing in English.  I don't think this needs much, if any discussion.  Let's just do it.   We have produced some excellent slides and know how to do it.

So for what it is worth, these are my thoughts.

Hail,true body
born of the Virgin Mary,
Who truly suffered, sacrificed
on the Cross for man,
Whose pierced side overflowed
with water* and blood,
Be for us a foretaste**
In the test of death.

Stephen L. Finner, Ph.D.
finnerstephen at gmail.com<mailto:finnerstephen at gmail.com>
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Minister of Music Emeritus, St. Johnsbury Vermont UU Congregation
(he, him, his)
"There must always remain in everyone's life some room for the singing of angels"   Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman
"May you know the joy of living sometimes comes with pain lived through"
Steve Finner (1998)
"Nothing stays the same after we find the God within"  Sr. Joan Chittister O.S.B.
And just in case you were wondering "Faith without works is dead" James 2:26
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