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University of Iowa

Iowa Research Online


Theses and Dissertations

Fall 2014

The liturgical organist: the creative use of solo organ


music in the Lutheran liturgy
Thomas Keith Hamilton
University of Iowa

Copyright 2014 Thomas Keith Hamilton

This dissertation is available at Iowa Research Online: http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/1463

Recommended Citation
Hamilton, Thomas Keith. "The liturgical organist: the creative use of solo organ music in the Lutheran liturgy." DMA (Doctor of
Musical Arts) thesis, University of Iowa, 2014.
http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/1463.

Follow this and additional works at: http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd

Part of the Music Commons


THE LITURGICAL ORGANIST:
THE CREATIVE USE OF
SOLO ORGAN MUSIC IN THE LUTHERAN LITURGY

by

Thomas Keith Hamilton

An essay submitted in partial fulfillment


of the requirements for the
Doctor of Musical Arts degree
in the Graduate College of
The University of Iowa

December 2014

Essay Supervisor: Assistant Professor Gregory Hand


Graduate College
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL

D.M.A. ESSAY

This is to certify that the D.M.A. essay of

Thomas Keith Hamilton

has been approved by the Examining Committee


for the essay requirement for the Doctor of Musical Arts
degree at the December 2014 graduation.

Essay Committee:
Gregory Hand, Essay Supervisor

Michael Eckert

Rene Lecuona

Marian Wilson Kimber

Brett Wolgast

ii
To my parents who bought a piano instead of a couch

iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank Dr. Gregory Hand for his patient guidance and in

completing this project, Dr. Delbert D. Disselhorst for his wonderful teaching and sage

advice, Dr. Brett Wolgast for his ever-present support, and Marian Wilson Kimber who

told me all along that I could do this.

Further thanks to my colleagues, past and present, who have been so supportive of

my work in music ministry: Rev. Bill Van Oss, Rector of St. Pauls Episcopal Church in

Duluth, Minnesota, and the late Rev. Mark A. Olson.

My deepest appreciation goes to my family: Carol, Meredith, Ian, and Serrie have

been so supportive of my goal to finish this degree and have sacrificed a lot along the

way; my father and my late mother who saw to it we had music all around us while we

were children; and to my siblings, Paul, Carol, and Mary, who have been a great cheering

section.

iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES v

INTRODUCTION: THE NEED TO EXPAND OUR HORIZONS 1

CHAPTER

1. THE EARLY LUTHERAN CHURCHS APPROACH


TO MUSIC IN THE LITURGY 4

2. A SURVEY OF THE HISTORICAL USE


OF ORGAN LITERATURE IN LITURGY 9

3. THE ROLE OF THE LITURGICAL ORGANIST:


PAIRING LITURGY AND MUSIC 18

4. EXAMPLES AND EXPLANATIONS:


USING FREE ORGAN LITERATURE IN LITURGY 28

CONCLUSION 64

BIBLIOGRAPHY 67

v
LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES

Example 1. Petr Eben: Sunday Music: III. Moto Ostinato, mm. 1-4. 30

Example 2. Petr Eben: Sunday Music:


III. Moto Ostinato, mm. 5-10, right hand. 31

Example 3. Petr Eben: Sunday Music: III. Moto Ostinato, mm. 55-67. 32

Example 4. Petr Eben: Sunday Music: III. Moto Ostinato, mm. 79-80. 33

Example 5. Petr Eben: Sunday Music: III. Moto Ostinato, mm. 118-129. 34

Example 6. Petr Eben: Sunday Music: III. Moto Ostinato, mm. 143-145. 34

Example 7. Petr Eben: Sunday Music: III. Moto Ostinato, mm. 153-155. 35

Example 8. Max Reger, Introduction and Passacaglia in d, mm. 1-5. 35

Example 9. Max Reger, Introduction and Passacaglia in d, mm. 15-22. 36

Example 10. Max Reger, Introduction and Passacaglia in d, mm. 111-121. 37

Example 11. Felix Mendelssohn, Sonata in A, Op. 65, No. 3, mm. 1-8. 40

Example 12. Felix Mendelssohn, Sonata in A, Op. 65, No. 3, mm. 24-28. 41

Example 13. Felix Mendelssohn, Sonata in A, Op. 65, No. 3, mm. 36-40. 41

Example 14. Felix Mendelssohn, Sonata in A, Op. 65, No. 3, mm. 58-60. 42

Example 15. Jean Langlais, Chant de Paix, mm. 1-3. 43

Example 16. Jean Langlais, Chant de Paix, mm. 2-8, pedal only. 44

Example 17. Jean Langlais, Chant de Paix, mm. 30-32. 44

Example 18. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, mm. 1-8. 46

Example 19. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, mm. 26-36. 47

Example 20. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, mm. 42-54. 48

Example 21. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, m. 59. 48

Example 22: Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, m. 69. 49

vi
Example 23. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, mm. 69-77. 49

Example 24. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, mm. 84-92. 50

Example 25. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, mm. 98-103. 50

Example 26. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie,


illustration of sounding pitches, mm. 100-103. 51

Example 27. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, mm. 114-124. 51

Example 28. Csar Franck, Chorale No. 2 in b minor, mm. 1-8. 52

Example 29. Csar Franck, Chorale No. 2 in b minor, mm. 33-37. 53

Example 30. Csar Franck, Chorale No. 2 in b minor, mm. 49-53. 53

Example 31. Csar Franck, Chorale No. 2 in b minor,


mm. 65-80, melody only. 54

Example 32. Csar Franck, Chorale No. 2 in b minor, mm. 80-83. 54

Example 33. Maurice Durufl, Fugue sur le nom dAlain, mm. 1-5. 56

Example 34. Maurice Durufl, Fugue sur le nom dAlain, mm. 43-46. 57

Example 35. Maurice Durufl, Fugue sur le nom dAlain, mm. 88-92. 57

Example 36. Maurice Durufl, Fugue sur le nom dAlain, mm. 105-107. 58

Example 37. Maurice Durufl, Fugue sur le nom dAlain, mm. 116-118. 58

Example 38. Maurice Durufl, Fugue sur le nom dAlain, mm. 124-128. 59

Example 39. J. S. Bach, Prelude in D, BWV 532, mm. 1-5. 60

Example 40. J. S. Bach, Prelude in D, BWV 532, mm. 14-16. 61

Example 41. J. S. Bach, Prelude in D, BWV 532, mm. 26-31, pedal only. 61

Example 42. J. S. Bach, Fugue in D, BWV 532, mm. 1-6. 62

Example 43. J. S. Bach, Fugue in D, BWV 532, mm. 128-136. 63

vii
1

INTRODUCTION: THE NEED TO EXPAND OUR HORIZONS

Sunday after Sunday, liturgical organists are faced with the challenge of providing

music for liturgy. While hymns, psalms, musical settings of liturgical texts, choral

anthems and responses are often made clear in their choice due to the marriage of text

and music, choosing music outside of those parameters is a challenge. Music that

happens prior to worship as the community gathers, music to accompany ritual actions

such as the presentation of the offering or the distribution of the Eucharist, and music that

sends people on their way at the end of the service is not something to be taken lightly.

Such choices are important and can have a significant effect on the over-all tenor of the

liturgy. Many organists have concluded the most efficient and effective solution is to seek

pieces which are based on the hymns sung by the assembly and trust that a cohesive

liturgical whole has been created. This essay attempts to move beyond that notion into

the realm of solo organ literature that is not derived from a chorale or hymn melody.

Each piece of music carries its own aesthetic characteristics, and the task of the liturgical

organist is to determine how those characteristics can best be incorporated into a given

religious celebration.

A word of caution emerges quickly in beginning to approach ancillary liturgical

music in this way. While the intent here is not to assign a program to music where one

does not exist, acknowledging the character of a piece or to musical gestures within the

piece is necessary for its effective use in liturgy. This is also not to imply that a composer

had a liturgical function in mind while crafting a piece of free organ music. Even so, the

mood of a piece of solo organ music can serve to enhance the liturgical celebration. All
2

of what is discussed here interprets how art, specifically music, fits into liturgy in order

for music to deepen the religious celebration.

The essay begins with an examination of Martin Luthers attitude toward liturgical

music in addition to how early Lutheran musicians dealt with the problem of creating

music consistent with the character of the liturgy. Since improvisation was commonplace

among organists of the time, it was easy for them to extemporize on a chorale or

liturgical melody in keeping with the spirit of the liturgy. Modern-day American

organists are not as readily trained in improvisation and must therefore rely on music

composed by others as their primary resource for liturgical music. This is an attempt to

respond to the conundrum of what to play for liturgy that may transcend merely

reiterating the melodies already present elsewhere.

Chapter 2 examines historical writing and current resources for effective use of the

organ in liturgy. Such resources are scarce, and none of them examine the effective use of

free organ literature in liturgy. General statements are made as to the music needing to

reflect the character of the liturgy, but the notion that one specific piece may be more

appropriate than another for a given liturgical celebration is not part previous discussions.

The role and function of a liturgical organist will be discussed in chapter 3. It will be

made clear that the organist has a role in the proclamation of the liturgy rather than

merely filling time and space with background music. While ancillary music is not the

top priority of the church organist, care in selecting such pieces is paramount to the

assemblys full experience of the liturgy. Suggestions for selecting solo organ music are

also given. While the process is somewhat intuitive, there are certain criteria which assist

in making decisions regarding the use of free organ music in the liturgy. Each piece of
3

music has attributes which make it more or less appropriate for a given liturgical event.

This prevents the notion that any piece will work for any given liturgy based on a

subjective interpretation of the aesthetic effect of the music.

Chapter 4 gives examples and analyses of pieces which would be appropriate for the

liturgies of Holy Week. Two pieces are given for Palm-Passion Sunday, Maundy

Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. The contrast between the pieces for a given

celebration will be discussed along with clear reasons why each piece reflects the spirit of

the day.

The conclusion will provide a summary of the ideas presented along with a suggested

parallel process when incorporating chorale-based music into liturgy. There is also

further discussion of what is to be gained by the inclusion of specific pieces of organ

music in liturgy. Finally, distinctions will be made between this approach to

incorporating music into liturgy and assigning a program to music where one does not

exist.
4

CHAPTER 1: THE EARLY LUTHERAN CHURCHS


APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM

The background for musical inclusion in the liturgy is rooted deeply in the history

of the Lutheran Church. The formation of the Lutheran church and Martin Luthers

attitude toward church music in general opened the path for new musical expressions to

find their way into liturgy. Understanding Lutheran church history allows for such open

musical expression in liturgy. The focus of this chapter will be specific to the Lutheran

context because of Martin Luthers welcoming of music of all kinds, texted or not, into

the liturgy.

Though Luther was not the earliest religious reformer, he was the most significant

voice against the abuses of the Catholic Church that had become common-place in the

early sixteenth century. Luthers posting his ninety-five theses on the door of the Castle

Church at Wittenberg in 1517 incited the Protestant Reformation, one of the most

tumultuous times in the history of the western church. Pope Leo X excommunicated him,

and he was summoned to answer for charges of heresy in many places to many church

and political officials, the last of which was at the Diet of Worms in 1521.1 Luthers

refusal to recant his statements against the church led to the formation of the new church

bearing the name Lutheran.

In common Lutheran understanding, liturgy is celebrated in order to proclaim the

Good News of Christ and his sacrifice for all believers to the community of faith. Prior to

the Protestant Reformation, liturgy was performed by the priest on behalf of the people in

order to please God and atone for the sins of the individual. Luther reversed this idea by

1
Williston Walker, Richard A. Norris, David W. Lotz, and Robert T. Handy, A History of the
Christian Church, 4th ed. (New York: Charles Scribners and Sons, 1985), 431.
5

making liturgy the proclamation of Gods grace to the assembly. Consequently, those

who lead liturgy speak Gods grace through word and sacrament, and the community

returns its praise and thanks to God in prayer and song. Intrinsic to Luthers theology

were these words from Pauls letter to the Romans: for we hold that a person is justified

by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.2 Under the popes of the late fifteenth

and early sixteenth centuries, liturgy had become a work of atonement and not an act of

faith. Luther saw this as intolerable and reformed the mass so as to eliminate those

portions which did not proclaim the grace of God given freely to all.3 Robin Leaver

writes:

[Luther] reversed the accepted action of the mass: instead of prayer and
intercession directed from the church to God, he saw it as proclamation of the
Gospel from God to the community, gathered at the altar.4

Music occupied much of Luthers attention as the new church and its rituals took shape.

He allowed, welcomed, and supported the use of music in liturgy. He saw music as

intrinsic to the nature of liturgy, and, to Luther, all of liturgy was proclamation. Leaver

continues:

What was at issue, according to Luther, was not music itself but how it was used.
If it was performed merely in fulfillment of demands of unreformed ecclesiastical
law then it was to be condemned, but if it was performed in response to the gospel
then it was to be commended: After faith, we can do no greater work than to
praise, preach, sing, and in every way laud and magnify Gods glory, honor, and
name.5

2
Romans 3:28
3
Robin Leaver, Luthers Liturgical Music: Principles and Implications (Grand Rapids, MI:
William B. Eerdmans, 2007), 292.
4
Leaver, 292. A footnote in the American version of Luthers works indicates the use of the word
evangelical to mean in accord with the Gospel.
5
Martin Luther, , Luthers Works, 55 vols., ed, Jaroslav Pelikan and H. T. Lehman (St. Louis and
Philadelphia, 1955-1976), 44:59.
6

In contrast to other reformers such as Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin, Luther freely

embraced and encouraged the use of music in the liturgy and supported the use of the

organ and other instruments.6 Luther welcomed all types of music, including instrumental

music, with or without references to a specific Biblical or chorale text.

How should the modern organist respond to this complex set of circumstances?

The liturgical organist must see everything he or she does as proclamation and carry that

task out with thoughtful and informed choices for solo organ music. The organist

proclaims with the organ what the preacher proclaims with words, and organists must see

their vocation as essential to the effective proclamation of the liturgy.

The attention Luther paid to language indicates the need for respect of tradition

while encouraging people to engage fully with the Gospel. Luther welcomed word

proclaimed and music sung in many languages. The extension of musical language in

modern-day practice allows the use of music by composers from J. S. Bach, the most

significant composer in the Lutheran tradition, to Olivier Messiaen, a twentieth-century

composer and Roman Catholic mystic. If liturgy is about proclamation and proclamation

requires exegetical tools which break open the Biblical narrative, then music including

music without text can and must serve that same end. Therefore, a new approach to solo

organ music emerges and encourages discovery of the essential truth or character of a

piece of music in order to interpret or reflect a given Gospel or liturgical truth for the

gathered community. Liturgical music does not exist for its own sake but for greater

understanding of the Biblical truth.

6
Paul Henry Lang, Music in Western Civilization (New York: W. W. Norton, 1941), 258-259.
7

While congregational song was on the rise in the early Lutheran church, so was

the use of the organ. It was the task of the organist to introduce the chorale to be sung by

the congregation, and the organist could shape the mood of the chorale because he

improvised on the chorale melody in the same spirit as the chorale. It is through these

chorale introductions as well as Alternatimpraxis7 that the organ found its voice in

liturgy, eventually giving way to the vast literature of organ music based on chorales,

including chorale preludes, chorale partitas, and chorale fantasias.

Prior to the twentieth century, organists were trained to improvise the ancillary

portions of the liturgy such as prelude, communion and postlude music. This allowed

organists the freedom to match their music to the daily readings, the sermon, and the

overall tone of the liturgy. Contemporary organists face a dilemma due to a lack of

education in improvisation. Because todays organists are not well-trained in the art of

improvisation in the spirit of the liturgy, they must rely on music composed by others to

use as liturgical music. These pieces do not always reflect the spirit of the hymn text or

the over-all spirit of the liturgy effectively. However, with some fore-thought, freely

composed solo organ music can support and enhance the liturgical experience.

By limiting oneself to the narrow view that compositions based on hymn or

chorale melodies best reflect the spirit of the liturgy, current practice in liturgical organ

playing discourages organists from considering repertoire outside these limitations. Other

types of music can also reflect the spirit of the liturgy effectively if they suggest

appropriate moods and images to the listener. The objective of this essay is to encourage

the effective use of solo organ literature which is not based on hymns and chorales in

7
Alternatimpraxis describes the alternating of the organ with sung choral or congregational verses. The
organist would often improvise based on ideas found in the text of the hymn or chorale
8

liturgy. The intent is not to exclude such pieces completely but to broaden the organists

view and stimulate her or his imagination around the intentional inclusion of solo organ

literature. The goal is that those who gather to worship will hear music which is

consistent with the spirit of the liturgy resulting in a deeper appreciation and

understanding of the liturgical celebration.


9

CHAPTER 2: A SURVEY OF THE HISTORICAL USE OF SOLO ORGAN


LITERATURE IN LITURGY

While a congregation does not assemble for the purpose of hearing the organist,

his or her music plays an important role in the service. Because of Luthers receptivity to

music in all its forms, a Lutheran context is the most practical arena in which this

conversation can take place. At the same time, sources outside the Lutheran church

inform and enlighten us to the broader view, and most modern worship planning

resources maintain the posture of the early church where the chorale-based music is the

only acceptable expression of the organ in liturgy. This essay enters into this conversation

and prompts liturgical organists to think beyond chorale and hymn based music.

For Luther, music and theology were so closely linked that references to the

former abound throughout his writings. Robin Leaver has provided an excellent

systematic analysis of Luthers view on music in his book, Luthers Liturgical Music.8 In

this comprehensive volume, Leaver clarifies Luthers stand on the use of music in the

liturgy.

For Luther worship should be a musical experience, a combination of chant and


hymnody, choral and instrumental. Is it from Luthers conviction that music is a
beautiful and magnificent gift of God, and next to theology, and therefore a
fundamental component of liturgy and worship, that the distinctive Lutheran musical
tradition developed under the leadership of its Kantors of church and school,
beginning with Luthers colleague Johann Walter and culminating in Johann
Sebastian Bach.9

Leaver continues to cite references by Luther that have led to the present

misunderstanding of Luthers attitude toward the organ:

8
Leaver, 294-295.
9
Ibid., 294.
10

If now (as Paul says) some unbeliever were to enter into the midst of these men and
heard them braying, mumbling, and bellowing, and saw that they were neither
preaching nor praying, but rather, as their custom is, were sounding forth like those
pipe organs (with which they have so brilliantly associated themselves, each one set
in a row just like his neighbor), would this unbeliever not be perfectly justified in
asking, Have you gone mad? What else are these monks but the tubes and pipes
Paul referred to as giving no distinct note but rather blasting out into the air?10

These people utter this prayer with their lips, but contradict it with their hearts. They
are like lead organ pipes which daily drawl or shout out their sounds in church, yet
lack both words and meaning. Perhaps these organs represent and symbolize these
singers and petitioners.11

Leaver, however, contextualizes the notion of Luthers apparent distaste for the organ;

Luther did not despise the organ but only how it was abused in the unreformed mass of

his time.

The context of most of these statements, however, reveals that the criticisms were not
of music per se but of its use, or rather abuse, in unreformed liturgies, which for
Luther was a theological issue. His critical references to the sound of the organ may
have had more to do with the imperfect development of the instruments he had heard
that they had not yet reached the refinement of later times rather than with any
objection to organs on principle.12

Leaver notes that some of Luthers friends who were organists would have exposed him

to good organs and organ playing, and writings by Luther reveal that instrumental music

was not to be banished from the church. It is this openness which makes the modern

Lutheran Church an excellent place to work out the notion of the use of free organ music

in liturgy.

Other reformers of Luthers time took music seriously enough to severely limit its

use or ban it altogether. John Calvin limited liturgical music to a unison line sung without

accompaniment. Ulrich Zwingli, the founder of the Dutch Reformed church, believed that

10
Luther, Vol. 44, quoted in Leaver, 7.
11
Luther, Vol. 42, quoted in Leaver, 7.
12
Leaver, 7-8.
11

music, vocal or instrumental, had no place in liturgy.13 This conservative attitude toward

the use of music in liturgy further underscores the unique nature of Luthers openness to

the use of many forms of instrumental music in liturgy.

In addition to the reformed tradition, early Roman Catholic musicians also wrote

treatises on the role of the organ in liturgy. Girolamo Dirutas Il Transilvano14 and

Adriano Banchieris Conclusioni nel suono dellorgano15 are two early sources for

liturgical music. Dating from the turn of the seventeenth century, these early documents

contain instructions on how to play at mass, how to improvise on chant melodies,

appropriate use of modes, etc. These works are useful in underscoring the attitude that an

organist was expected to provide music consistent with the mood of a liturgical action.

Not every type of music was appropriate everywhere in the Mass. For example, certain

modes were appropriate when intoning the Credo while others were more fitting at the

Elevation, the most solemn moment in the mass where, in Roman Catholic thought, the

bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ. Context was the predominant

consideration in supplying music for the mass.

In his letter of 1792 written to Christ Church and St. Peters on the conduct of a

church organ,16 Frances Hopkinson outlines six rules intended to guide the church

organist in the proper playing of the church service. Two of these rules are particularly

relevant to the current discussion. The first rule states,

13
Ibid., 3.
14
Girolamo Diruta, Il transylvano, trans. and ed. by Murray C. Bradshaw and Edward J. Soehnlen
(Henryville, PA: Institute of Mediaeval Music, 1984).
15
Adriano Banchieri, Conclusioni nel suono dellorgano, trans. Lee R. Garrett (Colorado Springs:
Colorado College Music Press, 1982).
16
Francis Hopkinson, A Letter to the Dr. Rev. White, rector of Christ Church and St. Peters on the
Conduct of the Church Organ in The Miscellaneous Essays and Occasional Writings (Philadelphia: T.
Dobson, 1792), quoted in David W. Music, Instruments in Church: A Collection of Source Documents
(Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, 1998), 132-135.
12

The organist should always keep in mind, that neither the time [n]or place is
suitable for exhibiting all his powers of execution; and that the congregation have
[sic] not assembled to be entertained with his performance.17

Hopkinsons subsequent rules deal with similar issues for different parts of the liturgy,

most of which are unique to the American Episcopal liturgical structure. The sixth rule,

however, also posits an interesting notion:

The voluntary after the service was never intended to eradicate every serious idea
which the sermon may have inculcated. . . . It should bear, if possible, some
analogy with the discourse delivered from the pulpit; at least it should not be
totally dissonant from it.18

Here Hopkinson recognizes that music influences the listener. The postlude should at

least be consistent with the ideas presented in the sermon so as not to contradict its

message.

Friedrich Blumes extensive volume on the history of Protestant church music

presents a very detailed view of liturgical music from the sixteenth century onward. For

early sources, he cites various collections of music to determine what sorts of pieces

might have been used. However, he states the difficulty involved with this method as

lines had not yet been drawn between music for organ or harpsichord or, more

specifically, between music for use in the home or in the church. Blume surmises that

pieces written on a cantus firmus were for use in the church while those lacking a cantus

firmus were not. For Blume, the assumption that pieces written on a pre-existing melody

are for use in the church prevails. He underscores the improvisational abilities of the

organists of the time noting that written chorale harmonizations for congregational

singing were rare. An organist would have known how to produce an accompaniment

17
Ibid., 133.
18
Ibid., 135.
13

extemporaneously for hymns which were well-known. Thorough bass would have been

provided for new chorale melodies.19

In his essay, Organ Music for the Liturgical Service, Lutheran Church musician

and educator Walter Buszin provides a synopsis of significant points in the history of the

use of the organ in the Lutheran church. Here Buszin points out that the organ was first

sanctioned for use in worship by the faculty at Wittenburg in 1597.20 Buszin also

discusses the role of the organ in early Lutheran liturgy.

Organists were forbidden to play music which was not based on themes, chorales
or chant melodies in the service. During communion, however, they could freely
improvise on a given chorale or chant tune or on their own original material.21

While the limitations are clear, the latitude given to the organist in terms of what to play

during communion is notable. Buszin also explains that the singing of a chorale in

alternatim, while rooted in the plainchant melodies in the Roman Catholic Church, found

its way into Lutheran practice. Even so, it took shape with the distinctly Lutheran

emphasis on the primacy of proclamation in liturgy and Lutherans ardor for the German

chorale.

The Alternatimpraxis had originated in the Roman Catholic Church and found its
way into Lutheran usage. From here, chorale variations arose, and the chorale
prelude and organ chorale developed. Organ music had now become an
interpreter of the text.22

The idea that organ music can serve to deepen the understanding of a Biblical text is

deeply rooted in the history of the church. In the subsequent time, there was little written

about what an organist should play in liturgy.


19
Friedrich Blume, Protestant Church Music (New York: W. W. Norton, 1974), 245ff.
20
Walter E. Buszin, Organ Music for the Liturgical Service. in Music for the Church: the Life and
Work of Dr. Walter E. Buszin, ed. by Koriath Kirby (Fort Wayne, IN: The Good Shepherd Institute, 2003),
154.
21
Ibid., 157.
22
Ibid., 158.
14

Walter Swisher, writing in 1929, spoke to the question of the role of the organ in

worship at that time. His general observation is that the prelude should begin softly and

nearly imperceptibly,23 although he qualifies his suggestion by stating it may be

appropriate to break that rule on festive occasions. Swisher provides a list of

recommended organ pieces as preludes, but he gives no rationale for their use other than

the fact that he considers these pieces to be suitable for service preludes.24 While he is

comfortable recommending major works such as Csar Francks Trois Chorals, he does

not recommend a specific context in which the pieces may be used most effectively.

Ultimately, Swisher indicates that in the early part of the twentieth century, prelude

music most often served to encourage a posture of prayer prior to the beginning of

worship. He professes neither a connection to compositions based on a pre-existing

melody nor a deeper view of the use of free organ literature.

The merging of artistic expression, biblical truth, and liturgical context logically

leads one to consider larger aesthetic questions in worship. Frank Burch Brown defines

and discusses aesthetics in worship at great length in his book Inclusive Yet Discerning:

Navigating Worship Artfully.25 Brown includes an extensive analysis of the reasons for art

in the church. Brown broadens the scope of the conversation with an extensive discussion

of the reason for art including music in the church. He states that art is neither

completely subjective nor objective in its message. Brown goes on to state,

23
Walter Samuel Swisher, Music in Worship (Boston: Oliver Ditson, 1929), 20.
24
Ibid., 30.
25
Frank Burch Brown, Inclusive Yet Discerning: Navigating Worship Artfully (Grand Rapids, MI:
William B.
Eerdmans, 2009).
15

words might not always need to take precedence in the arts of the church if one
happens to believe, with various theologians, that all beauty all aesthetic
goodness is from God, and honors God.26

Not all of what takes place in liturgy needs to include words. If one believes all things of

artistic beauty come from God, art can be used to illustrate and proclaim Gods grace to

the world. From a musical standpoint, a listener should be able to hear how a piece of

music interacts within the larger context of the liturgy with little, if any, explanation.

Don Saliers elaborated on Browns ideas in his presentation to the Evangelical

Lutheran Church in America Worship Jubilee 2000. In his presentation, Proclamation

through the Arts: Poet, Painter, Music-Maker, he posited the following four theses:

1. The meaning and point of the language used in worship to proclaim and
celebrate Christ in our assemblies depends radically on non-verbal forms.
2. Christian public worship is an art, but not a work of art.
3. Christian public worship is faithful and relevant to the extent that its art
features a series of permanent tensions: the already and the not-yet, etc.
4. Christian liturgy is an eschatological art lured by the incarnate Gods faithful
promises. This art asks the church to grow into human maturity in Christ.
Here the arts give us a foretaste of glory divine, yet also draw us into life with
God here and now.27

Saliers is clear that art is all encompassing. His first thesis highlights the arts as key to

proclamation outside of the use of words. The second thesis points to worship as an

active and living artistic activity. It is not a relic to be admired from a distance, but an

interactive work of art created as it unfolds in time. The third and fourth points suggest a

concept of liturgy as kingdom play,28 where the gathered assembly participates and

creates a vision of the world as Gods kingdom yet to come but nonetheless breaking into

the present. Finally, he recognizes the nature of liturgy as an eschatological event where

26
Ibid., 29.
27
Don Saliers, Proclamation through the Arts: Poet, Painter, Music-Maker, in Lifting Up Jesus
Yesterday, Today and Forever (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2001), 28.
28
Gordon Lathrop, from a lecture on Worship as Evangelism, May 2000.
16

the arts give us a glimpse of God while helping the believer in the Christian journey.

Finally, Saliers draws his four theses together by asking,

What renders music, painting, dance, proclamatory? These proclaim when, like
preaching in relation to biblical texts, the perceiver discovers more than a literal
reiteration of something already established.29

Consistent with Luthers view of liturgy as proclamation, music also proclaims. It leads

the listener more deeply to the center of worship and broadens the listeners experience

into something new, not echoing something already known.

Current resources for organists suggest various pieces for use in liturgy. All of

these writings deal with music that is based on a pre-composed hymn or chorale. One

such resource appears as a monthly article in The American Organist, the monthly journal

of the American Guild of Organists. Its title is Easy Service Music and suggests music

that is based on hymns recommended for the day. In this column, no reference is made to

free organ pieces which may serve to inform the listener of the spirit of the liturgy or the

essential message of the texts.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America publishes a comprehensive source

book for worship planning called Sundays and Seasons.30 This formidable volume,

published new each year, lists repertoire for keyboard instruments for each liturgy of the

church year. As with Easy Service Music, the suggestions are based on recommended

hymns for the day. For example, the list of suggested instrumental music for Palm-

Passion Sunday, Year A, is as follows:

Bach, J. S. Valet will ich dir geben, Organ. Various editions


Childs, Edwin T. Calvary from Spirituals for Organ: For Manuals Only. Kybd.

29
Saliers, 33.
30
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Sundays and Seasons: Year A 2014 (Minneapolis:
Augsburg, 2013).
17

Eithen, Sandra. Rhosymedre from Love Is the Sunlight: Eight Hymn Preludes
for
Wedding of General Use. Pno.
Oliver, Curt. Der am Kreuz from Built On a Rock: Keyboard Seasons. Kybd.31

This list implies that any music in liturgy should be based on the hymns of the day. Yet,

as will be illuminated in chapter 4, there are other pieces for Palm-Passion Sunday which

effectively communicate the character of the day but do not make use of hymn tunes as

the basis of composition.

While much is written about the organ, organ playing, and its function in the

liturgy, very little of the writing addresses how free organ music can play a role in

liturgical proclamation. This essay seeks to inspire the imagination of a liturgical organist

to think of new ways in which the organ can enhance the liturgical experience. Because

the music proclaimed by the organ communicates with the listener, the message must be

consistent with the symbols and moods of the rest of the liturgy. There is music which

serves this purpose well, providing cues to the spirit of the liturgical celebration or to the

themes presented in the readings or preaching.

31
Ibid., 150.
18

CHAPTER 3: THE ROLE OF THE LITURGICAL ORGANIST:


PAIRING LITURGY AND MUSIC

Certain pieces of organ literature indicate, through their musical characteristics,

the ideas presented in the given scripture readings or the essence of the liturgical

celebration. It is the task of the liturgical organist to find music which supports,

enlightens, and is consistent with those texts. Beyond merely playing festive music for a

festive Sunday, there is music which can more accurately reflect the spirit of the liturgy.

In this way, the organ plays a significant role in the proclamation of the liturgy.

The use of the term liturgical organist is intentional in order to refer to the role

of the organist in liturgy. It illustrates that an organist serves the liturgical assembly by

integrating the themes of scripture as well as understanding the progression of the liturgy.

The liturgical organist understands the theological underpinnings of a given liturgy and

seeks out music which best reflects those ideas. It is the task of the liturgical organist to

develop a repertoire that reflects the truths reflected in the readings for the day.

Lutheran church musician and composer Carl Schalk explains the responsibilities

and priorities of the organist as such:

1. To lead the assembly in hymns and sung liturgical music.


2. To accompany the choir in its liturgical responses and anthems.
3. To provide ancillary music where necessary.32

As indicated, congregational song is the mainstay of the Lutheran understanding of

liturgy, and its effective leadership is crucial to engaging the entire assembly. This essay

does not attempt to refute Schalks priorities. However, with thoughtful planning

regarding solo organ music, the organ can engage the worshipping community with as

much intensity in solo music as when it is used to energize congregational song. In this

32
Carl Schalk, lecture on the role of the church musician, San Diego, CA, July 1987.
19

way the liturgical organist becomes an integral part of the leadership and proclamation of

the liturgy.

Organ music used in liturgy fits into one of three classifications. The first

category is music based on a pre-existing hymn, chorale, or plainchant melody. Because

of the early mandate to include only literature which references sacred melodies, this

body of literature is vast. In the tradition of the North German School, composers such as

Georg Bhm, Dietrich Buxtehude, Johann Pachelbel, Johann Gottfried Walther, and

others utilized the chorale as the basis in formulating liturgical music for the organ. Most

common was the chorale prelude, which served to introduce the chorale to the singing

assembly. In general, these pieces are shorter in length than later counterparts as the

chorale melody is often played with little or no interruption. The later and larger organ

chorales of J. S. Bach are much more elaborate settings, often too long for the

introduction of the chorale for congregational singing.

Alongside the chorale prelude, composers often employed theme and variation

technique in their treatment of a chorale. Early examples of this approach are found in the

Buxheimer Orgelbuch (ca. 1470) and in the works of Jan Pieterzsoon Sweelinck. The

form reached its peak in the hands of the north German composers mentioned above who

assembled larger groups of variations into chorale partitas.

The second category includes music that is tied to sacred ideas in ways other than

a pre-existing melody. Program music which reflects themes found in scripture,

theological truths, and specific mass texts along with music that was composed for a

specific liturgical function are included here. For example, Girolamo Frescobaldi

composed toccatas and other pieces for use at specific points in the mass to underscore
20

and enhance the liturgical action. Max Regers Benedictus33 and other liturgically

referenced pieces also fit here.34 Twentieth-century French musician and mystic Olivier

Messiaen composed suites for specific Holy Days such as La Nativit35 and

Lascension.36 Jehan Alains Litanies37 is based on his notion of the desperation of the

Christian offering prayer to God. He writes about this piece,

When the Christian soul, in its distress, cannot find words to implore Gods
mercy, it repeats ceaselessly and with a vehement faith the same invocation.
Reason has reached its limit. Faith alone can go further.38

Lutheran examples of this type of music are rare since the chorale has held sway

throughout the history of the church.

The third category, which is the focus of this essay, consists of music which has

no pre-existing melody or any explicit ties to sacred or liturgical themes. The difference

between this and the previous category lies in the fact that there is no extra-musical idea

which informed or inspired the composer to create this music. It is music which was

composed for its own sake with no outside reference. Hence, it is called free organ

music. The primary rule to observe in using free organ music is that it must fit with the

nature of the liturgy in general. Gerhard Krapf writes:

It [organ playing] may also be an indirect message, particularly in the instance of


festive preludes and postludes or whenever non-hymnic musical material is
introduced in which case the general tenor of the music would be such as to
underscore the particular liturgical context.39

33
Max Reger, Benedictus, Op.59 #9, (Leipzig: C. F. Peters, 1913).
34
The text on which Benedictus is based is Matthew 21:9: Blessed is the one who comes in the name
of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
35
Olivier Messiaen, La Nativit (Paris: Leduc, 1936).
36
Olivier Messiaen, Lascension (Paris: Leduc, 1934).
37
Jehan Alain, Litanies from Trois Pices pour grand orgue (Paris: Leduc, 1939).
38
Ibid, 31.
39
Gerhard Krapf, Liturgical Organ Playing (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1964), 21.
21

This essay seeks to take Krapfs idea further in that solo organ literature can move

beyond merely reflecting a general tenor of a given liturgy into music which is more

specific in creating and supporting the primary message of the liturgy. That is to say,

there are pieces which, when coupled with a given liturgical context, clearly support the

entire liturgy as proclamation. Specific examples of this will be given in detail in chapter

4.

The use of free organ music in liturgy requires two things: understanding the essential

message of the liturgy and choosing music that will most effectively reflect that message.

The liturgical organist stands at that intersection with the liturgy on one side and a vast

array of solo organ literature on the other. The task is to fuse music into liturgy to form a

cohesive whole. Therefore, the music must be consistent with the liturgical message.

The liturgical organist chooses music which sounds as though it fits and is consistent

with the overall message of the liturgy. While this is true of music for any liturgical event

in a general way, there are specific pieces which can support and reflect liturgical or

scriptural themes. It is helpful to move away from generalizations that suggest prelude

music must be quiet and meditative and postludes must be loud or march-like. Free organ

music can have a connection to the bigger picture, or it can highlight smaller details.

Playing a piece of music that does not highlight the ideas of the liturgy can either confuse

the congregation, or worse, alienate them altogether.

In making decisions about solo organ music, the first responsibility of the liturgical

organist is to examine the scripture readings for the day, and, when reading the text,

determine significant images or movement in the story. For example, the Transfiguration
22

of Jesus is a vivid narrative of Jesus walk up a mountain where remarkable things take

place:

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led
them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and
his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there
appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, Lord,
it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you,
one for Moses, and one for Elijah. While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright
cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, This is my Son, the
Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him! When the disciples heard this,
they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them,
saying, Get up and do not be afraid. And when they looked up, they saw no one
except Jesus himself alone.
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, Tell no one about
the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.40

The story starts with an unremarkable journey and turns into a miraculous event

culminating with the voice of God emanating from the clouds. Images in the story

include significant references to light, Jesus appearance as dazzling white, and the voice

of God validating Jesus as Gods son. Keeping these points in mind, an organist who

wishes to use free organ music will search for a piece of music that may echo these same

images. One example of a piece of free organ music that illustrates this reading is Henri

Mulets Carillon-Sortie.41 Reminiscent of the dazzling light as noted in the narrative, the

opening figuration of the piece begins with a full sound on an enclosed division of the

organ with a buoyant melody in the left hand on a louder manual. In the beginning of the

piece, the pedal is incidental, echoing small pieces of the left hand melody. The piece

builds in volume and intensity to its height where the full pedal sounds forth with

boldness sounding the original melody. The consistent crescendo throughout the piece

40
Matthew 17:1-9.
41
Henri Mulet, Carillon-Sortie, French Masterworks for Organ: a Collection of Nineteenth Century
Classics (Glen Rock, NJ: J. Fischer), 1963.
23

and the melody sounding forth in the pedal can illustrate the increasing intensity of the

brilliant white that surrounded Jesus and the voice resounding from the clouds. In this

way, the piece is consistent with the dramatic shape of the story. A note in the worship

bulletin, such as the following, will help the listener make these connections:

The prelude this morning reflects the images from the Gospel readings of light
and Jesus appearing dazzling white. The piece begins with a full but quiet sound
and moves to full organ. It is as though the light is just beginning to shine and
grows until the pedal thunders out the melody reminiscent of the voice of God
from the heavens.

In this way, the listener can better understand how the piece echoes the Gospel story.

Another example of the application of this method is can take place in the

selection of music for Holy Trinity Sunday, a unique celebration in the church year in

that it deals with a doctrine of the church rather than a specific event in the life of Jesus.

The day marks the coming together of the three entities of the Trinity: God as creator,

Jesus as redeemer, and the Holy Spirit who calls the church into being. The Gospel lesson

for the day is Jesus command to the disciples:

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had
directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And
Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given
to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to
the end of the age.42

Jesus Trinitarian reference is significant here in that it is the only reference in any of the

Gospels to the three entities of the Trinity: . . . in the name of the Father and of the Son

and of the Holy Spirit . . . In contrast to other Sundays of the church year, the essence of

42
Matthew 28:16-20.
24

this liturgical celebration is the relationship between the three entities of the Trinity, a

relationship best described using the Greek term perichoresis, which

allows the individuality of the persons [of the Trinity] to be maintained while
insisting that each person shares in the life of the other two.43

The question to ask is how might this notion of perichoresis, the inter-relationship of the

three persons, be best reflected from a musical standpoint? Several movements of J. S.

Bachs six trio sonatas feature equally imitative writing between the three voices, and

those movements effectively capture the essence of the doctrine of the Trinity. The trio

sonatas are pieces which employ a three-voice texture, one for each hand and one for the

feet, all in tightly woven counterpoint. If one were to play this a trio sonata movement

for worship, a brief description in the worship bulletin could look like this:

J. S. Bachs trio sonatas, while not composed with Trinitarian references in mind,
reflect the nature of the Holy Trinity well. Each of three movements is composed
with three lines: one for each hand and one for the feet, as though two violins and
a cello were playing together. The interplay of these independent lines reflects the
very nature of perichoresis, the Greek term for the inter-relationship between the
three parts of the Triune God.

The listener would then be able to hear the connection between the three parts in the

music and the three parts of the Trinity.

A less effective example from the works of Bach is the trio setting of the chorale

Allein Gott in der Hh sei Ehr, BWV 664, the quintessential hymn text for Trinity

Sunday. In this setting, Bach composed in a trio texture. In this piece, the pedal functions

in a continuo role with no imitative role with the other two voices. At the end of the

piece, however, the pedal sounds a portion of the chorale melody, suddenly taking

43
Alister McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction, 3rd ed. (Cambridge, MA: Blackwell, 2005),
325.
25

precedence over the upper voices. In contrast to the trio sonata previously mentioned, the

inequality of the voices does not reflect the equality of the three parts of the Trinity.

Organists must examine each piece of organ music in the repertoire with new eyes

and rid themselves of generalizations that are not helpful. For example, many church

organists eschew playing the free works of J. S. Bach in liturgy thinking there is no ready

link between these pieces and any liturgical theme. However, many of these pieces carry

with them a mood which can be employed in liturgy to great effect. Such pieces can be

put to good use in liturgy without the assumption that the piece is only appropriate to the

recital program.

Transcriptions of music to the organ from other media raise unique concerns. The

context of such music should be carefully considered before playing such music in

liturgy. Samuel Barbers Adagio for Strings44 is effectively reproduced on the organ,

however its associations with films such as The Elephant Man45 and Platoon46 may deem

it unwise for use in liturgy. In The Elephant Man it is played during the final scene as the

main character dies. In Platoon, it accompanies a graphic and violent depiction of the

Vietnam war. It is possible that such associations may make this piece an unwise choice

for inclusion in the liturgy. A liturgical organist must be aware of this potential pitfall.

Solo organ literature, however, is rarely heard in any context but liturgy or the concert

hall, so outside references are rare. Music composed specifically for the organ without

the use of a cantus firmus is mostly free from such extra-musical associations.

44
Samuel Barber, Adagio for Strings, trans. William Strickland (New York: G. Schirmer), 1949.
45
David Lynch, The Elephant Man, Paramount Pictures, 1980.
46
Oliver Stone, Platoon, Orion Pictures Corporation, 1986.
26

Those in the assembly must be able to hear the connection between the music and

the liturgy with minimal guidance. An insiders knowledge of a specific musical

reference is not enough. For example, playing a piece with the key signature of three flats

or sharps as representative of the Trinity is not well-defined enough to justify playing it

for Trinity Sunday, even if the key signature is highlighted in a note in the service

bulletin. Unless the piece sounds consistent with the rest of the liturgy, the listener will

not be able to connect it to the larger scheme.

Another caution to the organist is that one must not place ideas into the readings

that are not readily apparent. Consider this text:

Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands
on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; but
Jesus said, Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to
such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs. And he laid his hands on them
and went on his way.47

A likely erroneous reading of this text would be to focus on the concept of children and

include music based on Sunday school melodies or music that is playful, like a scherzo.

Of course, the text says nothing about playfulness, and, more importantly, the liturgy as a

whole is not playful. Imposing a surface detail from the text onto the liturgy is

irresponsible artistically and theologically.

The question also remains whether or not a piece of music that is deemed

appropriate for one liturgical occasion can also fit into another. For example, the idea of

Ascension Day carries the same sense of upward motion that Easter resurrection does.

Are the pieces interchangeable with one situation to the other? As will be pointed out, the

Easter narrative speaks of the fear of those who were the first to witness the resurrection,

47
Matthew 19:13-15.
27

whereas the Ascension takes place outside the city without much fanfare. The story of

Jesus Ascension is much less active. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus leads disciples to

Bethany where he commands them to remain together until they have been clothed from

on high.48 He is then taken up to heaven in a rather quiet manner. In short, Ascension

does not portray the kind of unbridled energy that is found at Easter. If the liturgical

musicians understanding of Easter is one of pure celebration, then the day calls for

music that illustrates unrestrained enthusiasm. Jesus Ascension appears to be more

intimate. The text does not indicate the disciples were afraid as at Easter. Furthermore,

the absence of angels who, at Easter, explained that Jesus had risen, suggests that the

Ascension is somehow self-explanatory. While it is not impossible to imagine a particular

piece fitting into more than one liturgical setting, the connections must be made clear to

the listener.

The crossroads at which the liturgical organist stands travel in all directions: from

text to music and back again. Looking at solo organ music through the lens of a Biblical

text enhances the liturgical experience in that it creates a consistent message. Hearing

how a Biblical text may be played out in a piece of solo organ music expands the

possibilities how the text can be understood. This interplay is where liturgical organists

find their voice in the worship life of the church.

48
Luke 24: 49.
28

CHAPTER 4: EXAMPLES AND EXPLANATIONS: USING FREE ORGAN


LITERATURE IN LITURGY

The musical examples which follow will illustrate some of the thought behind

incorporating free organ music into the liturgy. To that end, the liturgies for Holy Week

provide fertile ground for insight into how free organ music can be incorporated into

liturgy. The clear imagery and significant drama in these Biblical stories provide ample

resources with which to identify pieces of solo organ literature that fit well with the

liturgical themes. The pieces chosen here will be placed alongside the intended message

of the liturgy in order to create connections that will make sense to the listener.

Palm Passion Sunday

As Holy Week unfolds, the contrast and tension built into the liturgies for each

day are palpable. The Palm-Passion Sunday liturgy opens with the reading of the

processional gospel, the story of Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem as recorded in all

four of the gospel accounts. From the Gospel according to Matthew:

When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of
Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, Go into the village ahead of you,
and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and
bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, The Lord needs
them. And he will send them immediately. This took place to fulfill what had
been spoken through the prophet, saying,
Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey
and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large
crowd* spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and
spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed
were shouting,
Hosanna to the Son of David!
29

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!


Hosanna in the highest heaven!49

Shouts of Hosanna! ring out as Jesus rides into the city on a donkey. The crowd of

people spreads palm branches on the road to welcome him into Jerusalem. However, the

tension in this liturgy is in the reality that shouts of Hosanna will turn to shouts of

Crucify him by the end of the week. The liturgy begins with celebration. However,

with the reading of the Passion story in the same liturgy, the narrative turns quickly from

triumphal entry and celebration to calling for Jesus death. In this way, the texts for the

entire Palm-Passion Sunday liturgy set up a dialogue between celebration and mourning,

life and death, good and evil.

One possible approach to the Holy Week journey is to see it as the ultimate

encounter of good and evil, and Palm-Passion Sunday as the microcosm of this larger

story. The third movement of Petr Ebens Sunday Music: Moto Ostinato, can reflect these

ideas well with its unrelenting forward motion as in a procession or parade, along with

the dialogue of good and evil between musical ideas, dissonant melody lines, and the

drama associated with the death of Jesus. Though the title implies a liturgical connection,

Sunday Music was not composed for liturgical use. According to the introduction in the

score, Ebens intent was to describe something out of the ordinary and festive or

artistically elevating.50 In her thesis on Ebens organ music, Janette Fishell states the

piece was inspired by Mark 5:9, the story of the man possessed by devils who said to

Christ, My name is Legion, for we are many.51 Jesus coming face to face with evil in

that story parallels the ultimate battle of good and evil in the Holy Week narrative. Some

49
Matthew 21:1-9.
50
Eduard Herzog, Introductory notes to Petr Ebens Sunday Music (Prague: Editio Supraphon, 1963).
51
Janette Fishell, The Organ Music of Petr Eben (D.M. diss, Northwestern University, 1988), 59-60.
30

may postulate that Ebens basis of the story from the Gospel of Mark would preclude its

use in this forum. However, it is the character of the music which suggests a connection

to the liturgy, and that character reflects the contrast of Jesus Triumphal Entry with the

over-riding sense of foreboding at the rest of the story of Holy Week.

Several salient musical features in this piece support the thematic movement of

the liturgy. As the title of the movement implies, Moto Ostinato is constantly moving

forward with urgency and excitement created through a relentless rhythmic motif. The

excitement is propelled by a repeated rhythmic figure, which is announced in the opening

measures (Example 1).

Example 1. Petr Eben, Sunday Music, III. Moto Ostinato, mm. 1-4.

The unrelenting rhythmic figure can underscore the sense of motion in both the physical

sense of Jesus entry, as well as the figurative moving toward his inevitable death.

Though the ostinato rhythm is displaced and manipulated, it is rarely absent.

The highly chromatic and angular melody first introduced in measure 5 adds to

the sense of drama and chaos (Example 2).


31

Example 2. Petr Eben, Sunday Music,III. Moto Ostinato, mm. 5-10, right hand.

In the opening section, mm. 1-29, the melody alternates between the right hand and the

pedal. This can point to the dialog between good and evil reflected both in Ebens

program and the Palm-Passion Sunday liturgy where Jesus was lauded as King upon his

entry into Jerusalem, but within days was accused of criminal behavior and crucified. The

chromatic twists of the melody can highlight the complications of the story: the High

Priests feeling threatened and immediately plotting to kill Jesus, Pontius Pilates

denunciation of his own role in the story, Judas Iscariots betrayal, and Peters denial.

The melodic dialogue and ostinato rhythmic figure come together with urgency and

immediacy.

Eben further illustrates the notion of dialogue in the middle of the piece in two

ways. First, in the most highly developed contrapuntal writing of the piece, the right hand

plays a counter-melody based on the same angular contour as the original melody while

the left hand plays the rhythmic ostinato, and the pedal plays the original melody

(Example 3). A counter melody is introduced in the right hand at m. 55. With the initial

diminished fifth interval and downward motion, it stands in contrast to the original

melody which, by and large, stays within the range of five notes. The counter melody and

the original melody sound together between the right hand and the pedal in m. 59, and the

contrary motion of the two figures can illustrate the contradiction between Jesus

reception as the King of the Jews and ultimate death as a criminal. The middle voice is
32

derived from the ostinato pattern and will appear again in the pedal at the climax of the

piece.

Example 3. Petr Eben, Sunday Music, III. Moto Ostinato, mm. 55-67.

Second, Eben reduces the texture to a single line in the right hand while the left

hand plays urgently sounding chords in the ostinato rhythm. Even in the more transparent

texture, Eben continues the sense of urgency. The right hand figuration is derived from

the melody while the left hand plays the rhythmic ostinato pattern (Example 4).
33

Example 4. Petr Eben, Sunday Music, III. Moto Ostinato, mm. 79-80.

The final tour de force appears in the statement of the melody beginning at m.

118. The melody is played in block chords in the manuals with the pedal employing the

same pattern as the middle voice that first appeared in m. 55. The organ is almost at its

loudest, and the rhythmic drive is at its peak. In m. 124, the themes are reversed between

the manuals and pedal with the melody in the pedal in octaves and the hands playing the

driving rhythmic ostinato (Example 5).

A coda section in mm. 143-152 further advances the ceaseless motion and epic

tension through the use of the ostinato rhythm and swift manual changes. The increased

intensity can indicate the chaotic crescendo of the crowd in both the triumphant entry as

well as the ugly mob calling for Jesus death and is created through striking harmonic

motion based on the original melody (Example 6). The piece ends abruptly on an open

fifth (Example 7).

The drama of the piece can reflect the movement from celebration to death as well

an unrelenting sense of march-like forward motion, a march that is twisted and

convoluted by the compound meter. When the assembly is made aware of what is to

unfold in the readings for the day, these features make Ebens piece an effective prelude

to the Palm-Passion liturgy.


34

Example 5. Petr Eben, Sunday Music, III. Moto Ostinato, mm. 118-129.

Example 6. Petr Eben, Sunday Music, III. Moto Ostinato, mm. 143-145.
35

Example 7. Petr Eben, Sunday Music, III. Moto Ostinato, mm. 153-155.

Max Regers Introduction and Passacaglia in d illustrates the drama of Palm-

Passion Sunday in a different way. Opening on full organ with clashing harmonies of a

C# diminished chord over a D in the pedal and continuing with the manual syncopation

against the pedal, Reger immediately indicates that something is out of balance (Example

8).

Example 8. Max Reger, Introduction and Passacaglia in d, mm.1-5.

As with Ebens piece, Regers Introduction, with its constant pushing forward, can reveal

persistent motion toward the inevitable death of Jesus. The Introduction continues with
36

the same gravity for another ten measures, unrelenting in its intensity. However, this

piece moves in a different direction with the passacaglia which provides some relief to

the energy established in the Introduction. The theme is first stated very quietly in the

pedal (Example 9).

Example 9. Max Reger, Introduction and Passacaglia in d,mm. 15-22.

In its subtle way, the passacaglia theme can evoke in the listener a quieter sense of Jesus

resigned movement toward the cross. As the passacaglia moves forward, the tension

increases as Reger uses shorter note values for the hands, moving from eighth notes to

eighth-note triplets to sixteenth notes. Along with the increasing rhythmic motion, Reger

calls for increased dynamic intensity until the final statement of the passacaglia theme is

on full organ, and there is a mode shift from the minor to the parallel major key. The final

three measures return to the intensity and chaos in of the introduction (Example 10, at

Adagio); however, the final chord is in D-major, a triumphant ending and a clear contrast

to the ambiguous concluding open fifths of Ebens piece.


37

Example 10. Max Reger, Introduction and Passacaglia in d, mm. 111 121.

Maundy Thursday

Similar to Palm-Passion Sunday, the Maundy Thursday liturgy contains many

different themes: Jesus institution of the Last Supper, Jesus role as servant in the

washing of feet, and Judas Iscariots betrayal of Jesus. These ideas create a tension that

arises out of the contrasts between the following two texts. The appointed reading from 1

Corinthians recounts Jesus institution of the Last Supper:


38

For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on
the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given
thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body that is for you. Do this in
remembrance of me. In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying,
This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you
proclaim the Lords death until he comes.52

The notion of suffering servant continues in the Gospel reading from John, which

describes the washing of the disciples feet:

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to
depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in
the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of
Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that
the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and
was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel
around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the
disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came
to Simon Peter, who said to him, Lord, are you going to wash my feet? Jesus
answered, You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.
Peter said to him, You will never wash my feet. Jesus answered, Unless I wash
you, you have no share with me. Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my feet
only but also my hands and my head! Jesus said to him, One who has bathed
does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean,
though not all of you. For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he
said, Not all of you are clean.
After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the
table, he said to them, Do you know what I have done to you? You call me
Teacher and Lordand you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and
Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one anothers feet. For I
have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very
truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers
greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if
you do them.53

Judas Iscariots betrayal is hinted at in the Corinthians reading which states, . . . in the

night in which he [Jesus] was betrayed [by Judas] . . . and concludes with Jesus

memorial promise to be present in proclamation each time the meal is celebrated.

52
1 Corinthians 11:23-32.
53
John 11:23-32.
39

The complexity of Maundy Thursday is clear: Jesus covenant is established with

the Church in the Last Supper; he establishes his posture as servant in the washing of the

disciples feet; the forty-day fast of Lent is over; and the Sacred Triduum, the three most

holy days in the Christian calendar, begins. In a sense, Maundy Thursday provides a

break from the journey to the cross begun on Palm-Passion Sunday. Jesus actions with

the disciples are about the disciples carrying on after his death, but these actions also

illustrate profound love which contrasts with the approaching arrest and crucifixion.

With all of these factors knit together in one liturgy, the liturgical organist must look for a

piece that reflects the celebratory nature of the end of the Lenten fast, carries the weight

of the betrayal in the background, and exhibits the intimacy of the foot washing. Felix

Mendelssohns Sonata in A, Op. 65, No. 3, contains elements that can illustrate all of

these themes.

The piece is in two movements. The first is in ABA form, with the A sections full

of sweeping gestures played with a full and large sound, while the B section is a double

fugue in the manuals over the chorale tune in the pedal. The A sections can reflect the

celebration marking the end of the Lenten fast and the institution of the Lords Supper,

while the B section, with its fugue subjects full of harmonic tension and subtle use of the

chorale, can evoke images of Jesus betrayal. The second movement provides respite with

its flowing figuration and points toward a mood appropriate to the story of the humble

servant Jesus washing the feet of the disciples.

The majestic opening of the piece may provide a declaration of the end of the

Lenten fast (Example 11). In the dignity of the opening theme, the forty days of Lent are
40

over, and the Church prepares for the celebration of the most holy days of the Christian

calendar, the Triduum.

Example 11. Felix Mendelssohn, Sonata in A, Op. 65, No. 3, mm. 1-8.

The middle section of the movement is a fugue in the manuals over a pedal

statement of the German chorale Aus tiefer Noth schrei ich zu dir, the original hymn text

based on Psalm 130, Out of the depths have I cried to thee, O Lord. While

Mendelssohns use of the chorale melody seems to be antithetical to the argument against

the use of chorale-based music in liturgy, Mendelssohn did not compose the piece to be

used as a chorale prelude on the pre-existing melody. In other words, a listener does not

hear the piece as a setting of the chorale. Rather the chorale is in the background,
41

surrounded by complex contrapuntal writing. Just as the idea of Jesus betrayal is in the

background of the reading, so is the chorale melody in the musical background.

The story of Maundy Thursday turns quickly from the intimate gathering in the

upper room to Jesus arrest. In similar fashion, the appearance of Mendelssohns fugue is

sudden and dramatic. The dynamic is reduced, un poco meno forte, and the key signature

changes to the parallel minor. The fugue subject is full of tension employing an

augmented second and augmented fourth in its construction (Example 12).

Example 12. Felix Mendelssohn, Sonata in A, Op. 65, No. 3, mm. 24-28.

The shift in mood is abrupt, not unlike the movement of Maundy Thursday night which

moves from Jesus washing the disciples feet to betrayal and arrest.

The chorale appears in the background as the soprano voice completes its first

statement of the fugue (Example 13).

Example 13. Felix Mendelssohn, Sonata in A, Op. 65, No. 3, mm. 36-40.
42

Similarly, the idea of Judass desperation plays in the background of the texts, and the

chorale on the bottom of the texture can echo this impression. The choice of registration

is important. The chorale must be heard but not be so prevalent as to overshadow the

counterpoint in the manuals. A note in the worship bulletin pointing out the chorale

melody would be helpful for the listener.

The second fugue subject begins a flurry of activity. Here the piece gathers energy

through the use of shortened note values along with an accelerating tempo and increasing

dynamic level to the end of the movement. The harmonic tension is increased in the

second subject that outlines a diminished seventh chord as marked by the asterisks

(Example 14).

Example 14. Felix Mendelssohn, Sonata in A, Op. 65, No. 3, mm. 58-60.

The pedal melody remains in the background under the ever-increasing activity in the

manuals. Through the increase in dynamic level and tempo, the movement can reflect the

Judas Iscariots betrayal, Peters denial, and Jesus arrest; all of which point toward

circumstances moving beyond the control of anyone involved. Frantic energy and

desperation can be felt in the acceleration. After the entire chorale is stated, a pedal solo
43

leads to the return of the grandiose A section, lending balance to the piece and reminding

the listener of the end of the Lenten fast.

In the midst of the Maundy Thursday liturgy, the second movement must be

included because, on its own, the first movement lacks the intimacy of the foot washing

element in the Maundy Thursday narrative. The second movement is reminiscent of

Mendelssohns Lieder ohne Worte for piano. Its gentle sounds, continual descending

figuration, and tuneful melody can accompany Jesus act of foot washing with beauty and

grace. When the whole sonata is used as prelude to the Maundy Thursday liturgy, this

movement shifts the listener from the grandiose and tumultuous first movement in

observance of the end of Lent and the angst around the betrayal of Jesus toward a quiet

introspection in preparation for the liturgy of foot washing and Holy Communion.

A second possible approach to Maundy Thursday is to see it veiled in the mystery

of the Eucharist. Jean Langlais Chant de Paix can reflect this sense of mystery well with

its ethereal sounds on the manuals supported by its angular melody in the pedal. The

tempo marking is trs lent and gives the piece a sense of being suspended in time. It

begins quietly on the manuals (Example 15).

Example 15. Jean Langlais, Chant de Paix, mm. 1-3.


44

The manuals sustain the notes in m. 2, while the pedal plays the melody on a flute stop

that sounds an octave higher than written (Example 16). A sense of tension is maintained

throughout the piece by the continuous use of triads with added sixths and seconds. That

tension is relieved at the final chord which is a major triad (Example 17).

Example 16. Jean Langlais, Chant de Paix, mm. 2-8, pedal only.

Example 17. Jean Langlais, Chant de Paix, mm. 30-32.

If used as the prelude to the Maundy Thursday liturgy, the quiet suspension in time of

this piece is most effective in highlighting the mystery of the Eucharist.

Good Friday

The Christian liturgical calendar is centered on Easter, the day which marks the

resurrection of Jesus. The Friday before Easter is a day of great solemnity set aside to

mark the trial, crucifixion and death of Jesus. The story from the eighteenth and
45

nineteenth chapters of the Gospel of John provides rich and vivid imagery of the last days

of Jesus life. Although the liturgies for Palm-Passion Sunday and Maundy Thursday just

preceding are steeped in contrasting themes, the Good Friday liturgy moves singularly in

the direction of death. Jesus is arrested; Peter denies being connected to Jesus; Judas

betrays Jesus to the authorities; Jesus goes on trial before Pilate; and the crowd cries for

his death. As is common with injustice, frustration and disbelief abound.

So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate
said to them, Here is the man! When the chief priests and the police saw him,
they shouted, Crucify him! Crucify him! Pilate said to them, Take him
yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him. The Jews answered him,
We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed
to be the Son of God.
. . . When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat on the
judges bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in
Hebrew Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was
about noon. He said to the Jews, Here is your King! They cried out, Away with
him! Away with him! Crucify him! Pilate asked them, Shall I crucify your
King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but the emperor. Then he
handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus; and carrying the
cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in
Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others,
one on either side, with Jesus between them. . . .
After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to
fulfill the scripture), I am thirsty. A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So
they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his
mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, It is finished. Then he bowed
his head and gave up his spirit.
Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the
cross during the sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great
solemnity. . . After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of
Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him
take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed
his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing
a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the
body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the
burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was
crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been
46

laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was
nearby, they laid Jesus there.55

The images are clear: Jesus carries the cross to the place of crucifixion; Jesus announces

he is thirsty and is offered the sour wine; Jesus declares the end and dies; Joseph of

Arimathea lays Jesus body in the tomb.

Jehan Alains Deuxime Fantaisie can well illustrate the themes of Good Friday

with its severe harmonic and melodic language, sudden contrasts, increasing frantic

energy, dramatic use of silence, and idiosyncratic use of the sounds of the organ. The

piece begins and ends quietly with a chaotic middle section that can reflect the sense of

desperation over the inevitability of Jesus suffering and death, and the violence of his

crucifixion. The piece opens with the first of three themes, accompanied with chordal but

dissonant harmonies (Example 18).

Example 18. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, mm. 1-8.

55
John 18:1-19:42, sections omitted.
47

The second gesture is a severe recitative which Alain scores with a purposefully

intrusive sound (Example 19). He calls for a straight-toned incisive reed, a high pitched

mixture that lends a shrill sound to the tone, and the Cornet, a compound stop which

contains a unison pitch, along with the octave above, a fifth above that, the pitch two

octaves above, and finally the third above that. The registration intensifies the sound of

the recitative-like figure; the tone is incisive and severe. The addition of non-unison stops

can also add intensity to Alains use of the augmented fourth/diminished fifth interval

with the high notes creating dissonance beyond the unison and octave pitches. The severe

registration along with the striking dissonance can reflect several ideas: the call for Jesus

to be crucified, the taunting of Jesus on the cross, giving Jesus sour wine to drink, and the

jeers from one of the criminals who was crucified with Jesus.

Example 19. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, mm. 26-36.

The second appearance of the recitative is prepared by a dissonant section in

block chords (mm 42-48). The day itself is dissonant, as Jesus is facing a torturous

death. By the end of the block chords, the registration is increased to full organ as the

recitative figure is restated. (Example 20).


48

Example 20. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, mm. 42-54.


+Doublette +Mixture
+Plein Jeu +Anches

The augmented fourth interval once again figures prominently in the restatement

of the recitative and provides the impetus for the next section, a toccata of high energy

utilizing the same interval. Alain sets the rhythm of the accompaniment utilizing eight

sixteenth notes, beamed in a three plus five configuration (Example 21). The beaming

indicates an offset accent of three plus five sixteenth notes instead of the usual two sets of

four and sets up a change in the rhythmic pattern yet to come.

Example 21. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, m. 59.


49

As the intensity increases, the rhythm is reduced to only seven sixteenth notes,

eliminating any sense of pause and creating a much more frantic movement to the music

(Example 22).

Example 22. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, m. 69.

The change in rhythm and increased movement can suggest the desperation of Jesus

followers, of those who wish to see him killed, and even of Pilate himself.

The piece culminates in scalar passages in the left hand, which utilize the

instability of the augmented fourth sonority in their outline while the pedal plays the

original melody (Example 23).

Example 23. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, mm. 69-70.


50

As the relentless toccata slows to a stop, the recitative is played on the lower range of the

keyboard and is punctuated by full-organ chords on the Grand Orgue (Example 24).

Example 24. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, mm. 84-92.

Reflective of the moment of Christs death, the recitative, sounding alone, comes to an

end while the organist removes stops (Example 25).

Example 25. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, mm. 98-103.

In a mid to high register, the pitches of non-unison stops such as the Tierce and Nazard

are inaudible to the ear, so the combination of these stops is part of the color palette.

However, in the lower register, the ear can discern the distinct parallel tones created by

these non-unison stops. Beginning in m. 100 with the removal of the Cymbale, the stops

yield a sound of parallel octaves, fifths, and thirds (Example 26). Followed by silence, the
51

hollow parallel relationships can reflect the emptiness of death that dominates the Gospel

reading.

Example 26. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie,


illustration of sounding pitches, mm. 100-103.

After the silence, the piece ends quietly. The opening melody is fused with the

recitative figure, and it closes with descending chord clusters marked by two pedal notes

leading to a mournful and sighing end (Example 27).

Example 27. Jehan Alain, Deuxime Fantaisie, mm. 114-124.


52

Another view to the Good Friday story is to stand back from the specific details to

view the larger picture of Jesus journey to the cross. Jesus remains steady and calm

while chaos breaks out around him. While the crowd is shouting for his death, Jesus

moves steadily toward the cross much like a funeral procession. Without giving the same

attention to minute detail as with Alains piece, the notion of procession, suggesting

Jesus moving toward the cross, is prevalent in the first section of Csar Francks

Chorale in b minor.

The opening section is a chaconne, and the theme is somber and steady (Example

28).

Example 28. Csar Franck, Chorale No. 2 in b minor, mm. 1-8.

In the opening statement of the theme, the accompaniment, in parallel octaves, is simple

and straightforward. The registration is on the French Fonds, or the foundation stops at

unison pitch, sounding with a rich tone. As with Alains piece, the increasing turmoil in

the story is musically reflected through the use of shorter rhythmic values over the

continuing chaconne theme in the bass. The intense chromaticism adds to the drama

(Example 29).
53

Example 29. Csar Franck, Chorale No. 2 in b minor, mm. 33-37.

With the addition of the reeds on two of the three keyboards, the sound becomes louder

and more intense. The energy further increases due to shorter rhythmic values. What

were once quarter notes turn into eighth notes, then triplets with the addition of the reeds

of the Rcit and Positiv. With the ever-steady sense of walking in the bass, the faster and

more intense rhythm in the manuals can evoke images of the unfolding chaos of the

crowd amidst Jesus calm walk to the cross (Example 30). Following the flurry of

activity, the registration is reduced, and the music settles back into its original solemn

tone. The chaconne theme is replaced by a lyrical melody (Example 31).

Example 30. Csar Franck, Chorale No. 2 in b minor, mm. 49-53.


54

Example 31. Csar Franck, Chorale No. 2 in b minor, mm. 65-80, melody only.

Interspersed into this lyrical section are quiet and highly chromatic flourishes on the

Rcit, a division of the French organ enclosed in a box and placed deep within the organ.

Since the music is marked pianissimo, the shutters would be closed. The contrast of the

flourishes with the steadiness of the lyrical theme can point to the tension between Jesus

actual movement toward the cross and the confusion and anguish of his followers

(Example 32).

Example 32. Csar Franck, Chorale No. 2 in b minor, mm. 80-83.

Beginning in m. 115, the opening section is brought to a close on quietly and

peacefully on a B major chord. For the Good Friday liturgy, this is where the piece

should end. From here the piece goes into a large fantasia which is dramatic but too

elaborate for Good Friday.


55

Resurrection

The Easter narrative is the turning point in the church year and is also the event

which marks Jesus move from Rabbi to Messiah. While this is indeed cause for

celebration, closer reading of the Biblical texts reveals a much different reaction to Jesus

resurrection than is often reflected in our Easter liturgies. The most celebratory account

takes place in the Gospel of Matthew, and it is a muted response:

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and
the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake;
for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone
and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to
the women, Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was
crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place
where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, He has been raised from the
dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.
This is my message for you. So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy,
and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, Greetings! And
they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to
them, Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will
see me.56

The story told in the Gospel of Mark is more subdued and succinct:

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and
Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on
the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had
been saying to one another, Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance
to the tomb?When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large,
had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man,
dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he
said to them, Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was
crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid
him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee;
there you will see him, just as he told you. So they went out and fled from the
tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone,
for they were afraid.57

56
Matthew 28:1-10.
57
Mark 16:1-8.
56

The tension in the Easter story is between fear and exaltation. Those who were firsthand

witnesses to the resurrection had the initial reaction of fear. The first words at the tomb

and the first words from Jesus are, Do not be afraid. While Matthew tells us the women

worshiped Jesus because they felt great joy, Mark states that they left because terror and

amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone for they were afraid.

Remembering that the emotion is transformed from the grief of Good Friday to fear and

amazement at the resurrection is essential to understanding Easter Sunday. Easter

planning can acknowledge the reaction of fear and confusion, and it can also lean toward

unmitigated rejoicing at the announcement of life restored. A piece which captures this

movement from fear to rejoicing is Maurice Durufls Fugue sur le nom dAlain.

The fugue is a double fugue where the two subjects contrast with each other

between a solemn and dignified first subject (Example 33) which can be reminiscent of

the Good Friday funeral march and a rhythmically active second subject which moves the

listener toward resurrection (Example 33).

Example 33. Maurice Durufl, Fugue sur le nom dAlain, mm. 1-5.

The evening before the celebration of Jesus resurrection, the Easter Proclamation is

sung at the Vigil of Easter, and it states,

O night truly blessed which alone was worthy to know the time and the hour
wherein Christ arose again from hell! This is the night of which it is written: and
the night is as clear as the day; and, then shall my night be turned into day.
The holiness of this night puts to flight the deeds of wickedness; washes away sin;
57

restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to those who mourn; casts out hate;
brings peace; and humbles earthly pride.58

The sense of quickening in the deep of the blessed night is illuminated by the

introduction of the second fugue subject, played in sixteenth notes on the secondary

enclosed manual with a bright registration and the shutters closed. Here the piece can

illustrate the move from the death of Good Friday to the new life of Easter (Example 34).

Example 34. Maurice Durufl, Fugue sur le nom dAlain, mm. 43-46.

The quiet but bright motion can indicate a quickening, a return of life, a Resurrection.

Thus begins a complicated harmonic labyrinth which ultimately returns to the key

center of D minor with a constant crescendo. A significant moment is in m. 65 where the

first subject is stated in Eb major in the top voice. Durufl instructs the organist to move

to the Grand orgue, the main keyboard of the French organ. With this move, the sound

gets louder but also increases in weight and color. The piece continues in constant

crescendo from here to the end, an unrelenting build-up of sound and excitement can

indicate sense of life restored (Example 35).

Example 35. Maurice Durufl, Fugue sur le nom dAlain, mm. 88-92.

58
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lutheran Book of Worship, Ministers Desk Edition
(Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1978), 145.
58

Increasing the intensity, the first fugue subject appears at m. 105 in stretto at the interval

of a perfect fifth between the right hand and pedal. The reeds and Cornet of the Recit are

added, increasing the volume and color of the organ (Example 36).

Example 36. Maurice Durufl, Fugue sur le nom dAlain, mm. 105-107.

The drama continues to build as the first subject appears between the left hand and pedal

in inversion in similar stretto. The accompaniment figure is derived from the first subject

in diminution, increasing the energy in unrelenting forward motion. The new section is

accentuated by the addition of the reeds and cornet on the Positiv division (Example 37).

Example 37. Maurice Durufl, Fugue sur le nom dAlain, mm. 116-118.
59

The coup de grce is in the last statement of the fugue. The reeds and cornet of the Grand

Orgue and Pdale are added, stretto is employed yet again, and the mode shifts to the

parallel major by the appearance of F#. The piece concludes on full organ and thus

celebration of the Resurrection begins (Example 38).

Example 38. Maurice Durufl, Fugue sur le nom dAlain, mm. 124-128.

Finally, a coda provides the opportunity to add any stops that might be remaining on the

organ; the piece closes with a flourish in the manuals and pedals. However, Durufl does

not release the harmonic tension until the very end. As illustrated above, the final

entrance of the fugue subject in the pedal gives the illusion of the key of D major.

However, Bb and Eb remain, possibly indicating deaths hold on Jesus until he is finally

released into new life. The final resolution does not appear until the piece is punctuated

by two final D-major chords.


60

A different but equally persuasive interpretation of the text is to bypass the

progression from Good Friday to Easter suggested by Durufl and move directly to the

unbridled joy of resurrection. A composition that embodies this character is J. S. Bachs

Prelude and Fugue in D, BWV 532, a piece which is not often thought of as church

music. Unlike Durufls piece which begins with the somber tone of Good Friday and

grows into the Resurrection, Bach immediately announces the resurrection with joy.

The embodiment of resurrection can be surmised in the opening measures of the

Prelude. It begins with an ascending D-major scale in the pedal, and the hands play

fanfare-like figures. These two ideas alternate through the first five measures of the piece.

While these five measures are a small percentage of the piece as a whole, the upward

motion of these flourishes sets up the whole work with a surge of energy that can

illustrate Jesus physical rising. (Example 39).

Example 39. J. S. Bach, Prelude in D, BWV 532, mm. 1-5.


61

The gathering of energy is enhanced by the crescendo Bach builds into the manual

chords. When a voice has entered, it continues to be heard until all five notes are

sounding at once. As notes are added to the chord, the sound becomes louder. In the

following sections, F# pedal point sounds underneath a progression of diminished

seventh chords which lead to a cadence in the key of F#-major. Two such sections

appear in the prelude: here and in a closing Adagio which will be discussed later. A two

octave ascending D-major scale ending with a large D-major chord accomplishes an

immediate return to the home key (Example 40).

Example 40. J. S. Bach, Prelude in D, BWV 532, mm. 14-16.

With the consistently upward gestures, this opening can establish a clear sense of rising,

of resurrection, of celebration, and of joy. These gestures set up an alla breve section

which is based on a motif which Bach often used to symbolize the cross (Example 41).

Example 41. J. S. Bach, Prelude in D, BWV 532, mm. 26-31, pedal only.
62

The alla breve comes to a close on an A-major chord, the dominant of the key of

D, and proceeds to a closing adagio. This section is full of improvisatory flourishes and

colorful harmonic changes and balances the F# minor section previously mentioned. It

provides a dramatic close which contrasts the unbridled joy and can imply the presence of

death as a prerequisite for resurrection.

The following fugue continues the energy established in the prelude. The subject

is active and exciting due to its use of sixteenth notes, repeating figuration, and silence

(Example 42).

Example 42. J. S. Bach, Fugue in D, BWV 532, mm. 1-6.

The fugue closes as the prelude began: with alternation between the manual and pedal.

The pedal takes over the entire texture with an ambitious solo based on the fugue subject.

The solo finds its way to the bottom of the pedal board and makes its way to the top with

speed and clear direction (Example 43). In contrast to the solemn beginning of Durufls

piece, Bachs music lays all the energy implied by the resurrection before the listener. A

note of explanation in the worship bulletin may be unnecessary as the consistent

ascending figures and vibrant energy in the piece clearly shape the perception of

resurrection.
63

Example 43. J. S. Bach, Fugue in D, BWV 532, mm. 128-136.

These discussions of music appropriate to the liturgies of Holy Week are meant to

stimulate the imagination of the liturgical organist to examine pieces in his or her library

that may evoke a response which will invite the listener into greater understanding of the

Biblical texts and the liturgical celebration that surrounds them. Brief supportive notes in

the worship folder are helpful and encouraged in order to help those without much

musical knowledge to make connections between the music and the liturgy. In this way,

the interplay of music and liturgy is made more apparent.


64

CONCLUSION

With consistent use of appropriate and well-chosen organ music, the assembly

will learn there is a connection between the music and liturgy. In turn, the music provides

the assembly with another access point into the proclaimed texts and the liturgical

movement. In this way, the music becomes more than functional. A prelude is more than

music that prepares people for worship. It is the tool by which the scripture begins to

open to them, and it is an opportunity to introduce the essence of the liturgy to follow.

The postlude provides an opportunity to close the liturgy with music that strengthens the

ideas presented.

The idea that music and liturgy are inextricably linked can be found as far back as

Martin Luther, and his openness to the use of instrumental music in liturgy gives way to

the use of free organ music. While music in liturgy should draw the listener in, the

purpose of the music is not to provide entertainment. In this context, the music is an

exegetical tool used to provide greater understanding of the truth proclaimed in the

liturgy. Organists must not be afraid to trust their artistic and theological instincts to be

effective guides toward creating engaging and effective liturgical experiences. In the

same way as a preacher has a particular view through a theological lens, liturgical

organists have the specific view of a musician and must embrace the importance of their

role in proclamation. This is not to say that these views are in conflict with each other.

Quite the opposite is true. When preacher and musician each approach the liturgy using

the texts as a common starting point, the liturgy is cohesive and clear in its central

message.
65

As stated in chapter 2, modern planning resources point only to the use of hymn

or chorale-based music as appropriate for liturgy. The intent here is not to say that such

literature is never useful or that there is always a piece of free organ music which will fit

every occasion. However, just like free organ music, chorale-based music needs to be

consistent with the spirit of a given liturgy. For example, there are three settings of the

chorale In Dulci Jubilo which date from the late seventeenth and early eighteenth

centuries. One setting by J. S. Bach (BWV 729), the chorale is stated in block harmonies

with flourishes between each phrase. BWV 608, from the Orgelbchlein, is a joyful

setting containing the chorale melody in canon in the outer voices with triplet figuration

in the accompaniment. BWV 75159 is mostly composed in two-part counterpoint, and its

beauty is in its simplicity. The character of each of these settings can highlight the

distinctions in the various Christmas liturgies. The intimacy of the Christmas Eve liturgy

may be best served by the simple setting, BWV 751. The boldness of BWV 729 fits

better with the Christmas Day liturgy. Even music which is inherently related to the

celebration through the use of a pre-composed melody needs to be consistent with the

overall tone of the liturgy.

The method described here comes perilously close to assigning a program to a

piece of music where one does not exist. However, there is a distinction between using

the general essence of a piece of music along with musical gestures that embody the

nature of the liturgy and establishing a literal association between those gestures and

theological ideas. The goal of the discussion of the examples provided in chapter 4 was to

59
This piece appears in many editions of the miscellaneous chorales of J. S. Bach. According to
Oxford Music Online (accessed November 30, 2014), BWV 751 was composed by J. Michael Bach (1648 -
1694).
66

point out salient features in the music which look toward the scripture readings or the

movement of the liturgy itself. For instance, the fugue subjects in Mendelssohns sonata

and the Durufls fugue reflect a distinct character relative to the liturgy in which they are

heard. The severity of the recitative motive in Alains Deuxime Fantaisie echoes the

harsh elements of suffering and death in the Good Friday narrative. Highlighting these

connections does not establish a program per se; instead it connects the music to the

larger liturgical context in which it is heard.

When free organ music is fused with key themes of the liturgy, the organ takes its

place as an integral part of proclamation, the primary objective of Lutheran worship.

Seeing free organ music with new eyes toward that end will bring forth a deeper

understanding on the part of the listener. Such is the goal of all that happens in liturgy: to

proclaim grace, to point to something beyond ourselves and to embrace the mystery of

faith. Thoughtful use of the abundance of free organ music serves this purpose well.
67

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