The greatest problem of the church organist is the church organist himself. It is he only who, according to the measure of his spiritual and artistic qualifications, can solve many basic problems of the organ loft.

To qualify for his position in the public worship of God, the church organist must have the right personal approach. He must regard his art as art for the sake of worship rather than for the sake of art. Since only a true believer can worship God properly, it follows that the church organist must be a true believer before he can approach his art as art for the sake of worship. Moreover, if he is to enter fully and sympathetically into the worship of the church where he serves as organist, he must by conviction be a communicant member of that church.

If the church organist as a humble child of God is minded Godward, he will do all, including his work at the console in church, to the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10:31: "Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." Furthermore, he will also remain conscious of the injunction: "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men—for ye serve the Lord Christ." Col. 3:23, 24. An approach of this kind, coming from within a believing heart, will subconsciously lead the church organist inevitably to regard all fitting music, and only fitting music, as good for the church service, but by no means all good music as fitting for the church service.

Walter Flandorf in his "Improvisation as Ideal Accompaniment for Church Service," The Diapason, Sept. 1, 1942, page 6, writes: "With this preparation (musical) the organist acquires a church job and tries to live up to the obligations of a church organist—Soli Deo Gloria. He discovers almost at once that he must often close both eyes and ears in order to play those things which are not intended ‘only to the glory of God,’ but solely for the satisfaction of certain members of the congregation or even the clergy. If he does not do so, he finds that he is not fertilizing his victory garden, but very likely ‘watering his stock.’ Yet we all learn to know that sense of frustration and humiliation which comes after playing an altogether unworthy and unfitting composition because it was requested by a ‘pillar’ of the church. Imagine asking a physician to perform some particular operation on you because you enjoy it so or asking a lawyer to try a legal case for your personal edification. No other profession is as ready to please as the musical profession, and to its own detriment in the long run."

"All of us who serve the Lord in the ministry of the church are, in a sense, taking the name of the Lord," writes Robert Elmore, dean of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, in The Diapason of May 1, 1944: "If we are not sincere in this service, if our hearts are not right before God, how truly we are taking His name in vain!"

"The Lord cannot bless our efforts, no matter how artistically done," Mr. Elmore continues, "if our hearts are not right before Him. Don’t, please, misunderstand me. Artistry in church music is terribly important, and surely nothing less than our best is worthy of our Lord. But the heart must be right first. If not, our efforts are as ‘sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.’"

"Artistry in church music is terribly important," Mr. Elmore is careful to say. Yes, the ideal church organist is a believer, but also an artist who develops his God-given talents wherever and whenever possible. His general musical background includes a knowledge of history of music, theory, and applied music. In particular, he has made a study of church music, vocal and instrumental, and its history. His special technical training consists of a good foundation in piano playing, in organ playing with special emphasis on service playing, and in theory of music applied to modulation and improvisation for continuity in service playing, as well as in musical analysis for purposes of interpretation. Thus equipped, the church organist can meet the musical requirements of his position.

Can a person who is spiritually and artistically conditioned before assuming the position of church organist rest content ever thereafter? Obviously not. He must continue to be qualified for his position. This implies a diligent use of the means of grace (the Word and the Sacrament) by the church organist, implies prayer life and continual study. At home he can maintain and improve his musical standards by reading current and standard materials on church music, as well as by keeping up his work at the piano. It is surprising that only some church organists read The Diapason, The American Organist, and books of value to organists. Schools of music offer him courses related to his work. Recitals, church services of all kinds, institutes, and conferences of church musicians often present opportunities to learn. Where, however, are most church organists on these occasions? Last, but not least, the church organist can profit much from honest criticism of others and, above all, from honest self-criticism. "Binet," says Victor H. Noll in an advertisement of Scott, Foresman, "regarded the power of self-criticism as one of the three fundamental attributes of intelligence."

In closing this introductory section, I quote Dr. Theodore Hoelty-Nickel: "How about the attitude of the church musician, the organist, and the choir director? There is no room in our churches for specialization as such. The organist and choir director who is first and only a musician has no conception about the call and the responsibility of his office and is not qualified to occupy the position of director of church music. When appointing an organist or choir director, the church should first inquire of the candidate if he be a true believer, firmly grounded in the doctrines of the Church. Taking it for granted that he will have the necessary musical qualifications, the candidate will be required to remember that the church is the spiritual place to which he has been called as a servant of the Lord and His congregation of believers. His duties will be in line with those of the pastor. The building of God’s kingdom should also be his objective, and it is, therefore, not sufficient that as organist or choir director he be an expert in his profession. If he has not come to the true knowledge of faith, all his expert knowledge of music cannot bridge the gap . . . and there can be little blessing on his work in the church, not for himself or for the congregation. That congregation can indeed consider itself fortunate which has a director of music with a little training in theology, and especially in church liturgy, and a pastor with a little training in music and a good foundation in church liturgy."[1]

Having qualifications is one thing; applying them is another matter. And so let us see how the church organist can apply his qualifications to the main phases of his work; namely, (1) accompanying the hymns sung by the congregation and the liturgy chanted by the pastor or the choir or the entire congregation; and (2) choosing and playing ecclesiastical organ music.

Contrary to a common assumption, the organ did not accompany hymn singing in the days of Luther. Schweitzer tells the history of the chorale in the church service in the fourth chapter of his biography of Bach, a chapter that should be required reading for every pastor and church musician:

"How was the congregational song introduced into the church service at the time of the Reformation? It is usual to look upon the question as very simple and to suppose that the people had little by little come to sing the melody while the organ played it. Did the sacred instrument really teach the congregation in this way?

"We may read through all Luther’s writings without finding a single place where he speaks of the organ as the instrument accompanying the congregational singing. Moreover, he, the admirer of true church music of every kind, gives no direction as to how the organ is to cooperate in the service. It is really incredible, however, that in the few places where he mentions the organ at all he speaks of it not enthusiastically but almost scornfully! He does not look upon it as necessary or even desirable in the evangelical service, but at most tolerates it where he finds it already. His contemporaries shared his view."[2]

What, then, was the function of the organ in the days of Luther? Schweitzer says: "The organ preludized in order to give the tone to the priest or the choir. It further gave out the liturgical songs and hymns in alternation with the choir, one verse being sung and the next played on the organ. It was never used, however, to accompany the choir. The primitive structure of the organs of that time quite forbade this; their heavy keys did not permit polyphonic playing, while the crude, untempered tuning made it as a rule impossible to play on them in more than one or two keys. Since therefore they could not cooperate, the choir and the organ functioned in turns." Obviously for the same reasons the congregation and the organ also functioned in turn. "It (the organ) preambles to the hymns of the priest and the choir and alternates with the latter; only now the congregational song is merely an addendum, to which the organ preambles and wherewith it alternates."[3]

"As the organist was unable to play polyphonically on his instrument, he was tempted to amuse himself with quick running passages in his preamble to the verses or during the course of these. Still worse was it when he indulged in well-known secular songs, which seems to have been a widespread practice. . . . At a later date the organ unwarrantably deprived the choir of many of the hymns, taking almost everything upon itself."[4] These developments, of course, made the organ unpopular in church and apparently did not encourage people even to think of the organ as suitable for hymn accompaniment. Besides, choirs did most of the singing, and singing of choir or congregation was unaccompanied. For that reason, Rietschel finds nothing in the entire literature of the 16th century to warrant the assumption that the organ accompanied the song of the service.[5]

When did the organ first accompany the song of the congregation? Apparently this historic event took place more than a century after Luther’s death, although it appears that already in 1637 at the Lutheran Church of St. Lorenz at Nuernberg there was organ accompaniment for hymn singing. Ten years previous, in 1627, at Leipzig, Schein in his 4–6 part chorale settings had directions for the accompaniment of organ, instrumentalists, and lutists. Somewhere between 1624, the date of Scheidt’s Tabulatura Nova, and 1650, the date of Scheidt’s Tabulaturbuch hundert geistlicher Lieder, the practice had arisen of making the organ accompany the singing of the congregation. To encourage the singing of the congregation, Lucas Osiander in 1586 in his Fifty Spiritual Songs and Psalms changed the chorale tune from the tenor to the soprano part. Their cantus firmus was customarily found in the soprano in secular song before 1586. Others, like Hassler, Vulpius, Praetorius, and Eccard, followed suit, not as imitators of Osiander, but as followers of the new trend of the times. Schweitzer believes: ". . . in the meantime German church music had shaken off the influence of the purely contrapuntal music of the Netherland school and had fallen under that of the Italians, in which the medodic style began to dominate the contrapuntal."[6] Paul Henry Lang, however, says that the Huguenot Psalter of 1565, very simple in style, "scarcely more than a mere chordal harmonization . . . destined for congregational singing, led to Osiander’s publication in which artistic merit and value became opposed to religious expediency."[7] Strange as it may seem, not Luther with his aesthetic-artistic conception of church music, but Calvin with his hostility to art originally brought about the music for utilitarian purposes of the congregation independent of any help from artistic quarters. In 1650, at Halle, Scheidt published his Tabulaturbuch hundert Geistlicher Lieder und Psalmen, which, says Paul Henry Lang "is the first real book of organ accompaniment for Protestant congregational singing, and his harmonizations of the chorales are the pride of Protestant church music, second only to those of Johann Sebastian Bach. The first to treat the chorale in an artistic and idiomatic style for the organ, Scheidt became the leader of North and Central German organ music."[8] Progress in organ building by the time of Scheidt made playing of hymns in several voices practicable. Organs had developed stronger volume and richer tone than the weak choirs at this time. The organ had supported the choir, which, in turn, had supported the congregation. Now the organ supported both the choir and the congregation. Still, the custom of having the organ accompany hymn singing did not become general at once, for in 1657 at Braunschweig-Lueneburg "the organist may, not must, accompany the song of the congregation."[9] Years later, in the days of Bach, hymns were not always accompanied by the organ; at least, the main hymn (Kanzellied) was sung unaccompanied. In support of this assertion hear what Rietschel concludes: "Die nach und nach herrschend gewordene Sitte, den Gemeindegesang stets mit der Orgel zu begleiten, existierte damals (zu Bachs Zeit) noch nicht. Wenigstens das Kanzellied wurde stets ohne Orgelbegleitung gesungen."[10] C. F. Abdy Williams summarizes the matter as follows: "Recent research has shown the ordinary view that the organ was first introduced into churches to accompany the singing of the congregation to be a mistake. Congregational singing was an outcome of the Reformation: it was first performed by the voices alone, and the support given to it by the organ was an afterthought."[11]

Schweitzer, in concluding his digest of Rietschel’s Die Aufgabe der Orgel im Gottesdienste bis in das XVIII. Jahrhundert as Chapter IV of the Bach biography, considers unaccompanied congregational singing as the ideal. "Ideal ist allein derjenige, der ohne jede Begleitung frei und stolz einherschreitet, wie es der Gemeindegesang des Mittelalters und der ersten reformatorischen Periode wirklich tat."[12]

Hymn playing, which in a broader sense also includes playing of the liturgy, is the most important function of the church organist, because he does more of this than of anything else in a service. It is important, because, in the words of Edward Parsons, "you are in closest touch with the people in your hymn playing, and it is in your power to bring people nearer to the Throne of Grace, to help the tone of worship immeasurably, by the careful, artistic, and conscientious manner in which you conduct your hymn playing."[13]

Martin Lochner states the purpose of hymn accompaniment as follows: "The organist must not only accompany, but also lead congregational singing. He must try to arouse the congregation to a spirit of active co-operation and participation, so that hymn singing becomes full of life and meaning and on occasion reaches a high pitch of enthusiasm."[14]

Ideal hymn playing from the outset means selecting ideal hymn tunes; that is, melodies appropriate to the season of the church year, tunes that fit the spirit of the hymn text, Lutheran chorale melodies wherever possible because of their superiority as tunes, and, finally, melodies wedded to certain hymns through long usage.

Ideal hymn playing involves many factors of appropriate musical interpretation of hymn texts.

First, the right notes in all voices must be played cleanly. As a general rule, it is best to play the tune as written, provided the harmony is good, because congregational singing is Volksgesang (folk singing) and not Kunstgesang (art song). Organists are cautioned especially to play the pedal part as written, although occasionally the pedal part may be played an octave lower for emphasis. (Try L. H. 175, first and third phrases.) At times it may be necessary for the organist to emphasize the right notes of a tune over against the wrong notes of the congregation by playing the cantus firmus in octaves or as a solo melody in unison with the soprano or in octaves on a stronger manual; as, for example, in the last phrase of Wie schoen leuchtet. (L. H. 546.)

Second, appropriate musical interpretation of hymn texts must take into account correct time. In general, there must be accurate note values. (L. H. 292.) All notes of chords, especially at the beginning and the end of phrases, should be attacked and released promptly and simultaneously. In other words, there must be no glissando, arpeggiated playing or anticipation or suspension of any voice. (L. H. 471.)

Advisedly it was said there must be accurate note values in general. Exceptions to this rule are covered in the following valuable quotation by C. Albert Tufts:

"As a starting point in hymn playing breathe at the sections (where each black line occurs)—that is, stop the melody and rest a count instead of playing the full value of the last note. For example, if the note before the phrase is a whole note, generally hold it but three counts. If it is a dotted half note (and it is not followed by a rest), hold the half note, but rest the dot, which is equal to a quarter rest. If the note at the end of a phrase is only a quarter note, hold it a full legato eighth note, but rest its other half value, which equals an eighth rest. In other words, at the end of each phrase there should generally be made a rest of some value, enough to represent a vocal breath. However, if a rest follows the end of a phrase, play the last note of the phrase its full value."[15] (Apply these rules to L. H. 249, 192, 321.) The new Episcopal hymnal uses breath marks in some places.

G. C. Albert Kaeppel suggests that whole-note endings of phrases, as in "Dir, dir, Jehovah" (L. H. 21), be given half value and that half rests in tunes like L. H. 21, 36, 146, 167, 362, 410, be ignored entirely.[16]

In connection with correct time, a few footnotes may be in order. Thus, allow one-measure pause between stanzas to give your people a chance for a few deep breaths. If the congregation tends to drag, play in very strict time, marcato, rather than adding noisy stops. If a congregation is running away with its hymn singing, keep in control by a firm, steady, unostentatious accompaniment of the hymn. As a general rule, the organist ought to be slightly ahead of the congregation, particularly at the beginning of phrases. A void a ritardando at the end of each phrase or even at the end of each hymn. Finally, all hymn playing in correct time ought to be musical and not mechanical.[17]

Third, appropriate musical interpretation of hymn texts will observe adequate tempi. Kaeppel suggests a tempo of M. M. 40–50 for tunes under "Passiontide," "Confession and Absolution," "Cross and Comfort," "Death and Burial" (L. H. 146); about M. M. 60 for "Faith and Justification," "The Redeemer," and "Sanctification" ("Bekenntnislieder") (L. H. 364); 70–80 for "Praise and Festival" tunes (L. H. 40), tempi that seem too slow.[18] Naturally, whoever wants to observe these markings will have to check on his time privately. Obviously, too, there are exceptions to Kaeppel’s rule. Compare, for instance, the tempo of "Jesus, meine Zuversicht (L. H. 206) at the Feast of the Resurrection with the tempo used at a funeral. Consider the type of tune, whether chorale, plainsong, or modern. Play a trifle faster for small congregations than for large ones, advises Lutkin.[19] Employ faster tempi for 3/4-time tunes than for 4/4-time tunes, Kaeppel believes, as a general rule (L. H. 239). Various students of hymn playing urge the organist to avoid too fast or too slow singing by singing along himself. Last, but not least, adequate tempi must be suited to the acoustics of the building.

Fourth, appropriate musical interpretation of hymn texts must regard factors involving rhythmic playing. Both Kaeppel and Lochner advocate articulating repeated notes in the outer voices and tying repeated notes in the inner voices to obtain good rhythm (L. H. 552).[20] Clarence Dickinson, however, reserves this method for decided rhythm and great dignity.[21] He insists as a general rule that the principles of part playing be strictly applied to hymn playing. Try Eventide (L. H. 552, "Abide with Me") according to both rules. Identical chords (L. H. 304, 551, 398) should be detached, the notes losing half their value in the process. There is a diversity of opinions with regard to the treatment of pedal notes. John Barnes Pratt suggests using the pedal on accented beats only, ignoring the unaccented notes in the pedal (L. H. 123), which seems rather thumpy.[22] In that case, of course, the left hand would have to play both the tenor and the bass part instead of only the tenor part. Lochner holds that repeated pedal notes should be played only on the strong beats where the same pedal notes occur several times in succession [23] (L. H. 647). Boyd, on the other hand, thinks repeated pedal notes within a phrase should be tied [24] (L. H. 646). Tufts wants to see the pedal and the left hand moved along in legato fashion while the right hand plays in a more detached manner to bring out the rhythm of the tune [25] (L. H. 387). In conclusion, there is general agreement that the phrasing of hymn tunes ought to be done in curved lines and not angles; that each stanza must be phrased according to the import of its own text; and that all unnecessary pauses should be avoided to effect good rhythmic playing of hymn tunes.

Fifth, musical interpretation of hymn texts requires fitting expression in the playing of hymns. Perhaps this point should have been stressed first. Consider, however, that expressive playing without technical adequacy is ineffective. Fitting expression in hymn playing will result when we heed Boyd, who says, "The only adequate treatment for a hymn is to vary the playing and singing in accordance with the import of the text."[26] Breaking this rule down, we shall, in certain given cases, vary our playing even by line or lines, let alone the different stanzas, having previously studied each hymn stanza and decided on a fitting way to play it. As a further aid, worship sincerely with the hymn writer, sing along. It is highly necessary at this point to warn against extreme literal and, therefore, ludicrous, treatment of the hymn text. Here the good taste and common sense of the church organist must prevail. All variations in hymn playing according to the import of the text must occur in a natural and inoffensive manner. In like manner, the Amen, preferably to be played at the end of hymns of praise or prayer, should logically receive the same treatment as the hymn it concludes (L. H. 187).

Sixth, musical interpretation of hymn texts calls for suitable registration, a point closely allied to the previous one about fitting expression. Again it must be said that the church organist should note the character of the service, the content of the hymn in its entirety or each hymn stanza, the size of the organ, the size of the congregation, the size and acoustics of the building as he determines what registration is suitable. Lutkin also emphasizes tone color.[27] Emphasize accordingly diapasons for sturdy, straightforward sentiments (L. H. 575); strings, for quiet, restful moods (L. H. 368); flutes, for touch of the ethereal (L. H. 551); and louder reeds, for joy and exaltation (L. H. 39). Care must be taken that the church organist supplies the right amount of volume in his registration. Changes in registration need not necessarily be made in every hymn or stanza; in fact, it is wise to make a minimum of changes in general and in a series of stanzas in particular. Changes will be artistic and smooth if they occur at the end of rhythmic periods or phrases in a choice, judicious way. Often opening or closing the boxes in the organ may be sufficient to indicate a variation in the hymn. Omit the 16' pedal in one stanza of each hymn to give relief from the everbooming bass. Here, again, the church organist ought to decide in advance which stanza can best do without the sturdy underpinning of the pedal bass. Avoid, as a rule, heavy 16' manual stops or 16' couplers, as well as screechy manual stops and high, shrill manual couplers. Build up the volume of the organ somewhat towards the close of a hymn to keep interest unflagging, if desirable (L. H. 127). Beware of monotony; for example, do not play all Passiontide hymn stanzas softly (L. H.151, 5–7) or all festival hymn stanzas loudly (L. H. 160). "Monotony," says Boyd, "is the condition most to be feared in hymn singing, and all of the organist’s ingenuity will be needed to avoid it without introducing features which are distasteful to the congregation."[28]

To avoid monotony, exceptional devices for effective hymn playing may be used now and then. Lutkin points out that a final stanza that is climactic may have its harmony intensified by the organist with a well-chosen chord.[29] Kaeppel quotes at length a highly esteemed, but anonymous organist in favor of an occasional, skillful change of harmony.[30] Using the independent organ accompaniments of Hopkins, Thiman, and Bairstow now and then is also considered legitimate variety by many organists.

At times it may be expedient to transpose a tune up or down to a more suitable key in consideration of weather conditions, the response of the congregation, the nature of the hymn, or the character of the occasion. Jubilant hymn singing, described by Edwin A. Jiede in the Lutheran School Journal of June, 1942, as the pitch-raising technique, is another device for exceptional occasions.[31] Lutkin mentions two other unusual ways of effective hymn playing. He writes: "In familiar tunes, when choir and congregation are well under way, telling phrases from the alto or tenor may be played above the soprano part. Or a countermelody may be superimposed."[32] Of course, all these variations are exceptional devices for effective hymn playing. Ways of making hymn singing "more interesting, vital, and effective than is ordinarily the case,"[33] such as, antiphonal singing of various kinds, an unaccompanied stanza, a stanza unsung but played by the organ, etc., do not properly come within the scope of this discussion.

Eighth, appropriate musical interpretation of hymn texts includes giving out the tune. Play the tune, or part of it, if it is not indicated clearly in the preceding voluntary, otherwise the congregation will be plunged abruptly into the hymn following the voluntary. It is advisable also to announce the tune somewhat if it is to be sung in a key different from the preceding chorale prelude on the tune. It goes without saying that a tune must be given out if it is not preceded by a prelude at all. If the tune is familiar or lengthy, announce only a part of the tune, always coming to a tonic close before the entry of the congregation. Sometimes the beginning and ending phrases of a tune form a unit that sufficiently proclaims the tune to the worshipers. For reasons of necessity, establish the mood of the tune firmly by giving out the tune in the same tempo, with the same care, in the same key as in the following accompaniment of the congregation. Always indicate by a pause or cadence when the congregation is to join in the singing of the hymn.

Ninth, not only certain principles of giving out the tune mentioned in the foregoing section, but also ways of announcing the tune come into consideration for appropriate musical interpretation of hymn texts.

Again, a study of the hymn to be announced by the organist will indicate a suitable way of giving out the tune. Four-part harmony on the swell or the choir with registration of suitable strength and color seems to be indicated generally for the chorale-type of tune. Soloing the melody in the pitch given for the soprano, or an octave lower in the tenor register, or in both the tenor and the soprano, as an octave, on a manual with a solo stop for the right hand, accompanimental stops on another manual for the alto and the tenor played by the left hand, and a suitable bass in the pedal, may be more in order for hymns of a subjective type. Sometimes several methods of giving out the tune can be used well in one stanza. Always, though, everything must be done in decency and in order.

In this somewhat detailed study of hymn playing an effort was made to list in consecutive order the most outstanding niceties of good hymn playing, a problem to many a church organist, as we all know from our own experience and observation. Those of us who have placed hymn study, hymn singing, and hymn playing first in our preparation for organ playing in the church service will have been heartened by the emphasis on churchly and artistic hymn accompaniments of the organ. If there is any church organist in this group who has placed hymn playing second, third, or fourth in his preparation for a service, it is hoped that he will henceforth give hymn playing the priority it deserves.

The basic approaches and techniques of good hymn playing apply in a large measure to good accompaniment of the liturgy.

Special problems of accompaniment of the Lutheran liturgy are treated in the following Lutheran sources:

Lochner, Martin, The Organist’s Handbook (pp. 16–21).
Bergt, Alfred, The Church Organist (section four).
Kaeppel, G. C. A., Die Orgel im Gottesdienst (pp. 59–62).
Eckhardt, E., Reallexikon ("Die Schule") (p. 335).
Buszin, Walter E., Preface to The Introits; for The Graduals.
Bergen, Carl, "The Nature and Purpose of Liturgical Music" in Pro Ecclesia Lutherana (Vol. III, No. 1, June, 1935; valuable bibliography on the music of the liturgy included).
Archer, Harry G., and Reed, Luther D., The Choral Service Book (Preface to the First Edition).
Bruening, H. D., "The Gregorian Chant" in the Lutheran School Journal of January, 1940 (a digest of Bergen and Archer and Reed).
Lochner, Friedrich, Der Hauptgottesdienst (p. 39).
Kretzmann, P. E., Christian Art (last chapter).
Webber, F. R., Studies in the Liturgy.

Some of these references also contain instruction on the organ accompaniment of choirs and soloists.

"The importance of an earnest, sympathetic study of our Service Music is unquestionable. However acceptable other arts may assist in the consummation of the communion between God and men which we are pleased to term ‘worship,’ none of them enters into so intimate a relationship with the elements of the Service, or is such a helpful factor in their expression, as Music, Architecture, Painting, Sculpture, Embroidery—all bring their offerings before the Service hour, as it were, and stand silent in the outer court, while Music alone enters the Holy of Holies and breathes the people’s prayer and praise or voices Divine invitation and promise. The faith of the Church as confessed in her Worship is embodied in her Liturgy, and her Liturgy lives and has its active being in its music. Music effectively evokes the vitalizing and energizing content of the text. It frequently opens the way of the understanding for the latter and so is a teacher of the Service and the Faith of the Church to her children. It is, therefore, of the first importance that the hands of the priestly servant be clean and the heart pure—that the Music of the Service be true and in some manner worthy of its privilege."

From Preface to the First Edition of the Choral Service by Archer and Reed, a very informative and scholarly essay with a very comprehensive bibliography of the music for the Liturgy.

Schoeberlein has given us a definition that is hard to excel. He says: "The Church has her own peculiar style of hymn tune (Lied) as well as of song (Gesang). Even though she knows the contrasts of holy sorrow and joy, yes, of joy which rises to high exultation, still she keeps these contrasts within chaste limits, and over and above all yet so vivid and profound sensations of penitence and praise there dwells the blessed calm of divine peace. Also the harmonies are free from sentimentalism and exciting transitions. They move along with a clear, pure, calm, and majestic rhythm and thus transport the hearers from the realm of subjective and worldly sensations into that which is sacred."[34]

Robert Bridges, poet laureate of England, wrote:

"And if we consider and ask ourselves what sort of music we should wish to hear on entering a church, we should surely, in describing our ideal, say first of all that it must be something different from what is heard elsewhere; that it should be sacred music, devoted to its purpose, a music whose unquestioned beauty should find a home in our hearts, to cheer us in life and death; a music worthy of the fair temples in which we meet and of the holy words of our Liturgy; a music whose expression of the mystery of things unseen never allows any trifling motive to ruffle the sanctity of its reserve. What power for good such a music would have."[35]

Pius X in his Motu Proprio says:

"Sacred music should possess in the highest degree the qualities proper to the liturgy and, in particular, sanctity and goodness of form, which will spontaneously produce the final quality of universality. It must be holy, and must, therefore, exclude all profanity not only in itself but in the manner in which it is presented by those who execute it.

"It must be true art, for otherwise it will be impossible for it to exercise on the minds of those who listen to it that efficacy which the church aims at obtaining in admitting into her liturgy the art of musical sounds. But it must, at the same time, be universal in the sense that while every nation is permitted to admit into its ecclesiastical compositions those special forms which may be said to constitute its native music, still these forms must be subordinated in such a manner to the general characteristics of sacred music that nobody of any nation may receive an impression other than good on hearing them."[36]

Joseph Clokey in his plan for the selection of useful church music (for choirs) lists items such as these: Church music should be flawless in construction. It must show a distinctive idiom and evidence of real inspiration. It must be free from secular association; therefore, melody that is suave, tuneful, chromatic, sequential, obvious, is unchurchly because these are the devices of the popular song. Rhythm that employs rapid dotted notes, triplets, syncopation, rhythmic sequences is also unchurchly because these are the devices of the dance. Harmony that employs chromatics, modernistic dissonance, successive dominant seventh chords, "barber shop" chords, diminished seventh chords, dominant ninth chords, and abrupt modulations is unchurchly because these are the devices of the swing band.

Church music, according to Clokey, should be objective rather than subjective, impersonal rather than personal.

"It must create the mood of worship. No rule can be applied, but a great deal of true worship music has these characteristics:

a. Melody that is diatonic rather than chromatic, rugged rather than suave, not too obvious.

b. Rhythm is free, speechlike, proselike, not restricted by bar lines or time signatures.

c. Harmony that is diatonic, based on triads rather than seventh chords."[37]

Please note that the expressions of Ludwig Schoeberlein, Robert Bridges, Pius X, and Joseph Clokey were made within the last hundred years, the latter three speaking to us in this century, Clokey, in this year of our Lord, 1944.

It is basic for us that we not only have a general understanding what is churchly in music as to the faith it expresses, the form it takes, and the function it has, but, in particular, that we Lutheran Christians have a clear conception of the Lutheran conception of church music. This outlook has been set forth most profoundly by Dr. Theodore Hoelty-Nickel in the Lutheran School Journal of January, 1942, pages 219–222. I can only hint at what he has to say when I try to condense his essay into these leading thoughts: 1. Real church music is a form of spiritual expression of the individual in song and on instruments in an objective approach and manner. 2. In the Lutheran conception of church music we recognize church music as our master; we are its servants. "This very attitude," says Dr. Nickel, "this subordination of our personalities to a work of art, guarantees that our presentation of music will be more than a passing intoxication. Hence it follows that for us who are church musicians the presentation of music should be the service of God, before all else, and that all music in the church service, which very term means service to God, must be offered up like prayer. This attitude implies our turning all attention heavenward to God, forgetting ourselves and what we have merited. A presentation in this spirit becomes a service to the congregation, as a matter of course—not in the sense that we intend to give it a delightful musical treat but in that we throw open a path, by our music, by which God’s Word can reach the congregation."

These words of Dr. Hoelty-Nickel embody the principles of choosing worship organ music, namely, that considerations of worship come first, that we select and play organ music with which we seek to glorify God and not ourselves, and, that as a natural fruit of these two attitudes, we select and play only what is fitting for a given season of the church year, for whatever special occasions arise, and for the general purposes of an average Sunday worship, be it to anticipate the mood of a service or of a hymn or to prepare the worshiper for the hymn to follow by a suitable chorale prelude.

In choosing and playing his organ music, the organist will, of course, consider the specific place of the music in the service. The opening voluntary will be longer usually than the prelude before the sermon hymn, where this custom still exists. The prelude on a Communion Sunday in sizable congregations ought to be shorter than in a minor service, that is, a service without the Eucharist. Where the organ offertory, or voluntary, directly leads over into the next hymn, certainly a worthy chorale prelude based on the hymn to follow is the ideal voluntary. Otherwise, if the voluntary is followed by prayers at the altar, music of a prayerful mood is in order. The closing voluntary or postlude, which is already extinct in certain churches, ought to summarize the spirit of the service. Very often this can be done best by means of a suitable thematic selection. Fortunate the organist whose congregation remains seated until the postlude has been completed!

Among all the good, bad, and indifferent materials listed as organ music for church, chorale preludes or thematic selections based on our Lutheran chorales interest us the most for obvious reasons.

The early history of the chorale prelude has been briefly outlined by C. F. Abdy Williams as follows:

"The ‘sacred songs’ composed by Luther and others for private and family use had become so popular and well known that they gradually found their way into the churches, where they were sung by the congregation under the name chorale, the German term for plainsong. . . . So great a hold did these now familiar tunes take on the popular imagination that not only did the people like to sing them, but they loved to hear them played on the organ as well: hence arose the use of the Choralvorspiel, or prelude, an artistic rendering of the tune about to be sung, which the organist was expected to adorn with all the resources of his art. The rise of the Choralvorspiel gave the death blow to coloratura: it henceforth formed the chief exercise for the talents of the organist and had great influence on the future development of organ music. The earliest treatment of the chorale as a pure organ piece, instead of a mere adaptation of the voice parts, is found in the Tabulatura Nova of Samuel Scheidt, organist of Halle." This novel and historical work was published in Hamburg in 1624. "It is the first that is free from the parasite of coloratura that had threatened to destroy the life of German music. Not that there is no ornamentation, but what there is had reason and meaning in it, and sets off the music to best advantage."[38] Following Scheidt, there came a line of distinguished German organ composers, among them Boehm, Buxtehude, and Pachelbel, whose work as composers of chorale preludes culminated in the Choralvorspiel of Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach used the coloristic style of Boehm, the free fantasy of Buxtehude, and the frugal treatment of Pachelbel in composing his own chorale preludes, harmonizing in the manner of his most outstanding contemporaries not only the chorale tune, but also the chorale text either as to its sentiment or with regard to pictorial allusions. It is strange, to say the least, that Bach’s incomparable chorale preludes were largely ignored until the present generation. Meanwhile, all along the line, the chorale prelude is growing in favor, as the ideal form of service organ music as well as a desirable idiom in recital programs.

In churches where the pastor prefers the Lutheran chorale the church organist has an abundance of material based on the Lutheran chorale. There are, first of all, the chorale preludes of the old masters in the editions of Peters, Baerenreiter, Kallmeyer, the Liturgical Press, and others. Since some of these chorale preludes are written in keys other, usually higher, than those in which we sing the respective chorale, there arises a problem. Shall we transpose the chorale prelude, as did the compilers of the Anthologie in the case of Bach’s "Vater Unser," or shall we transpose the tune beyond the range of e in the soprano, or shall we connect the chorale prelude with the chorale by means of a smooth, suitable modulation? Another difficulty arises at times because of the length of these choral preludes. If they are in partita or variation form, as Walther’s "Jesu, meine Freude," a judicious selection of the parts can be made. As some of the chorale preludes of the old masters are based on tunes no longer used in our Church, their usefulness is limited to general rather than specific purposes. Frankly, I have found it somewhat difficult to make wide use of the chorale preludes of the old masters, much as I have tried to use this Lutheran heritage in our church services. I trust that I may learn of more materials or of more ways to use Choralvorspiele alter Meister.

Next, there is the volume of chorale preludes by J. S. Bach in The Little Organ Book, The Third Part of the Clavieruebung, The Six Schuebler, The Eighteen Great, the chorale partitas, and miscellaneous collections. During the season of 1928–29 in New York it was my good fortune to hear the late and great Dr. Lynwood Farnam play every note that Bach ever composed for the organ, including all the chorale preludes, in a series of twenty all-Bach organ recitals at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion. At Mr. Farnam’s request I reviewed this Bach series. It was in five issues of The Diapason, "The First Complete Bach Series for the Organ in Musical History," by an organist so outstanding that the late Louis Vierne of Notre Dame, Paris, called him "America’s greatest organist." As I listened to these chorale preludes, with a score in my hand, and studied them, as a church organist I ever remained on the lookout for possibilities of using Bach chorale preludes in the church service. Some, I felt, could be used to excellent advantage. Others, again, on account of their length or their very programmatic, pictorial, concertlike character, seemed out of place in a church service. Once more, I trust that men in this group can show me more ways how the Lutheran heritage of Bach’s chorale preludes can be properly fitted into the ordinary church service.

Following Bach, there come the chorale preludes composed by his pupils and their pupils, etc., selections which many of us know from frequent use of such collections as our own Anthologie, Meibohm, Reuter’s Lutheran Organist, Caecilia, Lubrich’s Soli Deo Gloria, the various Orgelschulen, etc., etc. Much of this material is eminently fitting because only the tune and not the text is taken under consideration by the composer, much is ecclesiastical in character and simple in construction, making it a safe bet for the average church organist. Of course, here, too, as in the Alte Meister and in Bach, there are instances of uninspired materials, correct in form, but lacking spirit and life.

In the modern period we have the chorale preludes on Lutheran chorales by Brahms (few in number), Reger (favorite of the Germans), and Karg-Elert (favorite of Americans), the latter two abounding in very chromatic, daring progressions, bordering (in Karg-Elert) at times on the burlesque. Among our own colleagues we have the essays of Fritz Reuter, G. C. A. Kaeppel, Martin Schumacher, Henry Markworth, Herman Grote, Dietrich Meibohm, Theodore G. Stelzer, and possibly others, each of whom has his own style of composing, as many of you no doubt know. Americans outside our own circles who have composed selections based on the Lutheran chorale include Edmundson, McKinley, Diggle, Whitford, Candlyn, Hokanson, Sowerby, Truette. Not all of these materials will pass muster as church music by the discriminating church organist. At least, there is an abundance of chorale preludes on Lutheran tunes from the pre-Bach era up to the present day. How to find them, use them, and play them belongs to the problems of the church organist.

Selections based on plainsong melodies occurring in our liturgy or in some of the classic chorales taken over from plainsong often prove useful in a church service. Breitkopf and Haertel in Volume 3938, Ravanello in his Album Gregoriano, and Reger, Rheinberger, and Guilmant in their collections and sonatas base some of their compositions on the Gregorian chant. Of late, men like Carlo Rossini, Dom Symons, Titcomb, Purvis, Kreckel, Richard Keys Biggs, Candlyn, and others have given us some worthy service organ music based on chant.

In such of our churches where hymn tunes other than the Lutheran chorale are greatly in vogue, the organist has some difficulty in finding suitable thematic materials. He may find some help in our own collections by Reuter, Schumacher, Grote, and Markworth. Here is a field for you budding composers. Give us inspired and artistic materials of varying lengths, forms and difficulties on the so-called English and other-type tunes. Compose for the church service and the average organist, and you will not only serve a good cause, but also find a ready market.

Thematic materials based on other types of tunes are offered also by men like Noble, Burdett, Bingham, Whitford, McKinley, Sowerby, Darke, Faulkes, Grace, Lutkin, Snow, Lacey, Diggle, Kinder, Sparks, etc. In general, it seems that the output of thematic materials on other than our Lutheran chorale type of tune is less profound than those materials inspired by the Lutheran chorale. That would appear perfectly logical in view of the fact that our chorale is a superior type of tune, which therefore inspires superior effort and thought and feeling.

Despite all the materials indicated so far, there is still a great shortage of thematic service organ music for many an organist. Therefore he must turn to non-thematic materials. He may find much churchly organ music in the collections of Carlo Rossini, Eddy (The Organ in Church), Reinhard (Caecilia), Rinck, Hesse, Merkel, Fischer, Brosig, Kaeppel, Lochner, Wm. C. Carl, Guilmant (The Practical Organist), Bach, The Old Masters, and others. Unless a church organist clearly knows what is churchly organ music and fitting for certain purposes, he will not choose wisely from many a collection. Too many selections, unfortunately, are foreign to the spirit of worship, because they are theatrical, jarring, excessively chromatic, and modern, and reminiscent of anything or everything but the church. Very often "the people" like this kind of music, and they tell the organist so, too. If the church organist hasn’t intestinal fortitude besides his many other qualifications, he will soon succumb to flattery, and his service will degenerate into playing for the galleries.

Slow and dignified movements from larger works often lend themselves as good service music. Their titles—Andante, Adagio, etc.—may mean little to the worshiper, but their content may be entirely worshipful. Finally, there are the many pieces of sheet music, which, again, must be evaluated by the church organist as to their merit as worship music. If he can do this properly and stand by his convictions by playing only churchly organ music in a churchly way, he fully deserves the exalted title: The Lutheran Church Organist.

Ashton, Joseph N., Music in Worship (Chap. XII, "Organ Music"). 1934. The Pilgrim Press. Chicago. $2.00.
Bergt, Alfred, The Church Organist. The Rev. Alfred Bergt, Schuyler, Nebr. 25 cents.
Boyd, Charles N., The Organist and the Choirmaster. The Abingdon Press. Chicago. 1936. $1.50.
Diapason, The (S. E. Gruenstein, Editor). 1511 Kimball Hall, Chicago. The following articles were consulted:

NOTE—For descriptive listings of organ music see especially the various special bulletins of C. P. H.’s Music Department, prepared by Walter E. Buszin at the request of Mr. O. A. Dorn. The new 1944 Music Catalog of Concordia Publishing House is particularly valuable.

From The Musical Heritage of the Lutheran Church, Volume I (Valparaiso, Ind.: Valparaiso University, 1945). Reprinted by permission of Valparaiso University.

For personal use only.