01 Jul Music Notes ~ After the Prelude: Beginning to Sing (Part 2)
By Cantor Miguel Ruiz
A number of relevant considerations come into play. First, what is this hymn called? A Hymn of Invocation might be drawn from the “Beginning of Service” or “Prayer” sections of the hymnal, or from the repertoire for Pentecost or Trinity. “Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord,” and “To God the Holy Spirit Let Us Pray” have been historically considered such important hymns for this function that some church orders prescribed one of them to be sung at the beginning of every service! A processional or entrance hymn might draw on themes a bit less contemplative and tend to be somewhat more festive.
A hymn from the “Praise and Adoration,” “Redeemer,” or “Morning” sections of the hymnal might serve this function well. An “Opening Hymn” might be selected to coincide with or emphasize the teachings in the lections appointed to that day, especially the Gospel reading. It is often selected to “set the tone,” or theme, for the day, and thus can frequently be pulled from the section of whichever season of the church year we are in, or from topics of more overt doctrinal instruction, such as “Word of God” or “Justification,” or even “Baptismal Life,” to declare our identity in Christ as we enter into worship.
There is a balance to strike between hymns that emphasize their purpose and function in the progression of the rite, our place in the cycle through the church year, and specifics of the lections appointed to that day. The latter two, for example, might be the most likely choice on major fest days, like Easter or Christmas, but the first might become more common during the longer “green season” over the summer.
Whether the first thing sung by a congregation is a hymn or the introit (which, being drawn from the Psalms, is an ancient hymn of the Hebrews), Christians nearly always sing as they gather for worship. While the New Testament is relatively sparse in its prescriptive instructions for worship, indicating that we are to sing together but not how much and where, we do have some more specific commendations in the book of Psalms. We are told in Psalm 100:2 – “Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!”
As a communal activity, singing unites the action and focus of a group who has assembled somewhat disparately, mentally oriented towards any number of other things. When we join in the same melody, words, and orientation, our collective attention is funneled towards the holy things, which emerges as the singular purpose of the assembled community. As such, music prepares us to encounter the teaching of the Word, even as the melodies carry deep into our hearts the texts that convey or explicate this teaching. Thus, we sing in our assembly as an enrichment of the teaching ministry of the church, and we begin the service by doing this as a sort of formal declaration of our reason for being here.
Last week’s service, Matins, one of the “Daily Office” rites, does not prescribe an opening hymn. These liturgies were initially designed for monastic life, to be prayed multiple times throughout the day. The Reformation brought these services into more common usage by the laity. Their focus can often be nearly as strong on prayer as on teaching, and historically they have only featured a single hymn. When these services function as a chief service on the Lord’s Day, however, extra hymns are added which provide a more formal air and create familiarity with similar processes in the Divine Service rite.
Regardless of what the first hymn is called or whether it falls before or after confession, it initiates musical voice of the assembly as we embark on our journey through the musical drama of our ritual that tells the story of Christ. Many factors may be considered when selecting the first song to be sung, but one way or another, it sets a musical and thematic tone which continues to unfold throughout the service. Even if the tune happens to be towards the dirge end of the melodic spectrum, we nevertheless sing with joy in our hearts that proceeds from the hope we have in the Gospel of Christ, which is with us whether we find our life in a major key or in a dour and dreary desert. Christ walks with us all the way, and He gives us His song to sing, together.
Be sure to read Part 1, After the Prelude: Beginning to Sing, ~ HERE.
Do you have any questions about the music we use in our services? Send your questions to Miguel at [email protected], and perhaps they can be answered in a future “Music Notes!”