In-Choiring minds: Sung psalms

In-Choiring Minds is a feature column that is published periodically highlighting the happenings of the Music Ministry at All Saints', especially the All Saints' Choir. 

During the season of Lent, which begins March 1ST, worshipers at All Saints' will have the opportunity to experience a fuller, richer meaning of the Book of Psalms. During Sunday services throughout Lent, the selected Psalm at the end of the First Reading will be sung at the 9:30AM service, instead of recited.  

The choir, under the direction of Hank Curtis, will lead the congregation in the singing of the Psalm. The "cantor," an individual from the choir, will sing each verse of the Psalm in the form of a chant. At the beginning and end of the Psalm, and after selected verses, the choir will guide the congregation in the singing the "antiphon," which is essentially a short refrain. The cantor will raise his/her hand to signal the choir and the congregation to sing the antiphon, which will be printed in the bulletin.
  
Why, you might ask is it important to sing the psalms. Not only does scripture instruct us to sing, but the psalms were MEANT to be sung; and, the singing of psalms has been a tradition within the Church since its founding nearly 2,000 years ago. In fact, the word psalm is derived from the Greek translation of the word, psalmoi, meaning instrumental music. The psalms themselves tell us make music and to sing to the Lord. Apostle Paul encouraged faithful Christians to sing psalms. Psalms are not only scripture and prayer, they are poems set to music. The texts provide instruction to directors of music; they encourage worshipers to sing to the Lord and they often identify the instruments to be played. 

The importance of singing psalms can be summarized by the words of Russell Stutler in very contemporary language, "The book of Psalms is a song book. Try reading through a book of your favorite songs without singing them and see how dry they are, like cornflakes without milk."

Psalm singing was a prominent feature of Church worship for nearly 1,800 years. However, gospel songs and devotional lyrics eclipsed the singing of psalms during the 19th Century. Fortunately, a renaissance of psalm singing has occurred during the past half century. Thanks to the works of noted composer, organist and liturgist, Peter R. Hallock (1924-2014) and others, new musical settings for psalms have emerged. The music for the psalms that All Saints' will sing during Lent was composed by Hallock and is presented in his Ionian Psalter, Hallock's largest creative work.

We invite you to join us in this Lenten experience and enjoy the beauty and richness of the psalms as they are sung. Listen to the cantor as he/she evokes a variety of emotions when the words are set to music.

The All Saints' Choir extends a warm welcome to new members, amateur and professional, alike. Even if you are just visiting Kaua'i and would like join the choir during your stay, you are more than welcome. We are in particular need of additional tenor and bass voices. 

Practice occurs each Thursday at 6:00PM in the Music Room (south entrance of the All Saints' Gym). Sunday call times are generally 8:55AM. If you would like to "in-choir" about the All Saints' Choir, please contact Hank Curtis . All Saints' welcomes you!